Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

05/13/2016 at 6:39am EDT

SHARKS TAME PREDATORS IN GAME 7, ADVANCE TO CONFERENCE FINALS
Logan Couture registered 1-2—3 and Martin Jones (20 SV) earned his first career playoff shutout to lead the Sharks past the Predators and to their fourth appearance in the Western Conference Final (also 2004, 2010 and 2011).


* Couture, who leads all players with 7-10—17 during the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs (12 GP), posted 6-5—11 in the seven-game victory vs. NSH. Via Elias, that is a Sharks record for points in one postseason series, besting the mark set by Igor Larionov in the 1994 Western Conference Quarterfinals vs. DET (2-8—10 in 7 GP). Couture’s 17 playoff points also are one shy of Larionov’s single-year franchise record, established in 1994 (5-13—18 in 14 GP).

* Jones became the fourth goaltender in Sharks history to earn a postseason shutout and the first to do so in a Game 7. This marks the second straight year that a goaltender recorded a shutout in his first Game 7 appearance Ben Bishop also achieved that feat with the Lightning in the 2015 First Round vs. DET.

* Joe Pavelski scored his ninth goal of the playoffs, tying Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for first place in the NHL and also equaling a Sharks record for goals in one postseason – a mark set by Patrick Marleau in 2006 and matched by Pavelski in 2010. Pavelski also picked up his third game-winning goal of the playoffs, tied for first in the League with Western Conference Final opponent David Backes of the Blues.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING
A California-based club advanced to the Western Conference Final for the seventh consecutive season. The Sharks also advanced in 2010 and 2011, followed by three straight appearances by the Kings (2012-14) and then the Ducks in 2015.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS: SHARKS WIN GAME 7
* The Sharks improved to 6-4 in 10 all-time Game 7s, including a 3-1 record on home ice.

* The Sharks matched a club record with five goals in Thursday’s Game 7 victory, also achieved in the 1995 Western Conference Quarterfinals at CGY (5-4 2OT W) and 2008 Western Conference Quarterfinals vs. CGY (5-3 W).

* The home team won all seven contests in the Sharks-Predators series, the fourth such instance in the past 20 years and second involving San Jose (also 2013 CSF vs. LAK: 4-3 L).

* The Sharks will face the Blues in the Western Conference Final, the fifth all-time playoff series between the clubs. The teams have split their previous four meetings, with St. Louis winning their most recent matchup in the 2012 Western Conference Quarterfinals (4-1 W).

MORE GAME 7 TRENDS
* Home teams improved to 96-69 (.582) all-time in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 3-1 record this year.

* The team that scores first improved to 123-42 (.745) all-time in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 4-0 record this year.

FIRST ROUND DRAFT ORDER COMES INTO FOCUS
The Sharks’ victory finalized the order of selection for the First Round of the 2016 NHL Draft.

Click here for complete details.

Note: Pittsburgh traded its first-round pick to Toronto (pick # still TBD) and San Jose traded its first-round pick to Boston (pick # still TBD).

LOOSE PUCKS
The Sharks improved to 3-0 in three all-time playoff series against the Predators, including an 8-0 overall record on home ice . . . Sharks forward Joel Ward, who played three seasons with the Predators (2008-11), scored his third goal in six career Game 7s . . . Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic (0-2—2) extended his assist/point streak to five games (0-6—6) . . . NHL LiveWire: Take an all-access look at Game 7 between the Blues and Stars . . . ICYMI: Victor Hedman (TBL) and Logan Couture (SJS) were among the players featured in the latest “Superlatives” segment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon . . . SHOWTIME Sports released the first-look video highlight forALL ACCESS: Quest for the Stanley Cup, a real-time, behind-the-scenes documentary series that premieres next Friday, May 20 (9:00 p.m. ET/PT).

SNEAK PEEK AT FRIDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh, Game 1, 8:00 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, TVAS
NBC Sports Channel Finder
Sportsnet Channel Finder
NHL Network Channel Finder

PENGUINS, LIGHTNING OPEN EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
The Penguins and Lightning open the 2016 Eastern Conference Final when they face off in Game 1 at CONSOL Energy Center. This marks the second all-time playoff meeting between these clubs. In the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Tampa Bay overcame a 3-1 series deficit for the first and only time in franchise history to defeat Pittsburgh in seven games. The seventh and decisive contest, a 1-0 victory by the Lightning, featured a 36-save shutout by Dwayne Roloson and the winning goal fromSean Bergenheim. Tampa Bay won all three matchups between these teams in 2015-16 (PIT: 0-2-1); Pittsburgh, however, has been victorious in 21 of its past 26 games on home ice dating to Jan. 17 (regular season and playoffs).

ICYMI: NHL CONFIRMS SCHEDULE FOR CONFERENCE FINALS
The NHL confirmed the dates, starting times and television information for the 2016 Conference Finals.

Click here for complete details.

REMINDER: NHL Network will air comprehensive live coverage before and after every game during the 2016 Conference Finals.

NHL ANNOUNCES OFFICIALS FOR CONFERENCE FINALS
The NHL announced the officials for the 2016 Conference Finals:

Referees: Francis Charron, Gord Dwyer, Eric Furlatt, Wes McCauley, Dan O’Halloran, Dan O’Rourke, Kelly Sutherland and Brad Watson

Linesmen: Derek Amell, Michel Cormier, Greg Devorski, Brad Kovachik, Steve Miller, Brian Murphy, Jonny Murray and Pierre Racicot

Standby: Scott Cherrey (Linesman) and Chris Lee (Referee)

the information above was provided by the NHL PR department

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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