The San Jose Sharks are hoping to not finish on the wrong side of history Wednesday night by allowing the Los Angeles Kings to come back from an 0-3 deficit to win Game 7 at the SAP Center in San Jose and crown themselves series winners by stamping their way into the second round. The most pressing option being weighed by San Jose lies within its last line of defense and who the team will start in goal.
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The Sharks went with Antti Niemi through the first five games of the series that saw the Sharks win the first three games before dropping the next two while Alex Stalock manned the crease for San Jose's Game 6 loss to their California foes.
Coach Todd McLellan seemed unsure who would get the nod in net for Game 7 during practice on Tuesday. That or he's letting no one in on his decision but himself.
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"Told them both to be ready to go," McLellan said per NHL.com after Tuesday's practice.
Niemi backstopped the Sharks to wins in Games 1, 2 and 3. The Sharks scored 13 goals in the first two games of the series at the SAP Center then squeaked out a Game 3 overtime win at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with a 4-3 win to go up 3-0 in the series.
The Kings faced elimination in Game 4 and won 6-3 at home and then blanked the Sharks 3-0 on San Jose's home ice in Game 5 before adding more pressure with a third period three-goal explosion to take a 4-1 triumph at home that evened up the series at 3-3.
While Stalock and Niemi are in stiff competition, the two have been getting along well.
"Obviously it is good to have competition, but we get along great and we're good friends," Stalock told NHL.com. "I think [not talking] would only hurt the play. I think it is great that we get along and help each other and push each other."
Niemi is 3-2 through five starts in the postseason with a 3.90 goals-against average and a .882 save percentage while Stalock is 0-1 through three appearances and one start with a 2.05 GAA and a .931 save percentage.
Stalock has played better during spurts in in the regular season and in this series than his counterpart has while Niemi has the pedigree to excel in the postseason and hoisted the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010.
While the decision isn't an easy one, the Sharks better hope to make the right one or it could mean that they once again have failed to make an impact in the postseason as they haven't gotten passed the second round in four years and have had two first-round exits in the last three.
The Sharks don't want to become just the third team in history to blow a 3-0 series lead and end up losing in seven games, and perhaps the most important question heading into Wednesday night's decisive Game 7 is who will be between the pipes to try and stave off elimination: Niemi or Stalock?
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