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Recent History Indicates that Both the Ducks and Kings are Bad in Game 7's

May 28, 2013, 6:06 PM ET [20 Comments]
Steve Palumbo
San Jose Sharks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Anaheim Ducks and Southern California Hockey fans have already languished through a disappointing Game 7 loss in the Conference Quarter Finals. Now the fans in Los Angeles face the same playoff fate.

Granted the Kings are riding a 13-game home winning streak in the playoffs, but Game 7 history has not been kind to either of the two teams taking up residence in So Cal.

The last time the Ducks won a series that went the distance was back in 2006 with a guy named Ilya Bryzgalov between the pipes. Have you heard of him?

It has been even longer for the Kings. How about nearly two decades. No L.A. fan can forget how Wayne Gretzky carried the Kings to a Game 7 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Campbell Conference Finals in 1993. That was a full four seasons before the Ducks first game 7 in franchise history; a 3-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.

Since that glorious moment, the Kings are 0-2 in Game 7 and have been outscored 9-1. The upside? Both of those games were on the road against the Colorado Avalanche. The downside? The last time L.A. won a game 7 at home was in 1989 - at the Great Western Forum.

The Kings are 3-4 in the seventh game of a series and have been outscored 31-21.

The Ducks haven't fared any better. Since 1997, Anaheim has been involved in five seven-game-series and are 2-3, but have outscored their opponents 11-10.

I know, I know...you are probably saying to yourself that one-game under .500 isn't that bad, right? No, not really, but when you dig deeper the numbers get pretty ugly. Consider this, both clubs have collectively gone 1-5 since 2001. *yikes*

Besides the Kings' 13-game home winning streak I mentioned earlier, the home team has won nearly 70% of the games in this postseason and are 18-3 in the Conference Semi-Finals alone. Who doesn't like those numbers if you're a Kings fan?

If you like experience than you have to give the edge to San Jose. The Sharks roster has seen game 7 action 31 times compared to only 15 for the Kings. Oh, and get this, the Sharks and Kings have never met in a game 7 prior to tonight's contest. However, the Kings hold the North vs. South edge having defeated the Oakland Seals in a seventh game all the way back in the psychedelic 60's. Groovy!

Is tonight the night Los Angeles turns So Cal's unlucky 7 streak around (tongue twister)? I have to say, I like their chances ( I think).

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One last thing before I go...

OK, raise your hands... who else was surprised to find out that the Kings and Ducks have combined to play in just 12 game 7's? That's pretty amazing when you consider tonight will be San Jose Sharks' forward Scott Gomez's tenth appearance alone in a Game 7.

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