There is always something electrifying about an NHL playoff game 7. It's a winner-take-all, do-or-die, win-or-go-home super event. It's what we love most about sports.
Tonight the NHL will have two game 7's to showcase with a trip to the conference finals on the line.
The San Jose Sharks and their fans know a thing or two about the trials and tribulations of the almighty game 7. The franchise has been part of 10 such games with the good guys coming out on top six times. The latest having taken place last spring with a game 7 triumph over the now conference finals bound Nashville Predators.
It was a big win, but not necessarily one of the franchises most important or even memorable. One could argue the overall success and viability of the Sharks franchise stems from its success in game 7's in their infancy.
During the clubs' humble beginnings one goal and one game may have changed the course of the San Jose franchise forever.
On April 30, 1994, Baker let fly a wrist shot that beat an out-of-position Chris Osgood to break a 2-2 tie in the third period to lead an upstart Sharks team to a shocking first-round upset of the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings. BTW, can the Sharks please bring those jerseys back?
San Jose lost in the next round to the Toronto Maple Leafs in another great game 7. Despite that loss the groundwork was laid for a franchise and it's fanbase.
Today the Sharks, Ducks and Kings are among the leagues strongest teams, but back in the early 90's the idea of successful hockey franchises in both California and Florida was more of a novelty and less of a sure thing.
Since that epic series, Anaheim, Los Angeles (x2) and Tampa Bay have all won the Stanley Cup.
Forget Wayne Gretzky, it's entirely plausible none of that happens had it not been for a former Shark named Jamie Baker and his wrist shot heard round the hockey world.
I'm just saying....
Enjoy the games tonight and thanks for reading, Steve