You think the Capitals underachieve in the postseason? There’s a reason some have started calling them San Jose East. That’s because the Sharks have taken Stanley Cup playoff failures to an entirely new level since the NHL’s 2004-05 lockout.
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Now San Jose is on the verge of its worst “achievement” to date if it blows a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals to the Detroit Red Wings. The Sharks lost again on Tuesday 2-1 and must win Game 7 at home Thursday to avoid catastrophe. An NHL team has rallied to win a series after going down 3-0 just three times — though the Philadelphia Flyers did it in the second round last spring — and it has happened just four times in North American pro sports if you include the 2004 Boston Red Sox.
But even getting to this point is rare. Detroit is just the eighth NHL team to push a series to seven games after starting down 3-0. What’s bizarre is this has now happened twice this spring alone — Chicago pushed Vancouver to Game 7 in the first round. What gives? Parity is one reason. In the NHL there just isn’t much difference between a No. 1 and No. 8 seed, let alone two relative equals like the Red Wings and Sharks.
Also, a team can think it’s in better shape than it really is. The Sharks were up 3-0, but each win was by a single goal. The margin for error was minimal. Detroit, meanwhile, scored in the last 90 seconds to break a Game 4 tie, rallied from two down in the third period of Game 5 and erased a 1-0 deficit in the third period of Game 6. Just like that San Jose is facing elimination, too.
The Sharks face immense pressure. Remember, they beat the Caps to the punch by earning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2008-09 and still losing in the first round. San Jose was also upset by the No. 8 seed (2006) and the No. 5 seed (2008). Even last spring, when the Sharks looked like champions in the first two rounds, they were swept by No. 2 Chicago in the conference finals — the furthest this group has ever gone.
