The San Jose Sharks Advance To Their First NHL Final

The San Jose Sharks, in their 24th season, (yesterday ESPN.com “reported” it was their 25th, sorry there was no NHL season in 2004-2005, thus this is the Sharks’ 24th season, their first was in 1991-1992), advanced to their first Stanley Cup Final series dispatching the St. Louis Blues in six games.

The Blues have now failed to make the Cup finals in all 45 of their seasons since riding the expansion NHL West to three finals appearances in as many years of that configuration (1968-1970). St. Louis has gone (0-3) in semi-finals series since that point.

That was the Sharks “semis” record going into this series but now San Jose is in its first NHL finals series which will begin Monday night as Memorial Day revelers drive, either in Pittsburgh vs the Penguins or at home in the so called “Shark Tank,” vs the Tampa Bay Lightning, depending on tonight’s game 7 result in Pittsburgh.

Joe Pavelski had the very important first goal while Joel Ward added the goals that made the score (2-0) and (3-0) as the San Jose Sharks built a (4-0) lead, allowed a “keep the T.V. viewers, phony, Blues “comeback,” before winning (5-2) in game 6.

Pavelski leads all playoff performers with 13 goals. Logan Coutore of the Sharks leads with 22 points. Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton are also long time Sharks’ players who deserve congratulations on reaching the NHL finals.