Three of the four conference finalists have been decided, and the San Jose Sharks will try to use their home-ice advantage Thursday night to become the final team to make it that far.
While home ice has been decisive in the conference semifinal series between the Sharks and Nashville Predators, there are no guarantees heading into the seventh game at the SAP Center. The Sharks struggled quite a bit on home ice during the regular season (18-20-3), and unlike this series, they actually played much better hockey on the road.
The Sharks have also struggled in big playoff games over the years. They have never been to the Stanley Cup Final despite being one of the most consistent teams in the league over the years. The Chicago Blackhawks beat them in the Western Conference Final in 2010, and the Vancouver Canucks did the same in 2011.
The pressure of the moment tends to weigh on the franchise's fanbase, but the players are only concerning themselves with how they are playing now.
Defenseman Paul Martin is new to the franchise this year, and he is aware of the team's reputati ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Steve Silverman
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