San Jose Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle, from left, defenseman Brad Stuart, and defenseman Justin Braun sit on the bench during the third period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey first-round playoff series in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday, April 30, 2014. The Kings won 5-1. (AP Photo) (The Associated Press)
ALAMEDA, Calif. – For a franchise with a frustrating history of postseason flops, the latest collapse sent the San Jose Sharks to a new low.
The Sharks became the fourth team in NHL history to lose a best-of-seven series after winning the first three games, getting overwhelmed at home in a 5-1 loss in Game 7 on Wednesday night.
San Jose has the second most regular-season wins in the NHL the past 10 seasons but has never made it past the conference finals. There was the first-round loss to Anaheim in 2009 after posting the best record in the league in the regular season, second-round losses to inferior teams like Edmonton in 2006 and Dallas two years later, and three defeats in the conference final when that elusive Stanley Cup seemed so close.
