Avs wins classic Game 7 over Sharks

Posted 7:47AM on Thursday 16th May 2002 ( 22 years ago )

DENVER - Peter Forsberg has been so good in the playoffs, it's easy to forget he missed the entire regular season. ``It's unbelievable,'' Colorado's Dan Hinote said. ``It's amazing what kind of athlete he is to take the time off that he did and come back.'' Forsberg scored his second straight winner and Patrick Roy bolstered his mighty reputation as a big-game goalie, stopping 27 shots as the Avalanche beat the San Jose Sharks 1-0 in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals. The victory Wednesday night puts Colorado in the conference finals for the sixth time in seven years. The Avalanche open against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday in a best-of-seven matchup of the West's top two teams during the regular season. In the East, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hurricanes begin their final Thursday night at Carolina. Forsberg missed the regular season because of a leave of absence and several foot operations, but he has dominated since returning just before the playoffs. Forsberg, the leading scorer in the playoffs with 19 points, had a point in all seven games against the Sharks. He scored with 2:10 left in the second period of Game 7 on a give-and-go with Alex Tanguay, two days after getting the winner in overtime in Game 6. San Jose led the series 3-2 after a 5-3 victory in Game 5, but scored one goal in the final two games in failing to reach the conference finals for the first time. It was the second time the Sharks lost the final two games of a series after leading 3-2. They did against Toronto in the 1994 conference semifinals. ``We were one chance short in two games,'' San Jose coach Darryl Sutter said. ``I think we showed that we can play with them. Now we have to figure out a way to beat them.'' The Sharks will first have to find out a way to get past Roy. He extended his league record with his 22nd career playoff shutout and tied a record with his 11th Game 7. He is 6-5 in Game 7s, but has allowed a total of two goals to win the last four - three of which have been in the Avalanche's last three playoff series. Roy has allowed three goals the last six times Colorado has faced elimination, including one in a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 6 Monday against the Sharks. ``I said before Game 6, if there is one player I'm not worried about for Game 7 it's Patrick,'' Colorado coach Bob Hartley said. ``He's our energy, he's the reason that every game we feel that we have a chance to win. He came up large tonight.'' San Jose had a two-man advantage for the final 55 seconds after pulling goalie Evgeni Nabokov and a tripping penalty was called on Colorado's Rob Blake. But the Sarks couldn't get past Roy. Roy blocked a hard shot from the right circle by Mike Rathje, then stopped Teemu Selanne from the left side with nine seconds left. Joe Sakic won a faceoff in Colorado's zone with four seconds left to seal it. ``These are the toughest to lose, to lose this way to end the season,'' Selanne said. ``Our team had played so well this year. It's a shame only one team moves on. This team is too good to lose this way. There are too many winners in this room.'' San Jose could have had a goal and the momentum in the first five minutes, but Selanne rushed a wraparound attempt with Roy lying on the ice. The puck squirted out of Roy's glove after he dived to stop a bouncing puck, and Selanne wound up with it behind the net. He skated around to the left side of the net, but his backhand attempt went across the front of the net and hit Roy, who covered it. ``I didn't know how much time I had,'' said Selanne, who scored three goals in the series. ``It would have been a different story if I would have scored. When you have chances like that you have to bury them.'' Nabokov, playing in his first Game 7, was strong for the second straight game, but again couldn't match Roy. He won three of the first five games despite allowing 22 goals, but lost the last two after allowing just two goals. ``Both goalies were unbelievable,'' San Jose's Mike Ricci said. ``It was tough to come by goals. You aren't going to win many games with zero goals.'' NOTES: Colorado has won its last four Game 7s by a combined score of 13-2. ... There was so much hard hitting in the first period that two pieces of plastic that hold the glass together fell to the ice at the same time. ... Blake is 5-0 in Game 7s. ... The Sharks had won three straight Game 7s on the road. ... Home teams are 20-14 in Game 7s since 1993. ... Roy tied Scott Stevens and Doug Gilmour for most career Game 7s.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/5/194628