The San Jose Sharks Join A Depressing Club By Blowing A 3-0 Series Lead

If you know a Sharks fan, hug them—unless you're a Kings fan. San Jose lost to Los Angeles 5-1 in Game 7 to completely blow a 3-0 series lead. It's history in the worst way.

Out of the three major American pro sports leagues with seven-game postseason series, only four teams have blown a 3-0 lead. Three times in hockey—the Maple Leafs over the Red Wings (1942), Islanders over Penguins (1975), and Flyers over Bruins (2010)—and once in baseball, with the Red Sox over the Yankees in 2004. The Sharks now accompany those other four teams in the most heartbreaking club.

Two of those three San Jose victories weren't even contests; the Sharks won the first two games 6-3 and 7-2. Their offense was clicking and the end for the Kings seemed close after the Sharks took Game 3 in an overtime win on the road.

But over the next three games, San Jose only had four total goals, getting shut out in Game 5 by Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. And with each Los Angeles win, San Jose's fans got more on edge.

The Sharks didn't flop over in the final game, though. Quick was just outstanding. He stopped 39 of 40 shots on goal. San Jose's offense was creating opportunities and furiously trying to finish them. But credit to the Kings' goaltender, who was just on fire when he absolutely needed to be.

Regardless of the effort, the result stays the same. It's a brutal collapse for the Sharks. A 51-win season went straight into the toilet in the most painful way possible.