Plover native and San Jose Sharks All-Star forward Joe
Pavelski won his opening round matchup in the voting to appear on the cover of
the EA Sports NHL 17 videogame for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, while the Sharks
hold a 2-1 series lead over the Nashville Predators in the second round of the
National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Pavelski was named one of eight finalists to appear on the
cover of NHL 17, and defeated Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1
April 26 through Monday, May 2.

Pavelski is squaring off with Connor McDavid of the Edmonton
Oilers in Round 2, as the voting began Tuesday, May 3, and will run through 2
p.m. Central Monday, May 9.

Voting will take place online at
nhl.com/ea-sports-nhl-17-cover-vote, or via Twitter by using the hashtag
#NHL17Pavelski to vote for Pavelski. All Twitter votes on Thursdays will count
double.

Vladimir Tarasenko of the St. Louis Blues is taking on Jamie
Benn of the Dallas Stars in the other Round 2 matchup, while Round 3 voting
will take place from 11 a.m. Central Tuesday, May 10, through 2 p.m. Central
Monday, May 16.

After winning their First Round playoff series 4-1 over the
Kings, the Sharks took a 2-1 series lead over Nashville in the Western
Conference Semifinals.

In Game 1 at San Jose Friday, April 29, Nashville scored in
the second period to take a 1-0 lead, before Pavelski assisted on the third of
three San Jose goals that gave the team a 3-1 lead with 4:20 left. Nashville
scored with 1:49 remaining to pull within 3-2, before the Sharks had a pair of
empty-net goals to win 5-2.

In Game 2 Sunday, May 1, the score remained tied at 0-0 late
in the second period, when Pavelski assisted on a Logan Couture power-play goal
to give San Jose a 1-0 lead with 1:24 to go in the period.

Nashville scored at the 12:56 mark of the third period to
tie the score at 1-1, but Pavelski had a goal with 2:40 remaining to give the
Sharks a 2-1 lead. Pavelski assisted on an empty-net goal from Joe Thornton
with 56 seconds left to make it 4-2, before Nashville added a goal with four
seconds left to provide the final margin in a 3-2 win that gave San Jose a 2-0
series lead, as Pavelski had a goal and two assists in the win.

Nashville rebounded with a 4-1 win at home in Game 3
Tuesday, May 3, to pull within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 will be televised on CNBC at 8 p.m. Central time
Thursday, May 5, with Game 5 set for NBC Sports Network at 9 p.m. Central
Saturday, May 7.

If necessary, Game 6 will be Monday, May 9, with Game 7
Thursday, May 12.