Plover native and former Stevens Point Area Senior
High School (SPASH) standout Joe Pavelski and the San Jose Sharks beat the
Nashville Predators in Game 7 of their Western Conference Semifinals series
last week to advance to the Western Conference Finals in the NHL Stanley Cup
Playoffs, where the Sharks used a 4-0 win over the St. Louis Blues Tuesday, May
17, to even their best-of-seven series at 1-1.

San Jose hosted Nashville in Game 7 of the Western
Conference Semifinals Thursday, May 12, where Pavelski scored a power-play goal
9:02 into the game to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead. San Jose added a goal later
in the period and another in the second to build a 3-0 lead, and then tacked on
two more goals in the third period to close out a 5-0 win to advance to the
Western Conference Finals with a 4-3 series victory.

The Sharks opened at St. Louis in Game 1 of the
Western Conference Finals Sunday, May 15, where the Blues scored at the 15:04
mark in the first period to take a 1-0 lead.

San Jose answered 34 seconds later, as Tomas Hertl
deflected a shot from Pavelski in for a goal to make it 1-1, as Pavelski was
credited with an assist on the game-tying goal.

St. Louis scored 9:15 into the second period to take a
2-1 lead, and then held on the rest of the way for a 2-1 win to take a 1-0
series lead.

In Game 2 Tuesday night, San Jose scored 2:07 into the
first period to take a 1-0 lead, while Pavelski assisted on a power-play goal
from Brent Burns 7:04 into the second period to increase the lead to 2-0. The
Sharks added a pair of goals in the third period to close out the 4-0 win and
even the series at 1-1.

Pavelski is tied for the NHL playoff lead with nine
goals this postseason, including three game-winners, and is tied for third with
15 points.

San Jose is set to host St. Louis in Game 3 at 8 p.m.
Thursday, May 19, on NBC Sports Network, with Game 4 at 6:15 p.m. on NBC
Saturday, May 21.

The rest of the series is set to be broadcast on NBC
Sports Network, with Game 5 at 7 p.m. Monday, May 23; Game 6 at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, May 25; and Game 7 at 7 p.m. Friday, May 27.

Online voting for the final round between Pavelski and
Vladimir Tarasenko of the Blues to appear on the cover of the EA Sports NHL 17
videogame for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One concluded this week, with the winner
to be announced at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas June 22.