Schedule and 2004 Results
Regular Season Records: San Jose 43-21-12-6=104pts, Colorado 40-22-13-7=100pts
Game 1 on Thursday, 22 Apr: Colorado loses at San Jose, 5-goals-2
Game 2 on Saturday, 24 Apr: Colorado loses at San Jose, 4-goals-1
Game 3 on Monday, 26 Apr: San Jose wins at Colorado, 1-goal-nil
Game 4 on Wednesday, 28 Apr: San Jose loses at Colorado, 1-goal-nil (OT)
Game 5 on Saturday, 1 May: Colorado wins at San Jose, 2-goals-1 (OT)
Game 6 on Tuesday, 4 May: San Jose wins at Colorado, 3-goals-1

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 917 having returned to Colorado for Game 6, the San Jose Sharks tallied three times in the second period and held on for a 3-goals-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche. San Jose thus wins series 917, 4-games-2. The win improves the best-of-7 NHL playoff series record for San Jose to 6-7 (all rounds) and 1-4 (Quarterfinals). The loss worsens the best-of-7 NHL playoff series record for Colorado to 17-7 (all rounds) and 6-1 (Quarterfinals). The win order in series 917 was WWWLLW. Series 917 thus becomes the third NHL Quarterfinals series, the sixth NHL playoff series (all rounds), and the 13th MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series (all rounds) to follow this WWWLLW win order.

After Game 5: Despite not having held an in-game lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 917 since roughly the mid-way point of Game 2, the Colorado Avalanche have narrowed the San Jose Sharks' series 917 lead to 3-games-2 with a 2-goals-1 overtime victory in Game 5 at San Jose. The Colorado Avalanche have thus won their second consecutive game without ever having held a lead in the game. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the San Jose Sharks have a 2-2 overall series record and a 0-4 Game 6 record, while the Colorado Avalanche have a 2-2 overall series record and a 3-1 Game 6 record. Series 917 is the sixth best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series to reach Game 6 after one team had held a 3-games-nil lead since (and including) the 1998 MLB playoffs; one has to consider best-of-7 playoff records from 1975 through 1996 to find the previous six such series.

After Game 4: The Colorado Avalanche tallied the first and only goal of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 917 Game 4 at 5:15 into the first overtime period to win Game 4 by a 1-goal-nil score, and to narrow the San Jose Sharks' series 917 lead to 3-games-1. Leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the San Jose Sharks have an overall series record of 3-0; trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-1, the Colorado Avalanche have an overall series record of 0-1. Series 917 is the 51st best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series to follow a WWWL win order through four games since the 1975 New York Islanders surmounted their 3-games-nil deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games for only the second 3-games-nil MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series comeback ever. In 39 of those previous 50 series between the Islanders' win and now, the team leading 3-games-1 won the series in five games.

After Game 3: Having taken the first two games of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 917 at home, the San Jose Sharks defeated the Avalanche in Colorado 1-goal-nil in Game 3, thus taking a commanding 3-games-nil lead in series 917. The Sharks are thus one victory away from their first NHL Semifinals (NHL Conference Finals) berth. From 1939 through the 2004 NHL Preliminary round, when an NHL team in a best-of-7 playoff series wins Games 1-2 at home and then squeaks out a 1-goal-nil Game 3 win on road ice (as San Jose has done), its series record is 3-0 (the Chicago Blackhawks in series 280, the 1974 Quarterfinals vs. the Los Angeles Kings; the Philadelphia Flyers in series 296, the 1975 Semifinals vs. the New York Islanders; the Pittsburgh Penguins in series 615, the 1992 Finals vs. the Chicago Blackhawks - note, though, that the Islanders in series 296 were fresh off only the second 3-games-nil series comeback in MLB/NBA/NHL history, and took the Flyers to the last period of Game 7 before Philadelphia finally prevailed). Both the San Jose Sharks and the Colorado Avalanche are now in uncharted territory: Never before has San Jose led an NHL playoff series 3-games-nil; never before has Colorado faced a 3-games-nil deficit.

After Game 2: As was the case in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL series 917 Game 1, the San Jose Sharks hosted the Colorado Avalanche and emerged with a three-goal victory (4-goals-1, in the case of Game 2). When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the San Jose Sharks have a 2-0 overall series record but a 0-2 Game 3 record (from the 1995 and 2004 Preliminary rounds against the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues, respectively). When trailing 2-games-nil, the Colorado Avalanche have a 1-0 overall series record and a 1-0 Game 3 record (the wins came against the Detroit Red Wings in series 784, a 1999 NHL Quarterfinals match-up; the Game 3 win halted an eleven-game win streak by Detroit in best-of-7 NHL playoff series dating back to the 1998 NHL Semifinals round). From 1939 through the 2004 NHL Preliminary round, when a team wins both Games 1 and 2 by a three-goal victory margin, its series record is 13-1 (the sole loser: the Washington Capitals in best-of-7 series 875 [in the 2003 NHL Preliminary round] vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning).

After Game 1: The San Jose Sharks hosted and defeated the Colorado Avalanche 5-goals-2, thereby taking a 1-game-nil lead in best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL playoff series 917. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the San Jose Sharks have a 4-2 series record and a 2-4 Game 2 record; when trailing 1-game-nil, the Colorado Avalanche have a 4-3 series record and a 6-1 Game 2 record. From 1939 through the 2004 NHL Preliminary round, when an NHL team has won Game 1 of a best-of-7 playoff series by a 5-goals-2 score irrespective of site, its series record is 11-6 and its Game 2 record is 6-11.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2003-04 regular season, San Jose finished 4 points ahead of Colorado. From 1939 through the 2004 NHL Preliminary round, when an NHL team led its best-of-7 playoff series opponent by 4 regular-season points, it has gone on to post an 8-8 best-of-7 series record in that series against that opponent. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 series 917 is the 13th best-of-7 playoff series for San Jose and the 24th for Colorado. In best-of-7 playoff series, San Jose has a 5-7 series record, a 0-4 Qtrs-round series record, and a 6-6 Game 1 record, while Colorado has a 17-6 record, a 6-0 Qtrs-round record, and a 16-7 Game 1 record. Series 917 is the third best-of-7 meeting between San Jose and Colorado; Colorado won the first two series between these two teams.