Game 7s to remember: Sharks' epic comeback forces rule change

The NHL should be deep into postseason action, but with the start of the 2019-20 playoffs delayed, theScore's hockey editors are picking their favorite Game 7s from years past.

On Thursday, we're looking back at the conclusion of the 2019 first-round series between the San Jose Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights.

The setup

The Sharks were already arguably the Golden Knights' biggest rivals after the two sides met in the second round of the playoffs in 2018. Vegas had home-ice advantage that year, though many still considered the Golden Knights the underdogs since it was their first year as a franchise. However, they managed to defeat the Sharks in six games.

It was a different story the following season. The Sharks had home ice after collecting eight more points than the Knights during the regular season, but many viewed Vegas as the favorite due to Sharks netminder Martin Jones' rough campaign.

The series

The first six games didn't disappoint. San Jose looked unstoppable early, scoring three straight goals to open Game 1 en route to a 5-2 win. The Golden Knights stormed back to win the next three contests by a combined score of 16-6, chasing Jones twice and pushing the Sharks to the brink of elimination.

San Jose wouldn't go down without a fight, though, as it handily won Game 5 and then emerged victorious from an overtime thriller to set up an epic winner-take-all contest.

The series had no shortage of off-ice drama, either. Evander Kane and Ryan Reaves exchanged some classic chirps, and Vegas head coach Gerard Gallant called Peter DeBoer - his eventual successor - "a clown" ahead of the deciding game.

Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe game

It appeared the Golden Knights had it wrapped up with a 3-0 lead and just over 10 minutes remaining in the contest. However, one of the biggest turning points in playoff history came when Vegas center Cody Eakin shoved Joe Pavelski after the faceoff. Pavelski lost his balance and collided with Paul Stastny, causing him to fall to the ice and suffer a gash to his head. Eakin was handed a five-minute major for the cross-check, though it should've likely warranted only a two-minute minor.

The Sharks rallied behind their injured captain and scored four goals on the ensuing man advantage - two from Logan Couture, one from Tomas Hertl, and one from Kevin Labanc, who assisted on the first three tallies. Joe Thornton's leadership also played a big part.

"You gotta give credit to Jumbo," Couture said postgame, according to The Point Hockey's Sheng Peng. "As soon as we got to the bench (after Pavelski's injury), he said, 'You guys go out and get f------ three goals right now.' When a man who's played 20 years orders you around like that, you gotta go do it. We got four."

However, Vegas winger Jonathan Marchessault would tie it up with less than a minute remaining in regulation to force overtime.

When it seemed the contest was destined for a second sudden-death period, Barclay Goodrow - who barely played in the extra frame - took a slick feed from Erik Karlsson and scored a beautiful winner to send the Sharks to the second round.

The highlight

Relive the Sharks' entire comeback below:

The fallout

The Golden Knights were understandably irate following their collapse.

"It's a f------ joke. It's embarrassing," Marchessault said postgame about the officiating. "That's what it is. It changed the entire outcome of the game, and the season."

It changed the rule book, too. Beginning the following campaign, Section 20.6 stated that referees are allowed to review major penalties and reduce them to minors, though they can't rescind the penalty altogether or change a minor to a major. Call it the Pavelski Rule, if you will.

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