Niemi does not look pretty doing it, but it all looks the same on your fantasy team. He was outstanding last year going 24-12-6 with a 2.16 GAA, .924 SV% and four shutouts. In 2013-14 expect much of the same. The Sharks are a perennial playoff team and Niemi will help guide them there with some ugly, but great play.

San Jose goalie Antti Niemi has been sensational with a 1.85 GAA and .932 save percentage, but it's hard to go against the defending Conn Smythe Trophy winner, who is having another magical postseason. Niemi will need to be at his very best tonight.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES.. AND A BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR OUR COUNTRY. ANTTI NIEMI-G-SAN JOSE Niemi stopped 24 of 25 shots in the Game 6 win for San Jose, sending the series to a deciding Game 7. A major part of the Shark's success during the 2013 playoffs has been Niemi's dominant play at home, where he has gone 5-0 with a 1.52 GAA. In the previous two seasons, he has fallen short with a 5-6 record and a 2.89 GAA in 11 playoff games at San Jose. The home team has prevailed in all six games thus far in the series, so the advantage will be with Jonathan Quick and his Kings for Tuesday night.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO EVERYONE IN THE UNITED STATES.. AND A BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR OUR COUNTRY. ANTTI NIEMI-G-SAN JOSE Niemi stopped 24 of 25 shots in the Game 6 win for San Jose, sending the series to a deciding Game 7. A major part of the Shark's success during the 2013 playoffs has been Niemi's dominant play at home, where he has gone 5-0 with a 1.52 GAA. In the previous two seasons, he has fallen short with a 5-6 record and a 2.89 GAA in 11 playoff games at San Jose. The home team has prevailed in all six games thus far in the series, so the advantage will be with Jonathan Quick and his Kings for Tuesday night.

Niemi allowed two goals on 28 shots in Game 5's 3-0 loss to give the Kings a 3-2 lead. He has the fifth best GAA (1.95) and SV% (.929) in the Playoffs. The Sharks will need him to turn in a great performance tonight to stay alive in the NHL Playoffs.

Niemi stopped 26 of 27 shots in the Sharks Game 3 win. He has the fifth best GAA (2.06) and seventh best SV% (.926).

The Sharks were all over the Kings in Game 1 but still lost. Niemi allowed two goals on 20 shots in the 2-0 loss. They will need Niemi to steal a few games in this series because Jonathan Quick already stole one for the Kings.

Niemi carried his strong regular season (24-12-6 / 2.16 GAA / .924 SV%) into the first round of the playoffs. He was excellent in the four games it took the Sharks to send the Canucks packing. He posted the playoffs sixth best GAA (1.86) and SV% (.937). He will go head-to-head with last year's Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick in what should be a thrilling goaltending duel.

Niemi is 2-0 with a 1.44 GAA and .951 SV% in the first two games of this first round series. The Sharks have played well so far and could take a stranglehold on the series with a win tonight in San Jose.

Niemi played great in Game 1, allowing just one goal on 30 shots. The Sharks will obviously turn to him again in Game 2 as they look to take a 2-0 lead back home.