DCHP-2

game seven game 7, Game 7, Game Seven DCHP-2 (June 2016)

• 1 n. — Hockey

  the last game of a best-of-seven series of games.

  Type: 4. Culturally Significant — Game seven refers to the seventh and decisive game in the Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League (see, e.g., the 1976 and 2007 quotations). Game 7 is only played when both teams are tied at three wins each, so that the last game is the all-or-nothing tie-breaker.

  See also: hockey  

• 2 n. — figurative use

  any event that settles an important question; a make-or-break moment.

  Type: 3. Semantic Change — The meaning has been generalized from hockey language to other contexts where a major issue will be decided, such as an election or contract settlement.

  See also: playoff beard (meaning 2)  puck-ragging (meaning 2)