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  

  • 1976  "Parent made the big saves, then that shorthanded goal gave them a big break. But we just didn't have it, no zip, no sting. But we'll bounce back Thursday. I'm planning to be back here Sunday afternoon for game seven." 
  • 1987  This Pirate slammed the winning home run in game seven to defeat the Baltimore Orioles. 
  • 1994  Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final between the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks was a record-breaker on both sides of the Canadian-U.S. border. 
  • 2005  In the 1972 Summit Series, for instance, Canada's Bobby Clarke intentionally injured Russia's Valeri Kharlamov with a two-handed slash to the ankle, keeping the Russian out of game seven and causing him to be ineffectual in game eight. 
  • 2007  Before our exam began, one of the students asked our crusty old professor what the score was in Game 7 against Dallas. -- Who gives a crap? -- he retorted back. And yet, every 20 minutes or so, he would get up from his chair and write down updates. 
  • 2015  "I just wanted to skate and score goals," he said, and had a big brother already doing it, he admitted. Competitions began in the basement. Shooting at a mini net first, then donning the jersey of the imaginary superstar and playing out the final 30 seconds of game seven. 

• 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)  

  • 2008  Making seat projections five days before an election is like declaring a Stanley Cup winner half-way through game seven. The Conservatives may be in front but anything could still happen! 
  • 2009  Matt: This is a tough category for sure. I think the award could go in any direction as everyone here has been working extremely hard over the past 12 months. It's great to see Chris and Dave facing off against Nova Scotia's starting lineup. Break out the beers and the nachos, this category has Game Seven written all over it. Chuck: To me, this award show should go to the true workhorses of the industry, those artists who are out hitting the stage 150-200 days of the year. Sadly, those people seem to be overlooked in favour of more prestigious artists. My money is on Plaskett, but my heart is with Gunning, who (based on my exhaustive research) spent more time on the road than anyone else on this list. 
  • 2011  Culinary confession: Doug Scott, my sous chef, had just finished piping 250 deviled quail eggs. (FYI, this takes a very long time). His fault: leaving the tray sticking out a bit too far from the shelf. My fault: when crouching down to put an insert of halibut on a cross-facing shelf, I launched 200 deviled quail eggs in the air. Just as this happened Doug walked into the cooler to see the display of flying eggs -- it was as if I had just let in the overtime goal in game seven of the Stanley Cup final. To his knees he went with his head between his hands... Sorry Scott, I never forgot that one. [Neither did he, I'm sure. --Ed.] 
  • 2014  The union received an 86 per cent strike mandate on Tuesday for a full-scale walkout after 16 months of contract negotiations. Teachers are feeling "kind of helpless" as they seek to improve their lot while simultaneously having to hold back from signing field trip forms at recess or refrain from answering childrens' questions during lunch, said teacher Ig Cheung. He believes the added strike pressure will make a real difference at the bargaining table. "This is the time, make it or break it," said Cheung, who has been teaching for 17 years and currently instructs Grade 10 in Surrey, B.C. "This is Game Seven. Hopefully, it won't go into overtime." 
  • 2015  I, disheartened by my friends' choice of baseball over political hardball, unmoved by the leaders' positions on everything from taxes to social policy, went to bed and cried myself to sleep. There's still game seven to look forward to: voting day is October 19th.