Antti Niemi gave the Sharks hope, but unfortunately his efforts went to waste, as San Jose was eliminated from postseason contention after dropping Game 7 to Los Angeles 2-1.
Niemi kept his team in the game with some remarkable saves in the second and third period. Unfortunately, the Sharks' offense just couldn't solve Jonathan Quick and offer Niemi support. However, not all is lost for the 29-year-old goalie; he finally lived up to his potential, and put together a Veizna caliber season. His postseason play lived up to his regular season effort, despite the disappointing second round exit. The Sharks can feel good about their goaltending situation heading into next season.

Goaltender Antti Niemi does not get a lot of praise for some reason but his San Jose coach, Todd McLellan, went out of his way Sunday night to heap some on him.
Niemi was first-rate in a 2-1 win for San Jose over the Los Angeles Kings Sunday night as the Sharks tied their Western playoff series 3-3. He turned away 24 of 25 Los Angeles shots. But McLellan added: "I thought Nemo was very solid. He's a calming influence for us. Any time we made mistakes, he was there. He settled things down and got us whistles that we needed. Very seldom is that talked about. He was very good at managing the game from the crease."

Anttii Niemi turned away 24 of 25 shots Sunday as the Sharks defeated Los Angeles by a score of 2-1.
Niemi's solid play was an integral part of the Sharks victory on home ice, but the team will have to win its first road game of the series in order to steal Game Seven from the reigning Stanley Cup champions.

San Jose goaltender Antti Niemi played well Thursday night but his teammates couldn't get a puck past Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick and the Kings ended up with a 3-0 shutout over the Sharks.
It was the Kings' 13th consecutive home victory and it also gave them a 3-2 lead over San Jose in their best-of-seven playoff series. Niemi stopped 26 of the Kings' 28 shots Thursday and held them goalless until 18:08 of the second period. An early third-period goal and an empty-netter sealed the deal for the defending-champion Kings and leaves the Sharks needing two wins -- the next one in San Jose and then a Game 7 in Los Angeles -- to advance.

Antti Niemi was strong in net, stopping 22 of 23 shots he faced as the Sharks tied up the series with 2-1 Game 4 win on Tuesday.
Niemi wasn't busy for most of the night, as the Sharks did a good job of stalling the Kings attack. He was helped in the second period after a premature whistle was blown before a Kings goal. He rallied from there, and aside from allowing a power play goal in the third, he settled in quite nicely when L.A. turned it up towards the finish. After starting the series slowly, Niemi has responded with back-to-back .950 SV% performances. He'll have to steal one for the Sharks on the road, however, if they are going to advance to the Western Conference finals.

Antti Niemi set a San Jose playoff record when he won his eighth game in overtime Saturday.
Niemi was tied with Evgeni Nabokov at seven heading into action on Saturday. Niemi is now 5-2 in the playoffs with a 2.06 GAA with a .926 save percentage.

Antti Niemi saved 26 of 27 shots in a 2-1 overtime win on Saturday.
Niemi surrendered a goal in the first period, but was otherwise perfect in this contest. The Kings had two power-play opportunities, but the Sharks managed to kill off both penalties. Niemi and the Sharks bounced back from allowing four goals in Game 2, but San Jose still has a 2-1 deficit in their second-round series.

Antti Niemi gave up two power play goals 22 seconds apart late in the third period as the San Jose Sharks dropped a 4-3 decision to Los Angeles Thursday.
Niemi gave up a first period goal to Jeff Carter and a second period power play goal to Drew Doughty as both shots beat him on the long side but he allowed the Sharks to come back from a 2-0 deficit to lead 3-2 before the fiasco in the final two minutes. Niemi is now 4-2 as he stopped 27 shots. His GAA in the playoffs rose to 2.24 while his save percentage is now .921. He will have to play better with the series headed to San Jose as the Sharks are down 2-0.

Antti Niemi looked a bit shaky in Game 1, turning aside just 18 shots in the Sharks 2-0 loss on Tuesday.
Niemi was particularly impressive in the Sharks opening round sweep of Vancouver, so this result could just be a result of rust, as San Jose hadn't played in a week. He did keep his team in the game, but received no offensive help, largely due to his goaltending counterpart's performance. Niemi will need to match Quick's effort if the Sharks want to slow down the defending champs

Antti Niemi has been nominated for the Vezina Trophy.
Niemi had a 24-12-6 record, 2.16 GAA, and .924 save percentage in 43 starts this season. He was probably the most consistent of the three finalists and was even strong when the Sharks were not in 2013. Although the playoffs don't count towards the award, he has stayed sharp in the first round with a 1.86 GAA and .937 save percentage in four starts.

Antti Niemi stopped 32 of 35 shots in the San Jose Sharks series clinching 4-3 overtime victory on Tuesday night.
Niemi was solid through the first two periods, but allowed two goals in a two minute span in the third period to give the Canucks the lead. Luckily, he was bailed out later in the period as Joe Pavelski notched the tying goal before regulation expired. Niemi should continue to ride the success he's achieved all season through next round.

Anttii Niemi turned aside 28 of 30 shots Sunday as the Sharks defeated Vancouver to take a 3-0 series lead.
Niemi was solid in this contest and has been remarkably good throughout the postseason, even if he hasn't received the adulation typically associated with such a great performance.

Antti Niemi stopped 29 of 31 shots as the San Jose Sharks rallied to win 3-2 in overtime and take a 2-0 series lead.
Niemi never saw the Canucks' first goal of the night, a blistering slap shot from the point through tons of traffic, but played well otherwise. It was Niemi's 27th career postseason victory and he figures to have a strong shot at getting No. 28 with Games 3 and 4 heading back to San Jose starting Sunday.

Antti Niemi carried over a strong regular season into an impressive performance on Wednesday, backstopping the San Jose Sharks' 3-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1.
Niemi stopped 29 out of 30 shots for the victory. While he's an underrated fantasy starter to begin win, he's put together quite the playoff career (at least record-wise). He's now 26-19-2 in his postseason career.

Antti Niemi stopped 24 of 27 shots in the Sharks' 3-2 loss to the Kings Saturday night in the season finale.
It marked the end to one of Niemi's best seasons as a pro, going 24-12-10 with a 2.16 GAA and .924 save percentage.

Antti Niemi turned aside 24 of 26 shots in a 3-2 victory Tuesday night.
Niemi allowed a goal in each of the first and second periods. He has now won four of his last five starts, bringing his record up to 24-11-6 this season.

Antti Niemi is the projected starter Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars.
Niemi is looking to rebound from a four-goal performance against the Blue Jackets on Sunday. He's been one of the stronger fantasy netminders this season, so we're expecting he'll be just fine against the Stars.

Antti Niemi allowed four goals on 22 shots Sunday as the Sharks were beaten by a score of 4-3 by the Blue Jackets.
Niemi has been stellar on home ice this season so it''s surprising to see him drop the ball in this outing, however it would take many more performances like this one to offset the positive value he has delivered for his fantasy owners this year.

Goaltender Antti Niemi continued an impressive streak by stopping 27 of 28 shots and spearheading the San Jose Sharks to a 6-1 slaughter of the visiting Minnesota Wild Thursday night.
Niemi hasn't given up more than two goals in any of his past five starts.

Antti Niemi kicked out 41 of 43 shots in regulation in a 3-2 shootout victory.
Niemi has allowed two or fewer goals in each of his last four starts. He now has a 2.12 GAA and .926 save percentage in 39 starts this season.

Antti Niemi made 35 saves in Sharks 4-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes. This was Niemi's fourth shutout of the season.
Niemi continues to be one of the games elite goaltenders this season. With a goals against average under 2.20 and save percentage north of 0.920 he is one of the few sure things so keep riding him.

Look for Antti Niemi to start on Monday against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Niemi has won just one of his last four starts. He has a 1.58 GAA and .941 save percentage in three starts against the Coyotes this season.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Antti Niemi made 17 saves but the Stars beat him 2-1 in Dallas Saturday night.
Niemi was starting his 19th consecutive game for the Sharks, who were coming off a 3-2 shootout win in Detroit on Thursday and are 8-2-1 in their last 11 contests.

Antti Niemi stopped 27 of 29 shots in regulation in a 3-2 shootout win Thursday.
Niemi surrendered one goal in three shootout rounds. He has won eight of his last 10 games, giving him a 20-9-6 record this season.

Antti Niemi allowed four goals on 26 shots in San Jose's 4-0 loss at the hands of Columbus Tuesday night.
It was the second straight game that Niemi has been beaten four goals following Sunday's 5-4 shootout defeat to Dallas. Niemi has been superb this season so he'll probably bounce back shortly. He currently has a 19-9-6 record with a .922 save percentage and a 2.20 GAA.

It looks like Antti Niemi will start in net Tuesday night.
Niemi is looking to rebound from a disappointing shootout loss Sunday night in which he gave up two unanswered in the third period. Niemi had been on a seven-game win streak prior to the loss.

Antti Niemi saved 30 of 34 shots in regulation in a 5-4 shootout defeat Sunday.
Niemi conceded two unanswered goals in the third period en route to this loss. That snapped Niemi's seven-game winning streak and brought his record to 19-8-6 this season.

The San Jose Sharks are providing enough goal support for Antti Niemi to shine again, this time beating the Minnesota Wild 4-2 on Wednesday.
That's the underrated Finn's sixth win in a row. Overall, he's 18-8-5 with a .925 save percentage, 2.12 GAA and three shutouts.

Antti Niemi made 23 saves in the San Jose Sharks 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Even when Sharks have been at their worst, Niemi has continued to be a stabalizing force in the net, often giving the Sharks a chance to win each night. Last week's NHL second star performance has carried over into this week, so keep making sure he is in your line up every time the Sharks play.

Antti Niemi is the NHL's second star of the week.
Niemi had a 1.22 GAA and .952 save percentage in four games last week. Niemi has been strong even during the Sharks' rough patches this season with a 2.13 GAA and .925 save percentage in 30 starts.

Antti Niemi made 27 saves on 29 shots and all three Coyotes shootout attempts to pick up the 3-2 late Saturday night.
Niemi, coming off two straight shutouts, has won four straight and is somehow upholding his superb numbers he started the season with. He has definitely made a case for himself being one of the top five fantasy goaltenders this season.

Antti Niemi made all 27 saves in the Sharks 2-0 win over the Detroit Redwings.
Niemi has posted consecutive shutouts and the Sharks look to finally of gotten out of their rut after the 7-0 start. The opponents haven't been scrubs, he has shut the door against the Ducks and Redwings, two of the Wests best. Niemi has been the Sharks best player all year, and they will need him now more than ever for the stretch run and the playoffs. He's a must start in all formats so run with him.

San Jose Sharks goalie Antti Niemi earned his second shutout of the 2013 season in a 4-0 win against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday.
Niemi is now 14-8-5 on the season. He stopped all of the 22 shots he saw tonight. He's now won three of his last four games.

Antti Niemi made 24 saves in the San Jose Sharks 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
The Sharks have plummeted down a cliff since starting 7-0. Aside from Joe Thornton, only other player on the team that has offered any form of consistency is Niemi. He has always had to battle bad critics for being some what erractic in the net and not being as technical as most goalies. Despite that, he has a 2.30 goals against average and 0.920 save percentage, once again making him one of the top goalies in the NHL.

Antti Niemi kicked out 22 of 24 shots in a 2-0 defeat on Saturday.
Niemi ended a streak of seven straight starts where he allowed three or more goals. Overall, Niemi has been superb this season and we wouldn't be surprised if he shakes off his recent cold streak and has a great April.

Antti Niemi earned his 12th win of the 2013 season as the San Jose Sharks topped the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 (SO) on Wednesday.
While Niemi obviously started the season much hotter than he looks now, he's still done well overall. It's pretty hard to blame the Finnish netminder for San Jose's struggles when you consider his .921 save percentage and 2.28 GAA.

Antti Niemi gave up four goals in 27 shots in a 5-3 loss to Anaheim Monday.
Niemi was yanked in his previous game on Saturday and was hoping to come up with a winning effort against the highly regarded Ducks but it was not to be. He is now 11-7-5 with a 2.26 GAA and a .922 save percentage, which is still top ten in both of the latter categories.

Antti Niemi will play between the pipes on Monday.
Niemi will be looking to bounce back after getting yanked in Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. It was the second time he had been pulled in his last five starts, but he still has a commanding 2.18 GAA and .925 save percentage this season.

Antti Niemi stopped 34 of 37 shots in a 4-3 victory Thursday.
Niemi allowed two goals on 14 shots in the third period, but the Sharks were able to hold on. This is Niemi's first win in his last four starts, giving him a 11-5-5 record in 2013.

Antti Niemi had 17 saves on 20 shots in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis on Tuesday.
Niemi has been very good this year, so we will chalk this one up as a rare bad night. He currently owns a 10-5-5 record with a .930 save percentage and a 2.01 goals-against average.

It looks like Antti Niemi will get the start in goal Tuesday night.
Niemi has had two poor (for him) starts in a row but remains one of the better fantasy options for goaltenders. Hopefully he'll bounce back tonight against the Blues.

Sharks goaltender Anttii Niemi allowed three goals on 42 shots as he lost a 3-2 overtime decision to the Avalanche Sunday.
Niemi was called out by his coach after Saturday's disappointing effort against St. Louis, but he was much better in this contest, even if the score doesn't show it.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan offered some praised for goaltender Anttii Niemi after he was pulled from Saturday's loss to St. Louis.
McLellan removed Niemi after he allowed the tying goal in the third period and replaced him with Alex Stalock. "I just thought he was off his angle two goals in a row," McLellan said. "You could feel our team sag at that point, and we needed to do something. We could pull the goalie, we could call a timeout. We pulled the goalie." Despite his disappointment in Saturday's outing, McLellan remains committed to his starter. "You can walk in that locker room and everybody will tell you how important Nemo is to our team. He's been our most valuable player to this point, but tonight he struggled a little bit, and, unfortunately, we couldn't bail him out." Call it a blip on the radar and stick with Niemi if you've got him on your squad.

Antti Niemi allowed three goals on 28 shots in San Jose's 4-3 overtime loss against St. Louis Saturday.
He was pulled after allowing the third marker with the game tied 3-3. Alex Stalock entered the game in relief and made six stops on seven shots.

Antti Niemi was huge in net, as his San Jose Sharks defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday.
Niemi turned aside 36 of 38 shots and stopped 3 of the 4 shootout attempts he faced. He also made a few key saves in overtime to keep the Sharks alive. The 29-year-old improves to 10-4-4 on the season with a GAA under 1.90 and a SV% above .930. Despite a rough February, Niemi has put together two solid performances to open March. Hopefully he can continue producing at a high level.

Antti Niemi looks like the starter in goal Tuesday night against the Vancouver Canucks.
Niemi has been absolutely ridiculous this season despite the inconsistent play in front of him. For the season, Niemi is 9-4-4 with a 1.83 GAA and .934 save percentage and should be started on a nightly basis in every format.

Antti Niemi has been outstanding in goal for the Sharks this season.
The Sharks were red-hot in January as they started off the season 7-0 but things cooled off in February as they were 2-6-4. But Niemi has been outstanding all season as he is 9-4-4 with a 1.83 GAA and a .934 save percentage. He is a must start in all pools at this time.

Antti Niemi made 33 saves in San Jose's 2-1 loss in the shootout to the Red Wings on Thursday night.
The Sharks finished the month with just a 2-6-4 record, so while they cooled, Niemi certainly hasn't. The netminder has been brilliant this season with a 1.88 goals-against average and .933 save percentage, marks that are easily within the top 10 in the NHL. Now, if only he could get more support from his friends.

Antii Niemi played well in net on Tuesday, as he stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced in San Jose's 3-2 shootout victory over Colorado.
Niemi allowed a goal with under five minutes remaining in the third, which eventually sent the game into overtime. However, he bounced back in overtime and in the shootout to secure the win for the Sharks. It's been a rollercoaster year for Niemi. He's been fairly consistent in net, but not in the wins column. He started the year with six straight wins in January, and then dropped seven of his next eight contests in February. Hopefully he can turn his strong efforts into wins once again.

It looks like Antti Niemi will get the start in goal Tuesday night.
Niemi has been the lone bright spot for the sliding Sharks, posting a stellar 1.96 GAA and .931 save percentage despite a 7-4-3 mark. Start him with confidence every night.

Antti Niemi allowed three goals on 28 shots in the San Jose Sharks' 3-1 loss to the Stars in Dallas Saturday night.
On Friday night, Niemi gave up two goals on 34 shots as the Sharks dropped a 2-1 decision to the Blackhawks in Chicago.

Antti Niemi gave up two goals on 34 shots Friday night as the Sharks lost 2-1 to Chicago on Friday night.
Remember when the Sharks started the year with seven straight wins? Well, since they've gone just 1-5-3 and nothing is going right, that is except for the play of their netminder. Their bright spot is 7-3-3 with a 1.86 goals-against average and .933 save percentage on the season.

Antti Niemi has excelled even during the San Jose Sharks struggles.
San Jose has won just one game this month, but Niemi still has a 1.78 GAA and .933 save percentage in six starts over that span. Sharks coach Todd McLellan thinks that Niemi is stronger than he was last year. "I do, and I think his numbers speak to that," McLellan said. "He's got a little more stamina, his legs look stronger, and he just looks more confident in net and more calm in the net."

Antti Niemi defended 25 of 26 shots in a 2-1 victory over St. Louis Tuesday night.
The win snapped a five-game winless skid (0-2-3) for the Sharks netminder. Niemi has been outstanding this season despite having to wait awhile for his seventh victory. He presently owns a 7-2-3 record with a .933 save percentage and a 1.86 GAA.

It looks like Antti Niemi will get the start in goal Tuesday night.
Niemi haan't won in the month of February and allowed four goals in his last start, a 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks on Friday. Still, with a 1.74 GAA and .935 save percentage to his name, Niemi remains one of the top fantasy goalies in hockey. All owners can hope is he gets some support from his teammates sooner rather than later.

Antti Niemi couldn't right the ship for the Sharks as they lost 4-1 to the Blackhawks on Friday night.
Niemi made 33 shots in San Jose's seventh straight loss. With a 1.74 goals-against average and .935 save percentage, the netminder generally has been performing very well -- he just can't get enough help from his teammates. He hasn't won in five starts.

Antti Niemi has gone winless in his past four outings after dropping a 1-0 decision to Nashville Tuesday night.
He made 24 stops in the contest, but hasn't been able to buy a win of late despite his strong play. Niemi has gone 0-1-3 during his current winless skid, but since he's still been playing well we wouldn't worry about him.

Antti Niemi is the likely starter in goal Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators.
Niemi has lost three straight, two of which were in shootout, after starting the season with six straight wins. However, he's only given up five goals in those three losses and four of them came in the lone regulation defeat. On the season, Niemi is 6-1-2 with a 1.82 GAA and a .933 save percentage.

Antti Niemi got his first shutout of the 2013 season in Saturday's shootout loss to Phoenix.
He made 21 saves in regulation and overtime, but was beaten on both of the Coyotes' shootout attempts. Niemi has gone winless in his past three outings and currently owns a 6-1-2 record on the year.

Antii Niemi allowed four goals on 30 shots, as the Chicago Blackhawks defeated the San Jose Sharks 5-3 on Tuesday night.
This was probably Niemi's weakest outing of the year. He allowed three goals in the first period, and then was left out to dry thanks to a giveaway on Patrick Kane's game winning goal in the second. Niemi now has dropped two straight, this being his first loss in regulation. Nevertheless, San Jose looks like they're a team to be reckoned with and fantasy owners should respond by inserting Niemi in their lineups as much as possible.

Despite a strong performance once again, Anti Niemi suffered his first loss of the season Saturday night, a 2-1 overtime thriller to Nashville.
Niemi is still one of the goaltending surprises of 2013 with a 6-0-1 record, .936 save percentage and 1.80 goals against average.

Anti Niemi made 26 saves in the Sharks 3-2 shoot out win over the Edmenton Oilers to improve to an amazing 7-0.
Niemi was hot once again and gave the Sharks the chance to win. Keep riding anyone in a Sharks sweater as they're all rewarding owners in spades.

Antti Niemi turned aside 28 of 30 shots in the San Jose Sharks' 3-2 shootout victory over Anaheim on Tuesday evening.
Niemi's hot start continues, as he improves to 5-0-0 with the win. The 29-year-old netminder stopped all three shots he faced in the shootout and made a few key saves in overtime. Fantasy owners should be thrilled with Niemi's dominance so far, as his play this season has completely overshadowed any past consistency issues. He's proving to be great value, especially based on where he was drafted in most leagues.

Antti Niemi is expected to start again Tuesday night against the Anaheim Ducks.
Niemi might just be the most underrated goalie in all of fantasy sports, especially with the Sharks off to such a fantastic start. Even in a shortened season, expect Niemi to net over 20 wins and a GAA of 2.40 or under. He should be started in all formats.

Anttii Niemi blocked 23 of 24 shots for San Jose en route to a 4-1 win over Vancouver Sunday night.
Niemi flies under the radar during discussions about the top fantasy goaltending commodities, but with the Sharks playing as they have been, he has delivered excellent value for those willing to take the plunge on draft day.

Antti Niemi made 32 saves in the San Jose Sharks 5-3 win over the Phoenix Coyotes.
Niemi never seems to get a lot respect, even in fantasy circles where he has been a legitimate number one for three straight seasons. Even when Niemi is off his game, his team will out gun other teams to ensure Niemi gets the win. Expect over 20 wins and a goals against under 2.40 for the season so keep throwing the 29 year old Finn out there.

Antti Niemi turned away 26 of 29 shots in the San Jose Sharks' 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.
Niemi didn't face much pressure in the game, as San Jose led 6-1 after the first period. His position as starting goaltender is secure, so he's a candidate for a breakout season if the talented Sharks continue to play up to their potential. Consistency has been an issue in the past, so hopefully he can sustain his quick start.

Antti Niemi will start in goal Tuesday against the Edmonton Oilers.
Niemi is the unquestioned No. 1 goalie in San Jose and should get the majority of the starts this season. Get him in your lineup if you had him on the bench.

Sharks goaltender Anttii Niemi turned aside 31 of 32 shots in a 4-1 season-opening win against Calgary.
The underrated netminder is the clear-cut starter for one of the league's top teams yet he doesn't garner the type of respect typically reserved for such consistent performers. If the talent-laden Sharks continue to play such strong positional hockey, Niemi will be one of the top fantasy assets in goal.

Antti Niemi is hoping that he'll be more consistent in 2013.
"I have to get better at staying at my better level," Niemi said. "A season like this, there shouldn't be any stretch where I'm not playing well. I think last year on that long road trip, I had some troubles in February. I especially remember that Tampa game (a 6-5 shootout loss in which he made just 19 saves on 24 shots)." Avoiding cold streaks is a big task and we don't expect Niemi to fully succeed in that regard. At the same time, we do think he'll post strong numbers after recordina 2.42 GAA and .915 save percentage last season.