7 x 2.

That's the equation for Wednesday night. Two Game 7s.

First, the Maple Leafs at Devils (ESPN 2). Then, the Kings at Avalanche (ESPN). A pair of gutty seventh seeds taking the regular season's best to the brink. Who'll win? Well, when these series started, I picked the Devils and Kings. So, I'll stay on board.

That said, it's just about impossible to forecast what will happen in a Game 7.

Back in 1975, who woulda figured that the three-year-old Islanders would come all the way back from a 0-3 series deficit to win four straight games over the Penguins, including a 1-0 victory in that Game 7? Twenty-six years later, in my mind's eye, I can still see Ed Westfall's backhand elude Penguin goalie Gary Inness.

Amazingly, just two weeks later, the Islanders pulled another 0-3 reversal to force a Game 7 against the defending Stanley Cup champion Flyers. Philly good luck charm Kate Smith sang "God Bless America," then received a bouquet of roses from Westfall. Didn't work. The Isles lost 4-1.

In 1978, a better Islanders team -- with future Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier, Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin -- were forced into a Game 7 against a gritty bunch of overachieving Leafs (sound familiar?). The game went to OT. New York's Billy Harris hit the post behind Leaf goalie Mike Palmateer. Minutes later, at the other end, Toronto's Lanny McDonald hit the net to win the series and complete the upset.

But you don't have to go back nearly that far to find a Game 7 shocker. Remember last year's Game 7 between the Blues and Sharks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs? The Blues were the No. 1 seed and clear favorite. The Sharks were the snarly eighth seed. St. Louis looked like the pick after coming from a 1-3 deficit to tie the series. They looked extremely ready to advance after a 6-2 Game 6 win in the Shark Tank.

In Game 7, though, the Sharks took a first-period lead, then added to it when Owen Nolan beat Roman Turek with a 75-foot slapper in the final seconds of the opening stanza. Forty minutes later, the Sharks wrapped up the series with a 3-1 win in front of a stunned Savvis Center crowd.

Two of Wednesday night's combatants, the Devils and Avs, faced Game 7 pressure in last season's Conference finals. And both faced that pressure on the road.

In the East, the Devils stopped the Flyers, 2-1, when Patrik Elias scored in the final two minutes of regulation time. The game, though, is better remembered for Scott Stevens' crushing open-ice hit on Eric Lindros in the first period. The big Flyer was helped off the ice and hasn't played since.

The Avs were about as fortunate as Lindros, dropping a 3-2 decision to the Stars. The Avalanche fell behind 3-0 before mounting a furious rally in the game's final 10 minutes. Colorado fans can probably still see Ray Bourque's deflected shot hit the post behind Dallas goalie Ed Belfour in the final seconds. It was the third straight Game 7 loss for the Avs, who carry that mental burden into tonight's tilt with the Kings.

What will happen on Wednesday night? Who knows? The only thing I do know is this: Anything can happen in a Game 7. Oh yeah, there is one other thing I'm sure of: The games will be fun to watch. Enjoy.

E.J. Hradek covers hockey for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail him at ej.hradek@espnmag.com.