The continued flattening of Martin Jones’ head for the greater glory of the San Jose Sharks had not been a priority when the Stanley Cup Final had begun. Still ahead 3-2 in the series, they have two opportunities to close things out.
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After a insane first period that ended in five goals scored, the Penguins will have to go back at it again on Sunday in San Jose after a 4-2 loss.
This is probably an oversimplification of Game 6, but if the Penguins continue to pepper Jones like that Sunday, Pittsburgh has to like its chances.
Some of the Pittsburgh players suggested that they’d likely find a better result if they simply duplicated this performance.
With 44 saves, which included stopping all 31 he faced over the final two periods, Jones was the proverbial brick wall in net.
Ironic, because that word about sums up the Penguins and the Stanley Cup Final that had become a master class in sheer dominance. That comes after Couture was held to just two assists this series, and held without a point the previous two games.
“Each individual is different, every team is different, but there is that mental element that ‘OK, there goes one game and they have some momentum and they’re pushing and getting better”. Couture doubled San Jose’s advantage less than two minutes later with a redirect in front of the net.
Donskoi matched the overtime goal scored just one game earlier by Penguins rookie Conor Sheary. Murray has had some great nights in these playoffs and he has had some rougher ones.
Did Sullivan considered pulling Murray after the Sharks’ third goal (on five shots) only 14 minutes and 47 seconds into Game 5? It was Burns’ seventh goal of the playoffs and 23rd point – fourth-most by a defenseman since 1986.
Sharks forward Melker Karlsson has discovered the secret to scoring goals in the Stanley Cup Final: Mishit the shot.
The Penguins still lead the best-of-7 series 3-2. “A lot of people unfortunately don’t get a chance to see him with us being on the West Coast but he’s been unbelievable”. They ignited a frenzied first period that saw four goals in the first 5:06. And now emotions were boiling over, punches hurling, faces washing, grievances aired in the dying moments of this already decided Game 5. What may be most impressive about the whole thing is how well the Sharks responded to the nightmarish 22 seconds in which they gave up the lead. And they still have their confidence too.
After defeating the LA Kings, The Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues in sequential rounds to claim the stacked Western Conference, they will face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the season finale. Fed initially from across the ice by Phil Kessel, Malkin operated inside the right circle, firing a shot off the left skate of Braun that beat Jones. That could have been a game-defining play if that bounced the right way for Pittsburgh. His goals against percentage of 2.17 was tops among any goalie with at least playoff games, as was his.920 percentage. On the game victor, Couture behind-the-back-one-touched a Brendan Dillon pass to Karlsson, who fired it past Murray.
“We know we haven’t scored many goals, or any, in this series”, Couture said.
Patric Hornqvist raced behind the Sharks defence shortly after that on a brilliant feed from Malkin, only to be stopped by Jones.
But the second period was no better for Crosby’s team.
“Burns is in the rush all the time”, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
“Obviously you never want to see a celebration throughout a city – it would be a long bus ride back to the hotel”, Sharks center Chris Tierney said.
The Sharks’ chances were few and far between, but they made them count when they got them early.
The amount of adversity Crosby has had to endure over his career since that defining night has undoubtedly affected what he’s been able to do as a player. Nothing more egregious than this one by Roman Polak on Brian Dumoulin.
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The seemingly endless barrage of shots the Pittsburgh Penguins threw his way.
