He sat out games due to concussions that were so bad his career was threatened.
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The Penguins sealed the Stanley Cup Final series in enemy territory at the Sharks’ SAP Center, after San Jose had rallied to push the series to a sixth game on Thursday. It came at the end of a dominant shift from one of the best defensemen in the game, who also benefitted from a great feed from Sidney Crosby. “At a young age, going back-to-back like we did, you just think it’s going to be an annual thing”.
Ironically, the Penguins won their previous Stanley Cup championship seven years earlier to the day at Joe Louis Arena against the Detroit Red Wings. And he followed that up by earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “Everyone has a part in this”. Crosby put up 31 goals and 36 assists in 52 games with Sullivan on the bench, moving from outside the top 50 in scoring to third at the end of the season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins stand at the pinnacle of the hockey world for the fourth time in team history, and for the second time since 2009.
This was one of the most unlikely National Hockey League championship teams in recent times as they struggled mightily to find their game in the first half of the season, taking a back seat to Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals in the competitive Eastern Conference standings. It came though on Sunday, as the speedy Penguins, a team that relied on defense overcame the resilience and physicality of the Sharks to win the Cup.
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They lost to Montreal in 2010 after going 3-2 in the series and then squandered 3-1 edges in losses to Tampa Bay in 2011 and the New York Rangers in 2014.
“In the playoffs, suddenly we thought we could beat any team”, Malkin said. “Our players are well aware of the expectations and the heightened intensity that we need to have in order to get this next win”.
The Penguins were in control for nearly the entire final.
Patric Hornqvist’s empty-net goal in the final minutes was just gravy for the Pens’ 3-1 victory.
The Penguins got contributions from all over the lineup as nine players finished with double-digit points to close out the playoff run. “How can you ask for anything better than this?”
For all the roadblocks, you don’t win a Stanley Cup without years’ worth of good decisions.
Outside of Logan Couture, who willed the Sharks to the Game 5 win with three points and scored the lone goal on Sunday night, the Sharks got little else from their other stars who carried the team this far. “But only one team can win”. ‘I’m sure we’ll reflect on this over the next couple days, but we have a lot to be proud of. “It’s just tough right now”. Melker Karlsson and Brent Burns were credited with assists. He was particularly happy for Crosby and Malkin, who won their second Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh.
First Period – 1, Pittsburgh, Dumoulin 2 (Schultz, Kunitz), 8:16 (pp).
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Shots on Goal – Pittsburgh 9-11-7-27.
