I was cheering for the Pens since my Isles were eliminated and glad to see this one turn out but wow is that kid Vasilevskiey a monster in net; he is one player in Tampa who did not deserve to lose this series.
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I thank Mike Sullivan for the change not only in Sid's performance but that of the entire team. The addition of the 'kids' to the line-up, who really were not expected to perform as well as they have, along with Mike's coaching turned this team into a winning one.
This really was the Pens best game of the play-offs so far and yes, talloola it was that intensity and drive they showed tonight that impressed me the most. They had some blunders but they overcame them efficiently and kept the pressure on TB. I am so happy for Pittsburgh fans tonight.
I was surprised when they picked up the trophy and had a picture taken, that is different, I've only seen
teams shun the conference cup, don't want to show any satisfaction for' winning anything' before the final.
personaly doesn't mean anything to me, I'm not supersticous, about anything.
Apparently, in prior circumstances, when Sidney picked up the Conference Cup, the Pens won the Stanley. When he didn't, they lost. Just a bit of trivia I picked up on Sportsnet.
I always want to know who the fruck is keeping track of this crap? Baseball is worse. Hitter X has a .428 batting average when facing a lefthander when the moon is full on a Tuesday the day after a big rain if the pitcher's last name starts with a T.
Congrats Pens. I will be cheering for them in the finals (unless there is a full moon on a Tuesday in there).
no it wasn't a 'good' game as one would think of as great hockey plays. it was a frantic game, pitts.
checking so hard everywhere, there wasn't room for anyone to do much of anything, they only had the
one goal lead, so they were frantic to make sure t.b. didn't score, they did that, but it sure wasn't
pretty to watch, but they did accomplish their goal.
I hear you, IRBS........but must add that when I saw Sid take the Cup I thought what the heck are you doing????? So when, I think it was Glen Healy mentioned about Sid's history with the Conference Cup, I thought, oh okay.
Game 1 Monday in Pittsburgh. I think I may be missing a few Jays games unless they play in the early afternoon.
It wasn't a classic game in terms of the play style although there were some great plays and great goaltending; the word I used on FB with friends and family was intense. I don't think I've seen such intensity from both sides in a long time.
A phrase came to mind when I read this post of yours talloola - hard scrabble hockey. I will say that there was one 'pretty' moment and that came on Rust's first goal - if that wasn't pretty nothing was. :smile:
was hoping for a lightning sharks final.
Ah........sorry spam but us Pens fans have been waiting awhile for this chance and we are so appreciative of the opportunity to hopefully see our guys hoist the Cup again.
my reasoning was warm climate vs. warm climate. might have also helped with encouraging nhl expansion.was hoping for a lightning sharks final.
my reasoning was warm climate vs. warm climate. might have also helped with encouraging nhl expansion.
I think there will be plenty of 'heat' from both the teams in the Cup this year, spam. :smile: I'm onside with expansion only as long as it is into Canada.
my first choice for expansion is 'seattle', as it makes the most sense as far as geography, joins
the pacific division completely up and down the west coast, adding more competition within the
division. this is a good hockey city, they just need the building, so if basketball goes back
into seattle, which they are impatiently waiting for, the building will be built to house nhl
as well. doesn't make sense to me that they still 'don't' have a team.
don't know about quebec, seems they are waiting too.
looks like las vegas is the big next nhl team, its all about money, lots of money there, and lots
of Canadians all year in and out of that city, I've never been there, have no desire to go there,
and won't ever go there, so that's that for me. lol
rumours about another team near Toronto, but for me seattle feels much more like home than anything
in the east.
GAME 1 - STANLEY CUP FINAL
vs
vs
In assessing the 2016 Stanley Cup championship final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks, you can have your speed versus speed take or breakdown of which team has the deeper lineup.
I'll take the feel-good storylines. There is no shortage of human-interest sagas that will tug on your heartstrings as the series opens tonight (CBC, CBC Sports app, 8 p.m. ET).
Let's begin at the top.
Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford was destined for retirement a couple years ago when Carolina Hurricanes ownership decided to push him out in favour of Ron Francis. Rutherford has gone on quite a run in adding key parts to the Penguins.
His San Jose counterpart, Doug Wilson, never went to a Stanley Cup final as a player or in his current role. He missed out with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1991-92, having been traded to the Sharks prior to the season. His brother Murray won four Stanley Cups with Montreal Canadiens. Now, almost 40 years after he broke in with the Blackhawks, the eternally youthful-looking 58-year-old Wilson has arrived.
Wilson and the hockey community also feel pretty good for veterans Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Finally, after 11 seasons together and a combined 3,093 regular-season and playoff games since they were selected one-two, respectively, at the 1997 NHL draft, they have advanced to the championship series.
By the way, Marleau could become the 28th member of the Triple Gold Club. He's missing a Stanley Cup ring after winning a world championship in 2003 and Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014.
Murray trying to pull a Dryden
Then there is the goaltending matchup. The Penguins' Matt Murray, who turned 22 last Wednesday, is trying to pull off a Ken Dryden by coming up late in the season and going all the way.
San Jose's Martin Jones could become the first goalie since Patrick Roy to win Stanley Cups with two different teams, although this one would be more meaningful for Martin than in his backup role with the Los Angeles Kings two years ago.
The coaches have been a fascinating study. The Sharks' Peter DeBoer has an uncanny ability to get things done in his first season with teams. Four years ago, he led the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup final, and here he is again.
Meanwhile, Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan finally moved out of John Tortorella's shadow as his longtime assistant. Sullivan is an original Shark, then coached Thornton with the Boston Bruins for a season-and-a-half before Jumbo Joe was traded to San Jose in 2005.
Sullivan was a mid-season replacement after he was promoted from the Penguins' AHL franchise in Wilkes-Barre last December, and he has brought a few of his Baby Pens with him in the likes of Murray and Bryan Rust, the Game 7 hero in the last round.
Medical marvels
The Penguins also have medical marvels in defencemen Kris Letang and Olli Maatta. Letang suffered a stroke 27 months ago and his playing career was in doubt. Maata overcame a low-grade form of thyroid cancer, in which he had a tumour removed from his neck in November 2014.
The Penguins also have motivation every time they see their former teammate Pascal Dupuis or Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux walk into the dressing room. Lemieux would love to go out a winner as owner. He's trying to sell the Penguins. Dupuis was forced into retirement because of a blood clot condition last December.
Finally, and maybe my favourite storyline, is to see Penguins assistant coach Jacques Martin advance to the Stanley Cup Final after 30 years in the pro game.
Earlier this month, Martin celebrated the 30th anniversary of guiding the Guelph Platers to the 1986 Memorial Cup title.
He became the St. Louis Blues head coach the next season. But until this spring, he had advanced only as far as the conference final on a couple of occasions, once as head coach of the 2002-03 Ottawa Senators and seven years later as Montreal's bench boss, when he helped lead the Habs' upset the Penguins, then the defending champions, in the second round.
Martin came close in 1996. He was one of Marc Crawford's assistant coaches when the Colorado Avalanche hit a Rocky Mountain high. But Martin left the Avalanche in January that season in order to become the Senators head coach.
Now he gets a second chance.
Stanley Cup Final filled with feel-good storylines - Tim Wharnsby on hockey - NHL on CBC Sports - Analysis
I'll take the feel-good storylines. There is no shortage of human-interest sagas that will tug on your heartstrings as the series opens tonight (CBC, CBC Sports app, 8 p.m. ET).
Let's begin at the top.
Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford was destined for retirement a couple years ago when Carolina Hurricanes ownership decided to push him out in favour of Ron Francis. Rutherford has gone on quite a run in adding key parts to the Penguins.
His San Jose counterpart, Doug Wilson, never went to a Stanley Cup final as a player or in his current role. He missed out with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1991-92, having been traded to the Sharks prior to the season. His brother Murray won four Stanley Cups with Montreal Canadiens. Now, almost 40 years after he broke in with the Blackhawks, the eternally youthful-looking 58-year-old Wilson has arrived.
Wilson and the hockey community also feel pretty good for veterans Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau. Finally, after 11 seasons together and a combined 3,093 regular-season and playoff games since they were selected one-two, respectively, at the 1997 NHL draft, they have advanced to the championship series.
By the way, Marleau could become the 28th member of the Triple Gold Club. He's missing a Stanley Cup ring after winning a world championship in 2003 and Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014.
Murray trying to pull a Dryden
Then there is the goaltending matchup. The Penguins' Matt Murray, who turned 22 last Wednesday, is trying to pull off a Ken Dryden by coming up late in the season and going all the way.
San Jose's Martin Jones could become the first goalie since Patrick Roy to win Stanley Cups with two different teams, although this one would be more meaningful for Martin than in his backup role with the Los Angeles Kings two years ago.
The coaches have been a fascinating study. The Sharks' Peter DeBoer has an uncanny ability to get things done in his first season with teams. Four years ago, he led the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup final, and here he is again.
Meanwhile, Penguins bench boss Mike Sullivan finally moved out of John Tortorella's shadow as his longtime assistant. Sullivan is an original Shark, then coached Thornton with the Boston Bruins for a season-and-a-half before Jumbo Joe was traded to San Jose in 2005.
Sullivan was a mid-season replacement after he was promoted from the Penguins' AHL franchise in Wilkes-Barre last December, and he has brought a few of his Baby Pens with him in the likes of Murray and Bryan Rust, the Game 7 hero in the last round.
Medical marvels
The Penguins also have medical marvels in defencemen Kris Letang and Olli Maatta. Letang suffered a stroke 27 months ago and his playing career was in doubt. Maata overcame a low-grade form of thyroid cancer, in which he had a tumour removed from his neck in November 2014.
The Penguins also have motivation every time they see their former teammate Pascal Dupuis or Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux walk into the dressing room. Lemieux would love to go out a winner as owner. He's trying to sell the Penguins. Dupuis was forced into retirement because of a blood clot condition last December.
Finally, and maybe my favourite storyline, is to see Penguins assistant coach Jacques Martin advance to the Stanley Cup Final after 30 years in the pro game.
Earlier this month, Martin celebrated the 30th anniversary of guiding the Guelph Platers to the 1986 Memorial Cup title.
He became the St. Louis Blues head coach the next season. But until this spring, he had advanced only as far as the conference final on a couple of occasions, once as head coach of the 2002-03 Ottawa Senators and seven years later as Montreal's bench boss, when he helped lead the Habs' upset the Penguins, then the defending champions, in the second round.
Martin came close in 1996. He was one of Marc Crawford's assistant coaches when the Colorado Avalanche hit a Rocky Mountain high. But Martin left the Avalanche in January that season in order to become the Senators head coach.
Now he gets a second chance.
Stanley Cup Final filled with feel-good storylines - Tim Wharnsby on hockey - NHL on CBC Sports - Analysis
Period 1 belongs to the Pens and not just for the two pucks in the net - they outplayed the Sharks.
Period 2 belongs to San Jose all the way and Patrick Marleau got his first Stanley Cup goal.
Score tied 2 - 2 end of 2nd.
Penguins have to get their feet under them again if they hope to come back and take this one.
Period 3 was a draw for me - both teams were pretty well equal, I thought. Bonino's late goal is the difference maker as the Pens take game 1.
Period 2 belongs to San Jose all the way and Patrick Marleau got his first Stanley Cup goal.
Score tied 2 - 2 end of 2nd.
Penguins have to get their feet under them again if they hope to come back and take this one.
Period 3 was a draw for me - both teams were pretty well equal, I thought. Bonino's late goal is the difference maker as the Pens take game 1.
Well we managed to squeak that one out. Didn't see quite the level of intensity in this game by the Pens but they played well enough to win and take a 2 game lead in the series. Phil Kessel scored the lone Pittsburgh goal in regular time and yet another one of the youngsters became the OT hero. Connor Sheary got his four goal of the post season off a beautiful play right off the drop of the puck.
I didn't watch this game, went to grandson's band concert, he is an awesome drummer. my husband said
Pittsburgh had the better of the play till the last period, then pretty even. seems san jose might
be having a bit of trouble with Pittsburgh's speed.
I only saw part of the first game too, stuff is going on, I'm a busy kid.
maybe san jose can pick it up at home, we'll see, whatever team is better should win,
as they are both real good, so at this point, not much difference, one of them has to win.
of course I want the west, and it is our division as well, so I'm hoping the
cup stays in the west.
East, West, North, South............makes no difference to me, JLM. The Pens have been my team since the day Sid signed with them prior to that I cheered for the Habs - so there you go.
You have no idea how happy it makes me to see Sidney finally playing up to his rep again. He is totally zeroed in right now. Even when Joe Thornton went after him last night, first knocking off Sid's helmet then checking him in the back with his stick - Sid calmly picked up his lid and skated away. It was a far cry from the Sidney Crosby who would get visibly upset when checked or boarded, complaining to the refs etc, etc. I am reveling in his maturity. And that play he called on the face-off last night that saw Conor score the OT winner was a thing of absolute beauty.