Slow beginning, waiting for the chances and mistakes, that's all sums up the Pens plans leading to winning Stanley Cup. If San Jose Sharks set the feet, sorry skates, for the first time in their NHL finals history, Pittsburgh Penguins are matadors, mavericks or veterans, but their beginning of season was also slow start and waiting for chances, they did a lot of mistakes along the boards. The lounged at seed 12 in Western Conference but they climbed up and bounced back to place 2. If the captain Sidney Crosby shared the huge cup with the injured players of his team, it speaks more about the pain and hope during season. The results were visible - won 14 games from last 16, clutching the biggest trophy after win in 2009 when Crosby was almost a rookie and real kid.
The former core of original Stanley Cup winners from 2009 aged and changed. Only couple of them stayed on the roster, Malkin and Crosby having problems with the scoring ability and leaving room for youngsters to secure wins, Fleury sitting as back up goalie, number 2 behind young confident Murray. Pittsburgh Penguins claimed the title, the fourth in their franchise history, after beating San Jose Sharks 3-1. The Pens ruled the Tank ice and being more pro active team with 27 SOG, also keeping nerves in mode ice,ice, baby compared to 43 hits by the Sharks-double of Penguins defensive work. And the Pens know how play on the ice and on the nerves, Brian Dumoulin scored the opener for Pittsburgh squad at 8:16 in PP.
while netminder Matt Murray made 18 saves in the effort to keep his team standing and fighting, he was maybe happy with the goal by Logan Couture's wrist shot at 6.27 in the second period, tied game 1;1 but Pittsburgh fashionista and hair poser Kris Letang replied within a minute at 7.47 and the Pens were again one goal ahead, leading the battle of Stanley Cup 2:1.
San Jose has plenty of chances, with Vlasic back on the ice in the last period, but Jones made more saves than ever as Penguins put higher pressure to finish the deal.
"It's the best feeling ever," Penguins forward Phil Kessel said of winning his first career Stanley Cup. "I'm so proud of all these guys. We had four good lines, we rolled them over, everyone got along great. We fight for each other. Just one minute before the time of the third period the puck ended behind Jones's back, directed by Patrik Hornquist into empty net, winning Game 6 with 3:1. Crosby did not score but he was behind assists on last two goals by Pens players and it means he starts to be a team worker than solo player waiting for pucks served to him for better stats.
I can tell you, nice fans and also puck bunnies, where we lived. Penguins did not camp at South Pole but in Downtown San Jose in Fairmont Hotel, we were accommodated in Country Inn, Mountain View, you, know, I love a swimming pool. I can tell you a secret - it was not a small party for Penguins, they were almost equal to the Sharks, drunk like fish.
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