Seven and a half weeks. Three grueling rounds of playoff hockey. One six-period contest. More upsets than anyone would care to count. And now only two teams are left standing.
It’s finally here – the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.
After all is said and done, only the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks can still realize the dream of bringing home a championship this June.
For one, it is the first appearance in seven years – a seven year period in which many titles were expected, but only one came to fruition. For the other, the trip to the final is a sight that nobody ever thought they would see after 25 years of playoff heartbreak and frustration. Now is the chance to finally do the seemingly-impossible honor of hoisting the cup.
That’s what this series means for Pittsburgh and San Jose, and while Pittsburgh may have home ice, the culminating series of the 2016 season could go either way. The Penguins are eager to show the hockey world that they are just as much of a playoff team as those that have won multiple championships in a short span such as the LA Kings and Chicago Blackhawks. San Jose on the other hand will be looking to avenge their playoff demons once and for all, giving the Bay Area its first every title and completing the first Stanley Cup trifecta for a single state in NHL history, joining the 2007 Ducks and the Kings of 2012 and 2014 if they prevail.
So lets look at the numbers. The regular season between the two squads was a draw, with San Jose prevailing 3-1 on Nov. 21 while Pittsburgh dominated with a 5-1 win on Dec. 1, with the road team winning both contests. That can be a comforting factor for both teams, as they know they have the ability to win in their opponent’s house.
Exceptional talent is abundant on both sides of the table too. The Penguins have two of the biggest names in hockey on their squad in the forms of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin (both who have played in two finals with one victory), and more recent acquisitions such as Nick Bonino, Phil Kessel and Carl Hagelin – a line that shined against Washington in round two. And then there is Matt Murray, a 22 year old rookie goaltender who has played like a veteran the status of Marty Brodeur in leading his team to hockey’s biggest stage.
For the Sharks, the success this postseason has been historic, and not just for the franchise. Captain Jose Pavelski has already tallied 13 goals entering the final, something that has not been done since the “great one”, Wayne Gretzky, did it in his days with the Los Angeles Kings more than 20 years ago. Logan Couture tallied six goals against round two in Nashville over seven games, setting a Sharks record for goals in a single game. Finally is the story of Martin Jones, a former back-up goalie for Los Angels that has led his team all the way to uncharted waters for the Sharks.
So who prevails among these squads of young talented accompanied by a few veterans on the side? Both are fast, both have incredible goal-tending, and both are very, very hungry.
But I have to think that San Jose is hungrier in this one.
Yes Pittsburgh has the playoff experience. More than five players on the squad have been to a final. Meanwhile, Martin Jones and head coach Peter DeBoer are the only figures on the Sharks that have ever been to the final. DeBoer lost against Los Angeles as the New Jersey Devils’ coach in 2012, and Jones was the back-up to Jonathan Quick for the Kings squad that won it all in 2014.
Go back to round one however. San Jose, the heavy underdog, quickly disposed of the Kings in five games, winning three of the four games on the road in Los Angeles. That’s grit and determination if I’ve ever seen it. Then they were able to win a game seven 5-0 against Nashville after failing to close out in game six. Then in the conference finals with the series tied at two, the Sharks were able to storm into St. Louis and silence the Blues before dominating at home in the game six clincher. It looks like this team cannot be stopped, no matter how good their opposition.
Will this series be close? I think so. Could it even go to a game seven in Pittsburgh with comeback push by one of the two squads? Absolutely. At the end of the day though, I think the cup will be hoisted by a group that so many people, even the team’s own faithful, thought would never get the job done no matter how hard they tried. And they may be celebrating twice in a matter of days if their NBA counterparts can also advance a bring home a title.
Sharks in 7