NHL Stanley Cup Finals game 6: San Josè Sharks 1 Pittsburgh Penguins 3 recap and analysis

1st Period SJ 0 PIT 1

The game started with an high quantity of energy on ice along with good forechecking, this mix let so difficult to establish the offensive possession of the puck and a good circulation of it, that's why the first scoring chance came after 6 minutes of play on a lost puck by Bonino in the neutral zone well stolen by Nieto that at the end of the play saw Murray deny him a goal with a good save. A minute later the Penguins got their first power play of the game on a Zubrus tripping penalty and 25 seconds on it they scored with a slap shot from the blue line by Domoulin who fooled Karlsson with an intelligent pump fake. The Sharks tried to react intensifying their forechecking and the results have been good with the Penguins unable to exit their zone for some minutes but the home team hasn't been able to find the back of the net so the visitors came very close to score with 3 minutes left in the period but two straight time they saw their try rejected by an awesome Martin Jones who saved first on Crosby than on Sheary to keep his team with just one goal deficit.

2nd period SJ 1 PIT 2

San Josè started well offensively the second period putting up a good pressure on Pittsburgh who had some issues to free their defensive zone and build offensive plays, this attitude paid off and the Sharks tied it with 6:27 with a wrist shot by Couture who received the puck from Burns who stole it in the neutral zone after a bad try by the Penguins to clear it, the Sharks' fans didn't even have the time to cheer for it that 90 seconds later Crosby got the puck behind Jones' net then provided a good assist to Letang who beat Jones from the low circle with a quick one timer. The home team tried with anger to reach the tie again forcing the Penguins again in their defensive zone for some minutes and they close to score on Pavelski that after a great puck movement missed the goal with Murray out of position, on the other side the Penguins ended the period in a great way coming close to score with Malkin on a 2 on 1 but they made a mistake trying a pass when they had to shot missing the timing ending to lose it.

3rd Period SJ 1 PIT 3

The Penguins started the third period in the same way they ended the second one, lead by an inspired Crosby who managed the puck for his offense they have been able to shoot on goal multiple times but Jones rejected every single try until the Sharks got a power play with 5 minutes played in the period but the Penguins penalty killing unit made an outstanding job to prevent them to enter in the offensive zone. San Josè continue to try to score put a great pressure on Pittsburgh with their forechecking but in a moment that seemed good for them, they lost a puck that let Burns got penalized for Slashing, on the power play the visitors had problems to enter in the offensive zone due to the great amount of energy that the Sharks penalty killing unity but at the end of it Crosby's shot needed a marvelous save by Jones to keep his team alive in this series. San Josè tried the "all in" with 2 minutes left in the game putting on ice the extra skater but they haven't been able once again to do what they did in the first 2 periods being effective with their forechecking so the Penguins exited from the offensive zone and they scored the third goal of their game with Hornqvist that brought Lord Stanley in Pittsburgh exactly 7 years later the last one!

MY 3 stars of the game

1 Crosby
2 Jones
3 Letang