San Jose Looks to Extend Stanley Cup Finals With Win in Game 6
The San Jose Sharks host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday night in Game 6 of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Finals best of seven series. The current line has San Jose slightly favored at -110, with Pittsburgh at +100 and the over/under goal total on 5.
Logan Couture has played very well for San Jose in crucial times and is coming off the fourth game that he has recorded three points during this season’s playoffs. He will look to add to that on Sunday as San Jose tries to win Game 6 and extend the Stanley Cup Finals to a Game 7 in Pittsburgh.
Couture had two assists and his first goal in this series on Thursday to help the Sharks beat Pittsburgh 4-2 and narrow the Penguins lead to 3-2. He leads all NHL postseason players with 29 points in 23 games played.
Pittsburgh was denied its first attempt at winning the Cup on Thursday, but has a second opportunity on Sunday at San Jose. Matt Murray Pittsburgh’s rookie goaltender allowed three goals on San Jose’s first five shots on goal, but he is 5-0 in the postseason in games following a loss.
Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin has a goal in consecutive games while Carl Hagelin the Penguins speedy forward scored Thursday and has four points in the series. Phil Kessel scored his 22nd point of the postseason, which leads the Penguins.
Sidney Crosby the Penguins captain has not scored in the past three games for Pittsburgh, but had 9 points in the previous 12 games.
San Jose wing Melker Karlsson was praised by his coach for playing well this postseason in place of Tomas Hertl, who has been injured.
The Swede has disrupted play with his forechecking and creates many turnovers with his tenacity. Karlsson has five goals during the playoffs after scoring only 10 all season.
The Sharks’ Martin Jones, who stopped 44 shots on Thursday, is the first goalie in 49 years to record 40 or more saves in multiple victories during the Cup finals.
The Penguins have a power play goal in two straight games after being 0-11 in the previous four games during a man advantage.
Hertl did not do any skating Saturday and is listed day-to-day even though he has missed three straight games for the Sharks.
Prediction: Lean toward Pittsburgh raising the Cup in victory on Sunday.
