Showing true ice in their veins

Fans of American sports have been spoilt for choice as ice hockey has been witnessing one of the most thrilling finals in years. 

Dwindling TV audiences have missed the lightning fast Pittsburg Penguins go toe-to-toe (sometime literally with this sport known for its combative nature) with the San Jose Sharks. It has been a fascinating match-up between two teams looking to secure the oldest trophy in North American sport that look completely different to the way they started the season.

The Penguins replaced their head coach 28 games into the season with Mike Sullivan being imported from the American Hockey League. However, he has encouraged them to use their speed and centres Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, in particular, have prospered. Just appearing in the Stanley Cup is a milestone for the Sharks, who have never made it this far in their 25-year history.

Heading into the series it appeared as though their hopes rested with veteran forwards Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton, the former being a one-club veteran having joined them as the second draft in 1997.

Head coach, Peter De Boer, mirroring the impact he had with the New Jersey Devils in 2012 (becoming only the 11th coach to take two different teams to the finals) has traded wisely and moulded a team that many believed had little chance into genuine contenders.

However, the most fascinating differential between the sides is in goal. The Sharks acquired Martin Jones on June 30 and he has kept them in the finals with some outstanding displays.  None more so than in Game 5 when, despite conceding two goals in the first period he repelled 44 shots in total to maintain the Shark’s lead and convert it into a vital win. 

Conversely, the Penguins have the goaltender who won them the Stanley Cup in 2009, Marc-Andre Fleury – except he hasn’t been able to get a game due to the form of 22year old Matt Murray. Despite excelling in the first two games he proved a little error-prone thereafter although ultimately it did not matter as the Penguins offence delivered when it mattered with irrepressible skating.

Pittsburg demonstrated the importance of a strong squad with the Sharks finding it difficult to contain the ‘HBK Line’ of Hagelin, Bonino and Kessel.  However, it was the Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, who secured the Conn Smythe Trophy, his 19 points in the Playoffs securing him MVP status, although he must have been pushed hard by defenseman Kris Letang who has been closing down opponents all series.

Ironically, it was these two who combined for the gamewinning goal, Letang putting away Crosby’s feed from behind the net. In lifting the Cup for the second time in his career Crosby joins an elite group of nine players who can add this double to two Olympic Gold medals. In securing the Stanley Cup for the fourth time in their history the Penguins became only the sixth team in history to make it all the way having changed their coach midseason and only the third team to achieve multiple titles since the salary cap was introduced in 2005.

With the improvements made this year few would bet against a repeat next year.