Penguins win Stanley Cup
It’s not how a team starts the season; it’s how they end it.
The Penguins were struggling in the middle of December, but got things figured out and were red-hot at the end of the regular season, stormed through the playoffs and claimed the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup in history with 4-2 series victory over the San Jose Sharks.
A 2-1 loss to the Hurricanes on December 19 dropped the Penguins to 15-14-3 in the young season. Their looked to be some reason to be worried. But the Penguins did not let that slow start take them off track and by the end of the season they were the hottest team in the league, winning 14 of 16 games and carrying that momentum into the playoffs.
In the playoffs they dismantled the New York Rangers in the first round; ended the championship dreams of the Washington Capitals, which had one of the greatest regular seasons in league history; and then showed their resolve against the Tampa Bay Lightning before cruising past the San Jose Sharks in the finals.
The Sharks were trying to make history in their first-ever Stanley Cup finals, but were unable to jump on the Penguins like they were able to in game five of the series as they stayed alive. The Penguins instead were able to take a 2-1 lead in the second period and extend it in the third for the 3-1 victory in game six.
Despite not scoring a goal in the Stanley Cup finals, Penguins star Sidney Crosby won the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP. He had two assists in game six and four assists in the finals. In the postseason he scored six goals with 13 helpers. And his second championship solidified him as the greatest player of this generation.
Crosby led the Penguins to a title when he was the promising young stud of the league, who looked like he was destined to be one of the all-time greatest. But now he is the veteran, who was the leader and backbone of this championship team. He won it in a different way, but it was another great victory for him, and the Penguins.
Corey Johns
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