The Bum's National Hockey League April's Playoff's Picks - Trends - News - Etc. !!

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Monday, June 6

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Monday's NHL Stanley Cup finals Game 4 betting preview: Penguins at Sharks
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Rookie Joonas Donskoi thrilled the home crowd with the overtime winner in Game 3 to cut the Sharks' series deficit to 2-1.

Pittsburgh Penguins at San Jose Sharks (A: +125, H: -135, O/U: 5.5)

Penguins lead series 2-1

The San Jose Sharks look to ride the momentum of their first Stanley Cup final win in their 25-year history into Monday's Game 4 versus the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins. Home ice has served them well as the Sharks attempt to win their ninth such contest in 10 outings and even the Stanley Cup final at two victories apiece on Monday.

Martin Jones has given the SAP Center faithful a show in the playoffs, yielding just 17 tallies en route to posting an 8-2 mark with two shutouts, a 1.74 goals-against average and .938 save percentage. "Everyone knows what's at stake," Jones told CSNBayArea.com after his 40-save performance - in addition to rookie Joonas Donskoi's overtime goal - keyed the Sharks to a 3-2 overtime victory on Saturday. "We played well. That was our best game of the series. We can still be better. It was a good step forward for us." Pittsburgh rookie Matt Murray took a step back by permitting a pair of questionable goals, including Joel Ward's tying tally in the third period. The 22-year-old goaltender has rebounded well following a defeat in the playoffs, posting a 4-0 mark while stopping 106-of-114 shots.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, TVAS

PROBABLE GOALIES:

Penguins - Matt Murray (W/L: 13-5, GAA: 2.15, SAVE %: .926)

Sharks - Martin Jones (W/L: 13-8, GAA: 2.13, SAVE %: .919)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (62-30-11, 45-40 O/U): Defenseman Ben Lovejoy didn't mince words when he talked about his teammates' readiness to put their bodies on the line. "We're ready to block shots at any time," the 32-year-old Lovejoy told reporters after Pittsburgh thwarted 38 shots on goal in Game 3 after averaging 17.5 in the first two contests - and 16.4 over the first three rounds. "I'm ready to take a Brent Burns slapshot to my face." Shot-happy Burns saw 12 of his attempts bounce off a Pittsburgh player on Saturday, with blue-liner Olli Maatta recording a career-high six blocks in the contest.

ABOUT THE SHARKS (59-34-10, 51-41 O/U): Joe Pavelski has been held off the scoresheet in the first three contests of this series after collecting 22 points (team-high 13 goals, nine assists) in the first three rounds. While Pavelski suddenly is struggling, fellow forward Ward scored his first goal of the series and fifth in his last five contests. Veteran Joe Thornton, who saw Melker Karlsson and Logan Couture platoon on his line with Pavelski for the absent Tomas Hertl (undisclosed), notched a pair of assists in Game 3 after recording 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 18 games during the first three rounds.

TRENDS:

* Penguins are 21-5 in their last 26 games playing on 1 days rest.
* Sharks are 8-1 in their last 9 home games.
* Under is 6-0 in Penguins last 6 Stanley Cup Finals games.
* Under is 4-0-1 in Sharks last 4 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 6-1 in the last 6 meetings.
* Penguins are 1-12-1 in the last 14 meetings in San Jose.

CONSENSUS: San Jose is picking up a sizeable percentage of the Consensus action - currently sitting at 64 percent. The total is set at 5.5 and the public is pouncing on the Under at a rate of 62 percent.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Long Sheet

Monday, June 6

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PITTSBURGH (62-30-0-11, 135 pts.) at SAN JOSE (59-35-0-9, 127 pts.) - 6/6/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 5-4 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 5-4-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.4 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Monday, June 6

San Jose-Pittsburgh (P 2-1)
Sharks' Donskoi scored 12:18 into OT to keep series alive, after San Jose tied game 8:48 into the third period. San Jose lost four of last six games with Pittsburgh, but won eight of ten home playoff games. Seven of last 13 Shark-Penguin games went OT, four to shootout- six of last seven stayed under total. Pittsburgh is 5-4 on road in playoffs, Sharks are 6-5 on road. San Jose was 1-6 on power play in Games 1-2; Penguins 0-6. Pitt has a 113-74 edge in shots in first three games. Sharks are in Stanley Cup finals for first time; Penguins are in for first time since winning Cup in '09, its third Stanley Cup title.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 6-7, Over 7-5-1
Home: 3-0 Over: 0-3




NHL

Monday, June 6

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
PITTSBURGH vs. SAN JOSE
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Pittsburgh's last 7 games when playing San Jose
San Jose is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
San Jose is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games when playing Pittsburgh


NHL
Dunkel

Monday, June 6


Pittsburgh @ San Jose

Game 57-58
June 6, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Pittsburgh
12.851
San Jose
11.357
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Jose
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(+115); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Penguins (48-26) at Sharks (46-30)
Date: June 06, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) This is a Stanley Cup Final filled with stars who have won the Hart Trophy, Olympic gold medals and numerous other awards.

With players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski, the final features some of the biggest names in hockey.

The one place where those players haven't showed up so far is on the goal-scoring sheet. In a series that has featured three straight one-goal games all decided either in the final three minutes of regulation or overtime, some of the lesser-known players have delivered the goals.

'You look through these playoffs and third-line, fourth-line guys have stepped up for both teams and scored big goals,' Sharks center Logan Couture said Sunday. 'It's not necessarily that the big guns have scored the huge goals for both teams. You need that when you get to this point.'

Sharks rookie Joonas Donskoi was the latest to get on that list when he scored the overtime winner in San Jose's 3-2 victory in Game 3 on Saturday night that cut Pittsburgh's series lead to 2-1. Game 4 is Monday night in San Jose.

Donskoi matched the overtime goal scored just one game earlier by Penguins rookie Conor Sheary. Before that, it had been 30 years since a rookie had scored in overtime in the final when Montreal's Brian Skrudland did it in Game 2 against Calgary.

But Donskoi and Sheary are far from the only unusual suspects to score in the first three games. Sharks defenseman Justin Braun has two goals in the past two games, matching his total from the previous 40 contests.

'I'm happy I can finally chip in offensively,' Braun said. 'A lot of other guys have done a lot of heavy lifting to get us here. I'm just trying to do my part.'

Pittsburgh defenseman Ben Lovejoy, who has 15 goals in 334 career regular season games, scored one of the Penguins' goals in Game 3 and set up the other that was deflected in by Patric Hornqvist.

Nick Bonino got the Game 1 winner for Pittsburgh when the other goals were scored by rookies Sheary and Bryan Rust.

And after three games, players like Crosby, Malkin, Thornton, Pavelski, Kris Letang, Logan Couture and Brent Burns are all still looking for their first goals.

'You just try to worry about yourself and make sure you're doing your job and as a team you're doing the things necessary to give yourself a chance to win games,' Crosby said. 'It's tight. Like I keep seeing year after year, there's a small margin of error. Just make sure you're competing and give yourself a chance to create and ultimately produce.'

It hasn't been like those players haven't performed well. Crosby was dominant the first two games and set up a pair of goals that helped Pittsburgh take the 2-0 lead. But he got much less generated on the road when the Sharks were able to match top defensive pair Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun against him consistently. Even a few shifts with Malkin couldn't generate many chances for Pittsburgh.

'We're playing against good defensemen,' Malkin said. 'They play so close and so tight, it's tough to shoot sometimes.'

Thornton had a few good chances late, especially after Couture joined him and Pavelski on San Jose's top line. But Pavelski, who leads the NHL with 13 playoff goals, has been mostly silent with no points and only four shots on goal through three games.

'It's tough this time of year,' Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. 'Every round, he's getting a lot of attention, just like Brent Burns is getting a lot of attention, just like Jumbo is getting a lot of attention. That's not an easy role to play. I have no doubt he's going to break through here. He has all year for us. It's just a matter of time.'

One of the factors limiting Pavelski's effectiveness has been Pittsburgh's propensity to block shots. The Penguins blocked 38 shots alone in Game 3, including 12 from Burns. With fewer point shots getting to the net, Pavelski has been unable to utilize his elite hand-eye coordination to deflect pucks like he was so successfully the first three rounds.

'We're creating some chances,' Pavelski said. 'It's just that end result hasn't been there. You just stay with it, keep trying to have the puck and play with it and get open. Try to get a few more.'

NOTES: Sharks F Tomas Hertl remains day to day with a lower-body injury. ... Penguins D Letang and Olli Maatta were given maintenance days and did not practice.

SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Sharks at Penguins
Mon, May 30 Final 2 to 3
Recaps

GAME 2
Sharks at Penguins
Wed, Jun 1 Final 1 to 2
Recaps

GAME 3
Penguins at Sharks
Sat, Jun 4 Final 2 to 3
Recaps

GAME 4
Penguins at Sharks
Mon, Jun 6 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 5
Sharks at Penguins
Thu, Jun 9 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 6
Penguins at Sharks
Sun, Jun 12 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Sharks at Penguins
Wed, Jun 15 - 8:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Sharks F Tomas Hertl to miss Game 4
June 6, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) San Jose Sharks forward Tomas Hertl will miss his second straight game in the Stanley Cup Final with a lower-body injury.

Coach Peter DeBoer said Hertl will not be ready to play Game 4 on Monday night and remains day to day. Hertl got hurt late in Game 2 in Pittsburgh and missed the following game in San Jose.

The Sharks overcame his absence with a 3-2 overtime win that cut Pittsburgh's series lead to 2-1. Melker Karlsson took Hertl's place on the top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski and Dainius Zubrus returned to the lineup as a fourth-line forward.

Hertl has six goals and five assists in 20 playoff games this season.

[StarDust Bum]

Penguins remain confident after Game 3
June 5, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins have only lost twice this season when leading after two periods. The second time was Saturday night. As a result, the San Jose Sharks have new life in the Stanley Cup Final.

Matthew Murray made 23 saves and the Penguins blocked 38 shots, though it wasn't enough to continue their domination of the Sharks.

Joonas Donoski scored 12:18 into overtime to lift the Sharks to a 3-2 victory in Game 3. The Penguins - up 2-1 in the series, suddenly find themselves in a fight heading into Game 4 on Monday night in San Jose.

''It's one game of a seven-game series and we out played them,'' Murray said. ''I felt good about my game. Unfortunately the last one goes in.''

The Penguins have done an excellent job of keeping several of the Sharks' top scorers from reaching the scoresheet, with Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture and Brent Burns, one of the NHL's hardest shooters, relatively quiet.

A lot of that has to do with their willingness to block shots.

''They use the points a lot, then they look for those wrist shots, those half-slappers, and they're looking for deflections,'' Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. ''That's a big part of how they generate offense. Part of the way to defend against it is to deny the opportunity of the puck to get to those areas. So when they use the points, we have to get in the lanes.''

Penguins defender Ben Lovejoy said the team is willing to do whatever it takes to win.

''We're ready to block shots at any time,'' he said. ''I'm ready to take a Brent Burns slapshot to my face.''

Penguins defender Olli Maata had six blocks, Lovejoy, Brian Dumoulin and Patric Hornqvist each blocked four.

''You have to defend well,'' Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby said. ''They shoot from everywhere. The number of blocked shots might be higher because of where they shoot from.''

Joel Ward scored his first goal of the finals after a red hot finish in the conference finals, netting four goals in the last two games versus the St. Louis Blues. Joe Thornton had his first two assists.

''His release point was further out than usual on a slapshot and it dipped at the last second,'' Murray said about Ward. ''I just waved at it and got a little piece of it.''

Joe Pavelski, Couture, Burns and Thornton are a combined 0 for 28 on shots, though they have a total of six assists. They are responsible for a combined 292 career playoff points.

Pavelski had 13 goals and nine assists through the first three rounds and has yet to record a point against the Penguins.

Tomas Hertl, the Sharks' best player in the opening two contests in Pittsburgh, was not available for Game 3 because of a lower-body injury.

''We were good but we weren't great,'' Lovejoy said. ''We'd love to be 3-0 but we also know they would put up their best game. This is their home building and they've done a lot of winning here.''

[StarDust Bum]

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (57) PITTSBURGH@ (58) SAN JOSE | 2016-06-06 20:05:00 - 2016-06-06 20:05:00
Play AGAINST SAN JOSE using money line in Home games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 1 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.1 units)

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NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (57) PITTSBURGH@ (58) SAN JOSE | 2016-06-06 20:05:00 - 2016-06-06 20:05:00
Play AGAINST SAN JOSE in Home games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 1 Wins and 8 Losses for the last two seasons (-12.1 units)

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NHL TOTALS

NHL > (57) PITTSBURGH@ (58) SAN JOSE | 2016-06-06 20:05:00 - 2016-06-06 20:05:00
Play UNDER PITTSBURGH on the totalin Road games revenging a loss versus opponent
The record is 9 Overs and 24 Unders for the last two seasons (+14.95 units)

[StarDust Bum]

GAME # 3 RESULTS: 0 - 1......... - 1.00
GAME TOTAL: 0 - 1
OVERALL: 0 - 1

MONDAY, JUNE 6

GAME TIME(ET) PICK UNITS

PIT at SJ 08:00 PM

SJ -127

U 5.5 ***** 4 STAR PLAY


STARS = 100

[StarDust Bum]

Armadillo: Thursday's six-pack

Odds to win the College World Series, with Super Regionals this week

-- 5-1-- Florida, Louisville, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

-- 6-1-- Miami-- Stadium is named after A-Rod, but he never played there.

-- 7-1-- LSU-- Les Miles should coach first for a couple innings.

-- 10-1-- Texas Tech-- Wouldn't want to pitch in Lubbock if wind is blowing out.

-- 12-1-- South Carolina-- Not a lot of northern teams on this list.

-- 25-1-- Coastal Carolina, Arizona, Cal-Santa Barbara

**********

Armadillo: Thursday's List of 13: Doing some thinking out loud......

13) Sauerkraut got a lot of support from e-mailers today, which baffles me, but that is what makes life interesting-- we like different things.

12) I was also informed that the world's largest sauerkraut factory is in Phelps, NY, near where a friend of mine's grandfather lives. You learrn new stuff every day.

11) Speaking of which, it is now illegal to sit on a sidewalk in Saratoga Springs, NY, where the six-week horse racing meet is held every summer. Not sure if the mayor is a guy who sells benches, but that seems like a dumb thing to have as a law.

10) Maria Sharapova was suspended for two years, which means she is likely to lose as much as $50M in income during that time. Sharapova has been the world's highest-paid female athlete for the last 11 years, but that streak is over now.

9) A Uber driver from Boulder, CO won $1M in a World Series of Poker tourney this week, after being down to one $500 chip at one point in the tournament. Something you rarely read about are people who try to become pro poker players and fail; this guy went bust couple years ago, moved to Colorado and started driving for Uber, then built up some cash and took a shot in this year's WSOP and hit it big. Good for him.

8) Jacksonville Jaguars paid WR Allen Hurns $40M for four years this offseason, now find out Hurns is allergic to grass; no bueno. Will they switch to Field Turf?

7) Washington 11, White Sox 4-- James Sheilds faced 17 batters in his White Sox debut and seven of them scored, not what the struggling Pale Hose needed. He threw 84 pitches and got six outs. Chicago is 6-20 in its last 26 games.

6) Braves' play-by play Chip Caray, grandson of Harry, son of Chip, has improved a lot as a play-play guy; he used to be awful. Haven't listened to Braves' games much the last few years because I don't have any Braves on my fantasy team, but I have this year and Chip is pretty good now. He has a very good partner in Joe Simpson.

5) Phillies young pitching star Vince Velasquez left Wednesday's game after two pitches, never a good sign. Apparently some kind of biceps issue. Last thing Phillies need right now is a pitching injury. Last thing anyone needs, actually.

4) Why I like Phil Martelli as a college hoop coach; St Joe's is 12-3 vs spread in its last 15 conference tournament games, 11-4 vs spread as a road underdog in conference games. He has good players and he lets them play, which gives them confidence.

3) Rumors in NYC this week that St John's assistant coach Barry Rohrssen is off to another job, possibly to be replaced by former NBA star Mitch Richmond. St John's gets to play the Big East tournament on its home court every year, yet they are 0-7 vs spread in last seven Big East tournament games.

Then there is Providence, which covered its last seven Big East tourney games.

2) Cavaliers 120, Warriors 90-- 10 of last 12 Cleveland games were decided by 11+ points. Golden State is 3-5 on the road in playoffs. Still think all playoff series should be best-of-3 and the Finals best-of-5. Much more dramatic that way.

1) Tonight was Golden State's 102nd game this season, not counting the handful of preseason games they play; it was Cleveland's 99th game. NBA is a long season, then the draft is June 23, and the NBA Summer League is in Las Vegas starting July 8. Not a lot of rest for the executives of the good teams.

Regular season ended in mid-April, so the lesser teams have had some time off.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL

Thursday, June 9

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Thursday's NHL Stanley Cup finals Game 5 betting preview: Sharks at Penguins
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Pittsburgh pushed the Sharks to the brink of elimination with a 3-1 victory on Monday night to edge closer to its first Stanley Cup championship since 2009.

San Jose Sharks at Pittsburgh Penguins (A: +145, H: -155, O/U: 5)

Penguins lead series 3-1

The Pittsburgh Penguins are on the threshold of a milestone moment, needing one win to become the first major sports team in the city to win a championship at home since the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960. Armed with a 3-1 series lead, the Penguins go for their fourth Stanley Cup title when they host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night in Game 5.

Pittsburgh pushed the Sharks to the brink of elimination with a 3-1 victory at San Jose on Monday night to edge closer to its first Stanley Cup championship since 2009. "We have to try to do our best to ignore some of the noise surrounding the group and I think our players are well aware of it," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of the tantalizing opportunity of hoisting the Cup in front of the home fans. The Sharks are trying to become the second team in league history to win the Cup after facing a 3-1 series deficit -- a seemingly insurmountable task given that they have yet to hold a lead in regulation against Pittsburgh. "We want to win one game and get a Game 6 back here at home," San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said. "I think we would be comfortable in that spot that we could get it to go seven."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, TVAS

PROBABLE GOALIES:

Sharks - Martin Jones (W/L: 13-9, GAA: 2.06, SAVE %: .918)

Penguins - Matt Murray (W/L: 14-5, GAA: 2.09, SAVE %: .927)

ABOUT THE SHARKS (59-35-10, 51-42 O/U): After averaging a playoff-best 3.5 goals through the first three rounds of the postseason, San Jose has scored only seven times in four games versus Pittsburgh. Captain Joe Pavelski scored 13 goals and had a seven-game point streak entering the Finals, but he has been held off the scoresheet by the Penguins. "If it's different, if it's 3-1 and you don't have anything, it's a different story," Pavelski said. "But right now, with the hole we're [in], a goal or two probably changes the outcome. The way it's been going for most of the postseason, I feel like I should probably have a bit more." Forward Logan Couture has a postseason-best 26 points, but both he and defenseman Brent Burns have been limited to two assists in the Finals.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (63-30-11, 45-41 O/U): Center Evgeni Malkin, the Conn Smythe Award winner in Pittsburgh's 2009 run to the Cup, admitted he wasn't producing enough through the first three games of the series and responded to his own "I want more" declaration by setting up one tally and scoring what proved to be the game-winner in Game 4. “We’ve seen him do it so many times,” Penguins forward Matt Cullen said. “He’s such a big part of the team. He demands a lot of himself, so to see him come out like that in a big game when he kind of called himself out a bit, it’s pretty impressive. That’s what good players do." Forward Phil Kessel is near the front of the line for this season's Conn Smythe after collecting a pair of assists Monday to boost his team-high total to 21 points.

TRENDS:

* Sharks are 8-2 in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Penguins are 6-0 in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
* Under is 12-3-2 in Penguins last 17 Stanley Cup Finals games.
* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Pittsburgh.
* Sharks are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings in Pittsburgh.

CONSENSUS: At the time of publication of this preview, the Pittsburgh Penguins are grabbing 71 percent of the public picks and Over 5 is leading the way in totals wagering at 66 percent.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL
Dunkel

Thursday, June 9


San Jose @ Pittsburgh

Game 59-60
June 9, 2016 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
San Jose
11.754
Pittsburgh
14.283
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 2 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-160
5
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-160); Over




NHL
Long Sheet

Thursday, June 9

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SAN JOSE (59-36-0-9, 127 pts.) at PITTSBURGH (63-30-0-11, 137 pts.) - 6/9/2016, 8:05 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 6-4 (+1.9 Units) against the spread versus SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 6-4-0 straight up against SAN JOSE over the last 3 seasons
7 of 10 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.6 Units)

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NHL
Short Sheet

Thursday, June 9

San Jose at Pittsburgh, 8:05 PM ET
San Jose: 11-3 SU in road games after having lost 2 of their last 3
Pittsburgh: 11-18 SU after 2 consecutive non-conference games




NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Thursday, June 9

San Jose-Pittsburgh (P 3-1)
Penguins can win 4th Stanley Cup here; would be first title Pittsburgh team has won at home since '60 World Series. San Jose lost five of last seven games with Pittsburgh, they lost three of last five playoff road games. Seven of last 14 Shark-Penguin games went OT, four to shootout- seven of last eight tilts stayed under total. San Jose is 1-8 on power play in series; Penguins 1-8. Pittsburgh has a 133-98 edge in shots in first four games. Sharks are in Stanley Cup finals for first time; Penguins are in for first time since winning Cup in '09, its third Stanley Cup title. Pittsburgh won its last three home games, giving up a total of four goals.

Playoffs tally: 1st round-- Home: 23-24, Over: 16-17-14
2nd round-- Home: 16-9, Over: 11-5-9
Conference finals-- Home 6-7, Over 7-5-1
Home: 3-1 Over: 0-4




NHL

Thursday, June 9

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
SAN JOSE vs. PITTSBURGH
San Jose is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of San Jose's last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Pittsburgh's last 8 games when playing San Jose
Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 game

[StarDust Bum]

Preview: Sharks (46-30) at Penguins (48-26)
Date: June 09, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- The Stanley Cup was cradled by Sidney Crosby before 350,000 parade onlookers, dunked in Mario Lemieux's swimming pool, carried on a slippery ride across a baseball outfield by Bryan Trottier.

The one adventure that has never happened to the shiny silver cup in Pittsburgh is being lifted at center ice after a championship-clinching victory.

In fact, of the 11 major sports championships won by Pittsburgh teams since the Pirates claimed the 1960 World Series at Forbes Field -- six Super Bowls, three Stanley Cups, two other World Series -- not one was won on home turf or home ice.

But the Penguins, improbably, can win their fourth Stanley Cup in a quarter-century on Thursday night if they can close out the San Jose Sharks, who trail 3-1 in a finals in which Pittsburgh has never fallen behind in regulation.

And, even better for fans who are paying $1,000 for standing room tickets for Game 5 at Consol Energy Center, the Penguins have a chance to claim the Cup in Pittsburgh.

"We can feel like there's something big coming up here," Penguins forward Carl Hagelin said Wednesday. "Guys are ready to play. We've won games all year, and that's the plan (Thursday)."

Every game of the finals but one has been decided by one goal, yet the Penguins have had a clear advantage in shots, speed, scoring chances and, most visibly, momentum.

Now they have a clear path to the NHL championship -- the second of the Sidney Crosby-Evgeni Malkin era -- but it's one that is also fraught with danger. Lose Game 5 at home and the Penguins must trek back to the West Coast for a Game 6 on Sunday they most certainly don't want to play.

"It's been close, the line is so thin out there -- both teams are playing at a high level," Penguins center Matt Cullen said. "We've been able to get the big goal when we needed it.

"(But) the trick is nothing's been done yet. We've got a long ways to go. We haven't done anything yet, other than give ourselves a good opportunity."

Sharks coach Peter DeBoer, whose team lost Game 2 in Pittsburgh, knows that if San Jose can take Game 5 there, spoil the Penguins' party and make them go all the way back to the West Coast again, the series will take on a much different feel. Even if only one of the 32 teams that trailed 3-1 in the finals came back to win the cup -- and that took place 74 years ago.

"I think it's closer than it feels," said DeBoer, whose team had the NHL's best regular-season road record. "We've got to give ourselves an opportunity that if they stumble, we're going to jump on it."

Sharks forward Joel Ward doesn't think the assuredly frantic atmosphere at Consol will be a major disadvantage -- even if Pittsburghers have been waiting to celebrate another title at home since Bill Mazeroski's home run cleared the left-center field wall for the Pirates on Oct. 13, 1960.

"We're not worried about the hoopla, what they've got going on," Ward said. "It's just a matter of we've got to go out and execute. We've been playing with desperation all year."

To try to maintain steadiness and not create a sense of panic, DeBoer plans to keep his lines the same as in Game 4, which Pittsburgh won 3-1 on Monday night in San Jose. That means Melker Karlsson will skate on the top line with Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton, with Tomas Hertl (lower body injury) still expected to be out.

Asked about Hertl's status, DeBoer said, "It's day to day" -- then reacting to media reports that Hertl is done for the playoffs, he said condescendingly, "In Czech, that means out for the season."

"They've (his players) been where Pittsburgh is sitting right now (in earlier rounds), saw how quickly that can turn if you lose a game or the momentum swings the other way," DeBoer said. "It can happen to anybody."

The Penguins aren't talking as if they plan on it happening to them.

"I'm not going to talk about what they're going to have," Hagelin said. "We're going to have a great desperation level."


SERIES AT A GLANCE

GAME 1
Sharks at Penguins
Mon, May 30 Final 2 to 3
Recaps

GAME 2
Sharks at Penguins
Wed, Jun 1 Final 1 to 2
Recaps

GAME 3
Penguins at Sharks
Sat, Jun 4 Final 2 to 3
Recaps

GAME 4
Penguins at Sharks
Mon, Jun 6 Final 3 to 1
Recaps

GAME 5
Sharks at Penguins
Thu, Jun 9 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 6
Penguins at Sharks
Sun, Jun 12 - 8:00PM EDT

GAME 7
Sharks at Penguins
Wed, Jun 15 - 8:00PM EDT

[StarDust Bum]

Pens look to close out Sharks in Game 5
June 8, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) Phil Kessel insists nothing has changed. Not his game. Not his attitude. Not the shape of his body or his commitment to winning.

Press all you want. Monkey with the wording of the questions. It doesn't matter. The Pittsburgh Penguins forward, hardened by years of taking the brunt of the criticism for an underachieving franchise in Toronto, refuses to buy into the narrative that he has somehow evolved while leading the Penguins to the cusp of winning the Stanley Cup.

''I just kind of play the same way I have for my whole career,'' Kessel said Wednesday.

It's everything else that's different. The coach. The talent surrounding him. The pressure that's no longer his to bear alone. Oh yeah, and the stakes are different, too. When Kessel's No. 81 appears on the ice at Consol Energy Center on Thursday night to face the San Jose Sharks in Game 5 of the final, he'll try his best to soak in - but not get lost in - a moment he was never quite sure would come during those challenging seasons with the Maple Leafs.

''It's a big change from where I was at before,'' Kessel said. ''Obviously it's pretty special.''

Kessel has certainly done his part. He has 10 goals and 11 assists over the last seven weeks, including setting up a pair of scores in Pittsburgh's 3-1 win in Game 4 that gave the Penguins a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and provided the franchise an opportunity to win the Cup at home for the first time. The player who spent more than half a decade as a pariah in Toronto, usually for things far beyond his control, is a leading contender to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff's most valuable player.

''We're not here if it's not for him,'' Penguins reserve goaltender Jeff Zatkoff said. ''He's (risen) to the occasion. It's just something you've grown to expect from him now. These types of games, you know he's going to deliver.''

And Zatkoff isn't just talking about that wicked wrist shot like the one that tied the score in Game 5 of the opening round against the New York Rangers, the goal that steadied the Penguins on their way to a closeout win. There's the passing like the tape-to-tape laser from his spot in the right circle to Evgeni Malkin's stick at the side of the net in the second period of Game 4 on Monday night that gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. There's the conscientious backchecking and his interest level at both ends of the ice.

''I see a guy that's working his butt off,'' said ESPN analyst Barry Melrose. ''He's competing a lot harder away from the puck than he ever has before.''

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan calls it ''playing the right way,'' something he challenged Kessel and his high-profile teammates to do since taking over in mid-December.

''We've asked him to improve in certain areas of his game away from the puck, in the battle areas, and he's embraced our message,'' Sullivan said.

Much in the same way the dressing room - one where he can be just one of the guys - embraced him after Pittsburgh acquired the three-time All-Star from the Maple Leafs last July. Kessel is only too happy to quietly look for the exit whenever the media descends on Sidney Crosby's nearby stall. He'd much prefer to let his play do the talking, something he can do here that he never could for the Maple Leafs.

''I mean for some reason lots of people don't like Phil Kessel,'' Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said. ''He was only the best player Toronto had for (six) years, year in and year out and he got the blame for everything, which was terribly unfair.''

While Kessel is quick to brush off his chances of capturing the Conn Smythe, the Sharks would prefer to table the discussion for at least a few more days, if not entirely. No team has rallied from a 3-1 deficit to raise the Cup since the Maple Leafs did it in 1942. Yet San Jose is well aware that no lead is insurmountable. The Sharks were up 3-0 in the first round against Los Angeles two years ago only to drop four straight, a collapse it took a full season to get over.

''I think it's closer than it feels and we've got to give ourselves an opportunity that if they stumble, we're going to jump on it,'' San Jose coach Peter DeBoer said.

Something the Sharks have been unable to do through four games. They have yet to lead at any point during regulation, their only victory a comeback 3-2 triumph in overtime in Game 3. They insist they're a different team when playing from ahead, even if they're decidedly out of practice against a Penguins team that has led for an astonishing 435:46 of game time.

''Let's just go win a game,'' San Jose forward Logan Couture said. ''Let's just win three periods.''

The Sharks' only stretch of extended dominance came in the second period of the Game 1. Pittsburgh's edge hasn't been significant, but it's been enough. Yet the Penguins stress they're not quite there, that the midseason renaissance that coincided with Sullivan's arrival on Dec. 15 is not complete.

No Pittsburgh franchise has captured a championship within the city limits since Bill Mazeroski's walkoff home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. Kessel and the rest of the guys in black-and-gold are not getting ahead of themselves even as tickets prices on the secondary market soared into the thousands while police are girding for what's sure to be a rowdy celebration.

''I'm just going out there playing, trying my best,'' Kessel said. ''We still have a long way to go here. We need this one.''

[StarDust Bum]

Pens' Sullivan pushing the right buttons
June 7, 2016

PITTSBURGH (AP) There is no magic button, even if the correlation between Mike Sullivan's deft attempts to a get player's attention and that player almost immediately elevating his game is unmistakable.

The Pittsburgh Penguins coach insists he's just doing his job, one that has brought the underachieving team to within three periods of a Stanley Cup that seems as inevitable now as it seemed unlikely when he took over in mid-December.

Pittsburgh headed home Tuesday with a firm 3-1 lead over the San Jose Sharks in the tightly contested but ultimately one-sided best-of-seven after Evgeni Malkin picked up a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory on Monday night. Malkin's performance came barely 36 hours after Sullivan praised the star center for his hard work while adding the team needed even more from him if the Penguins wanted to close out the franchise's fourth title.

And just like that, it happened.

There was Malkin getting the secondary assist on Ian Cole's opening goal. There was Malkin redirecting Phil Kessel's pass from the circle into the net for a 2-0 advantage. There was Malkin skating with purpose, breaking up passes on one end of the ice and looking for his shot at the other. His first goal of the Cup final came when he darted for the far post on the power play and found himself all alone when Kessel threaded it to him.

''It's not like great goal, but it's just go to net, you know, and stay close to net and try play around net,'' Malkin said. ''When I have puck, I'm try shoot. It's simple game tonight for me.''

A vintage one too. Ditto Sullivan, whose knack for drawing the best out of his players during Pittsburgh's thrillingly arduous playoff run is becoming so frequent it's tempting to ask him for lottery numbers.

He noticed rookie Conor Sheary looking fatigued during the Eastern Conference finals against Tampa Bay and sat him for Game 5. Sheary, rested and still confident after a brief talk with Sullivan, returned to his pest-like self and has scored twice during the Cup final, including the overtime winner in Game 2.

Sullivan pulled struggling defenseman Olli Maatta in the second round against Washington yet stressed to the 21-year-old Maatta he would eventually get another chance, one that arrived when Trevor Daley went down with an ankle injury. All Maatta has done since his return is become the best Pittsburgh defenseman not named Kris Letang.

A sluggish night by rookie goaltender Matt Murray in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals led to Sullivan's most risky decision. He awarded the Game 5 start to veteran Marc-Andre Fleury, a move he made after taking 10 minutes to explain the reasoning behind it to Murray. It made all the difference. When Fleury slipped late in an overtime loss, Sullivan went right back to Murray. The 22-year-old is 5-1 since returning to the lineup.

''Every player goes through their ups and downs, times when they're at the top of their game, and times where it can be a bit of a challenge,'' Sullivan said. ''I think that's just human nature. Our players are no different. It never changes our opinions of these guys or how we feel about them. It's our responsibility as their coaching staff to try to help them through the process.''

A responsibility that Sullivan takes seriously. The hyper-competitive forward who spent 11 seasons grinding out a career developed an appreciation for coaches who didn't mince words. He places a premium on transparency. There is very little guessing about what's on his mind, mostly because he doesn't hesitate to say what needs to be said and if you don't like the tone, well, that's on you though Sullivan makes it a point to never make it personal.

''When he needs to he can call you out and tell you that he wants more from you,'' Murray said.

And no one is immune, regardless of status. When Malkin failed to register anything on the scoresheet through the first three games of the Cup final, Sullivan decided it was time to speak up.

''He's been a big part of this playoff success,'' Sullivan said. ''But certainly I know that there's another level that he has to help us win.''

The comments came only after Sullivan spoke to Malkin, the new father - his daughter Nikita was born last Tuesday - well aware of his own inability to transfer his power and creativity into points. Given an opportunity to lift Pittsburgh to the cusp of a title, Malkin looked like the force of nature who bulled his way to the Conn Smythe Trophy the last time the Penguins won it all in 2009.

''When he turns it on, obviously what he can do for us is huge for our team,'' Cole said.

Then again, in Sullivan's mind that makes Malkin no different than any of the other 20 guys in black-and-gold. He tries to work phrases like ''play the right way'' and ''our group'' in to nearly every answer. His team's rise over the last six months is a collective effort, not a star-driven one.

''I've told these guys from day one that we believe in this group,'' Sullivan said. ''We believe in our players, and we know when the stakes are high, they're going to be at their best.''

No magic button required.

[StarDust Bum]

Sharks face daunting task down 3-1
June 7, 2016

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The task facing the San Jose Sharks is daunting: No team in nearly three quarters of a century has rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the Stanley Cup Final.

Before the Sharks can start figuring out how to accomplish that ultimate goal, they will need to take much smaller steps, starting with just getting a lead at any point in a game.

Through four games, the Sharks have yet to play with the lead. They allowed the first goal all four times and got their only win in Game 3 in an overtime game they never led until Joonas Donskoi's game-winner.

''We've got to find a way to stick one of those in early and put them in the spot where they're chasing the game a little bit, which we haven't done yet,'' coach Peter DeBoer said Tuesday.

Doing that would be a good start to what would be an improbable comeback if the Sharks could pull it off. Of the 32 team that have fallen behind 3-1 in the Stanley Cup Final since it became a best-of-seven series in 1939, 31 have ultimately lost the series. The only winner in that span came in 1942, when Toronto actually rallied from 3-0 down to beat Detroit.

DeBoer has been in a tough spot in the final before. In 2012 with New Jersey, his team lost the first three games to Los Angeles before rallying for two wins and ultimately losing in six games.

''Everyone was writing us off,'' he said. ''We took the approach of, `Why not us?' I don't care what the record book says, that only one or two teams have come back from this situation, whatever those numbers are. Why can't we be the first team to do it? It starts with one game. I think that's the approach we're going to take.''

The formula that got San Jose to its first Cup final has been missing. The Sharks jumped on teams early for most of the first three rounds and then wore them down with their forechecking and cycle game. The power play was potent, providing timely goals throughout and the Sharks managed to knock off Los Angeles, Nashville and St. Louis on the way to the final.

But little has worked against the Penguins, who have used their decided edge in speed to control play for most of the four games, often keeping the Sharks hemmed in their own zone.

Pittsburgh has shut down San Jose's top guns. Joe Pavelski, who leads the NHL with 13 playoff goals, has no points through four games. Brent Burns had two assists in Game 1 and hasn't recorded a point since. Logan Couture, who leads the NHL with 26 points this postseason, has just two against the Penguins.

''I thought every game we've created a little bit more chances to score,'' DeBoer said. ''I think our big guys have gotten more shots off and more looks as the series has gone on. We're doing some good stuff. But you can't change the fact that we've played behind the entire series. That's something that we have to get fixed.''

San Jose has trailed for 121:44 of the series, about 25 minutes less than they trailed over 18 games in the first round when the Sharks scored first in 13 games and forced the opponent to chase the game.

The Penguins haven't played from behind in what seems like ages. They have gone 435:46 of game time without playing with a deficit since losing Game 4 to Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference final. Pittsburgh's only two losses since came in overtime games where they didn't trail until the final goal.

''We're doing our best to score first and get a lead. It hasn't happened yet,'' Couture said. ''I don't know how it would change their game. I imagine they would keep playing the same way. When we have the lead, we play good defense and keep it simple.''

NOTES: F Tomas Hertl remains day to day with a lower-body injury. ... DeBoer said he did not plan to shake up his lines for a spark to start Game 5 on Thursday.

[StarDust Bum]

NHL MONEYLINE

NHL > (59) SAN JOSE@ (60) PITTSBURGH | 2016-06-09 20:05:00 - 2016-06-09 20:05:00
Play AGAINST SAN JOSE using money line in All games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 2 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-15.4 units)

NHL > (59) SAN JOSE@ (60) PITTSBURGH | 2016-06-09 20:05:00 - 2016-06-09 20:05:00
Play ON SAN JOSE using money line in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+11.9 units)

---------------

NHL PUCKLINE

NHL > (59) SAN JOSE@ (60) PITTSBURGH | 2016-06-09 20:05:00 - 2016-06-09 20:05:00
Play AGAINST SAN JOSE in All games after 3 or more consecutive unders
The record is 2 Wins and 11 Losses for the last two seasons (-15.4 units)

NHL > (59) SAN JOSE@ (60) PITTSBURGH | 2016-06-09 20:05:00 - 2016-06-09 20:05:00
Play ON SAN JOSE in Road games when playing against a team with a winning record
The record is 15 Wins and 5 Losses for the this season (+11.9 units)