Tag Archives: Stanleycup2016

Some people complain that the IIHF World Championships are played in May, which is incomprehensible because it hardly requires snow and ice out there to enjoy some good hockey. We who are following the finals of the Stanley Cup are accustomed to a hockey season that continues well into June! This year the final series was played between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks. Penguins have had a hard time repeating their success from 2009 and the San Jose Sharks have had some good performances in the group stage but struggling in the playoffs.

Pittsburg Penguins won the 2016 Stanley Cup

As usual the finals were decided in a series of seven games. Penguins took the command right away, winning two consecutive games (game 1: 3-2, game 2: 2-1 OT). Now, many people thought that San Jose would have a hard time matching the Penguins in this series. However, The Sharks managed to bounce back and won game three in overtime (3-2). This was necessary in order to keep the series alive, and suddenly it was ”only” 2-1 in matches. Pittsburgh continued to play their game though and extended the lead to 3-1 in game four (3-1). Again, San Jose reduced the series (4-2), but in the end Pittsburgh decided the finals through a 3-1 victory in game 6. Patric Hörnqvist put the last puck in the empty net. In addition to Hörnqvist another Swede, Carl Hagelin also became a Stanley Cup champion in 2016. Captain Sidney Crosby again got to raise the trophy, just like in 2009. In San Jose, it was less happy faces when players like Joe Thornton and Brent Burns, despite huge playoff beards, did not last all the way this year. They managed to advance all the way to the final and managed to defeat their playoff ghost in the form of the Los Angeles Kings though.

Now we look forward to the silly season before it’s time to drop the puck at the World Cup of Hockey 2016!

Somliga klagar på att hockey-VM avgörs i maj, vilket är oförståeligt då det knappast krävs snö och is ute för att avnjuta bra ishockey. Vi som följer slutspelet i Stanley Cup är vana vid att säsongen fortsätter en bra bit in i juni! I år avgjordes finalserien mellan Pittsburgh Penguins och San Jose Sharks. Penguins har haft en lång baksmälla sedan succén 2009 och San Jose Sharks i sin tur har följt upp fina grundspel med usla slutspel.

Pittsburg Penguins vann med 4-2 i matcher

Som vanligt var det bäst av sju matcher som gällde i finalen. Penguins tog kommandot direkt med 2-0 i matcher (match 1: 3-2, match 2: 2-1 efter övertid). Då trodde många att San Jose skulle få svårt att hävda sig i den här serien. Hajarna lyckades dock studsa tillbaka och tog hem match tre på övertid (3-2). Nödvändigt för att hålla serien vid liv, och plötsligt stod det ”bara” 2-1 i matcher. Pittsburgh fortsatte dock att trampa på och utökade ledningen till 3-1 i matcher i match fyra (3-1). Åter igen reducerade San Jose (4-2), men till slut kunde Pittsburgh avgöra via seger 3-1 i match 6. Patric Hörnqvist satte sista pucken i tom kasse. Utöver Hörnqvist fick vi även ytterligare en svensk Stanley Cup-mästare i Carl Hagelin. Segern betydde att kapten Sidney Crosby åter igen fick lyfta Stanley Cup-bucklan som kapten, precis som 2009. Det har dock varit en lång väntan för ett Penguins som haft svårt att hitta tillbaka till det spel som gjorde dem så bra i finalserien mot Detroit för sju år sedan. I San Jose var det mindre glada miner när spelare som Joe Thornton och Brent Burns, trots enorma slutspelsskägg, inte räckte hela vägen i år, trots att de avancerade ända till final och lyckades besegra sitt slutspelsspöke i form av Los Angeles Kings.

Nu ser vi fram emot Silly Season innan det är dags att släppa pucken i World Cup of Hockey 2016!

After some great action in the semifinals, we can now look forward to an exciting final series in the 2016 Stanley Cup. The two teams that are contesting for the cup are Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks. Penguins has won Stanley Cup three times; during the dynasty years 1991 and 1992, and in 2009 when captain Sidney Crosby and his young Russian partner Evgeni Malkin led their team to victory. Sharks was founded in 1991 and has never won a Stanley Cup. During the years they have made excellent performances in the league, but failed to convert that into success in the play offs. Now they have finally reached their first Stanley Cup final!

Road to the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals

Penguins finished second in the Metropolitan division, behind Washington Capitals. They eliminated New York Rangers in the round of 16 (4-1), Washington in the quarterfinals (4-2) and finally, last years finalist Tampa Bay Lighting in the semifinal (4-3). Pittsburgh won the deciding game seven 2-1.

Sharks finished third in the Pacific division, behind Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. In the play offs they eliminated Kings (4-1), Nashville Predators (4-3) and finally St Louis Blues (4-2).

So what we have is one team that have experienced the taste of victory before, against a team full of hungry sharks that wants a bite. Chances are though, that experience will matter in the final series so we put our hard-earned money on Pittsburgh Penguins. However, we hope for a tight and exciting final series in the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals! As we all know, when the puck drops, history will be made.

There are four Swedes playing the final:

Melker Karlsson, center, San Jose Sharks
Carl Hagelin, forward, Pittsburgh Penguins
Patric Hörnqvist, forward, Pittsburg Penguins
Oscar Sundqvist, center, Pittsburgh Penguins

Prior Stanley Cup winners (2000-)

2015 – Chicago Blackhawks
2014 – Los Angeles Kings
2013 – Chicago Blackhawks
2012 – Los Angeles Kings
2011 – Boston Bruins
2010 – Chicago Blackhawks
2009 – Pittsburgh Penguins
2008 – Detroit Red Wings
2007 – Anaheim Ducks
2006 – Carolina Hurricanes
(2005 – Lockout)
2004 – Tampa Bay Lightning
2003 – New Jersey Devils
2002 – Detroit Red Wings
2001 – Colorado Avalanche
2000 – New Jersey Devils