Five reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins captured the Stanley Cup (Video) The Pittsburgh Penguins are Stanley Cup champions, topping the San Jose Sharks in six games in a series that was closer on paper than it was in reality.  How did the Penguins pull it off? How did they go from stumbling mess at midseason to playoff juggernaut? Here are five reasons the Penguins are your 2016 Stanley Cup … [Read more...]

Ducks expected to hire Randy Carlyle on Tuesday, seriously: Report According to a tweet from Darren Dreger, the Anaheim Ducks are expected to announce the hiring (or rehiring?) of Randy Carlyle as head coach on Tuesday. When we first heard these rumors everyone kind of laughed them off, right? Conventional wisdom in life is that you don't go back with your ex because there was a probably a … [Read more...]

What We Learned: Why Phil Kessel deserved the Conn Smythe Since the Penguins went up 3-1 in the series, the world's hockey conversation shifted in a lot of ways to which player should win the Conn Smythe. That was more than a little bit of chicken-counting on the part of people whose eggs had not yet hatched, since the Sharks won Game 5 in Pittsburgh and delayed the party until last night. … [Read more...]

Pittsburgh Penguins favored to win 2017 Stanley Cup Can the Pittsburgh Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups?  Gambling odds-maker Bovada believes the Penguins are the favorite to win it all next year, one day after Pittsburgh captured their fourth Cup in franchise history. It lists the Penguins as 8/1 to win next year’s Cup, with the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals tied at 10/1 … [Read more...]

Matt Murray goes from AHL starter to Stanley Cup champion SAN JOSE, Calif. – Matt Murray peeked at the clock several times throughout the third period of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. He wasn’t looking upward in hopes that time would fly; his mind was still in game mode, and with the Pittsburgh Penguins clinging to a 2-1 lead over the San Jose Sharks, this was no time to get ahead of … [Read more...]

Phil Kessel, Stanley Cup champion SAN JOSE, Calif. – Phil Kessel turned to the Pittsburgh Penguins fans amassed near the glass at SAP Center in San Jose, the ones that had just watched him skate the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career after the Penguins’ Game 6 victory over the Sharks.  “Yeah, it was way heavier than I thought it was going to be,” said Kessel, laughing. They chanted … [Read more...]

Pascal Dupuis gets Stanley Cup ending to NHL career SAN JOSE, Calif. – Within the giant mass of celebrating Pittsburgh Penguins stood Pascal Dupuis. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t played an NHL game since Dec. 6. It didn’t matter that his hockey career was over. In his mind, he still thought of himself as a player. So it was no surprise to see Dupuis hugging his teammates following another … [Read more...]

Maple Leafs goalie speaks out on guns after Orlando shooting Garret Sparks broke through in the NHL this season for the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing 17 games and becoming the first goalie in franchise history to post a shutout victory in his debut. But before he was a Leaf, Sparks was a Solar Bear, playing two seasons with the ECHL’s franchise in Orlando, Fla. It was his home. So when news … [Read more...]

Lake Erie Monsters win AHL's Calder Cup on dramatic OT goal (Video) While the Columbus Blue Jackets’ season didn’t go as planned, their AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, made the organization proud on Saturday night by winning the Calder Cup over the Hershey Bears. Oliver Bjorkstrand, who was named playoff MVP after scoring 10 goals and 16 points in 17 games, was the hero when he broke … [Read more...]

Penguins vow to keep it simple to beat Martin Jones, Sharks SAN JOSE, Calif. – Matt Cullen remembers the feeling. It was 2006, as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. They had a 3-1 lead against the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final, and a chance to close out the series in five games on home ice. The Oilers beat them in Game 5, in overtime. Then they beat them in Game 6, before … [Read more...]