San Jose Sharks vs Pittsburgh Penguins

San Jose Sharks coach Pierre de Boer

We are couple of hours into the Game 3 on home ice of San Jose Sharks who play their first NHL finale in their NHL franchise's history. They are just celebrating 25 years, nice birthday and long journey from Cow Palace to SAP ,Palace' Center. There was a press meeting with the Sharks coach Pierre de Boer etc. I just remind you that the game starts at 8pm in San Jose and Pittsburgh Penguins have 2:0 lead. Those two games are played on home ice rink of the Sharks in California, than each game on rival's ice and the winner needs to secure four winning games, so max is 7 games. It is just a beginning of the journey to Stanley Cup. Two winners from each conference meet for NHL finals, Pittsburgh Penguins won the cup donated by Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor.

Pierre de Boer

Pittsburgh Penguin's coach Sullivan remembers Cow Palace as ice arena for The Sharks and the beginning in 1991. I just highlight some important points. There is injured Hertl for the home team, there is a trash talk by Couture who claims now that any player cheats on face offs, not just Crosby. Also Jumbo Joe aka Joe Thorton. It is maybe for linesmen to looking after Crosby who has amazing stats on face offs, he won 245 from 465 face offs this regular reason. The coaches spoke about penalties and penalty kill and power. It is visible from the previous games how well behaved the teams are, compared to typical fights on the ice. I will speak about that on the radio. 

Penguins said they need to stay away from penalty box because the Sharks are able to use any chance to score the goal. They just draw five penalties and their PP success rate is 26,7%. Back to Crosby and Thorton who tried to mess up with Jonathan Toews years back, there was trash talk and provocation on the captain of the Penguins by Jumbo Joe but Sid the Kid is not a crybaby anymore and he skated away, so no fight. Anyway Crosby is usually protected as the star player and scoring machine of the team but he has very strong legs to keep balance on the ice and fights well. The most famous and funny fights to see SidneyCrosby being involved in are dances on the ice with Canadian fellow from hated rival team of Philadelphia Flyers, with captain Claude Giroux.

Three names of Pittsburgh Penguins to remember

It is nice to meet and greet a trio of talented young guns of Pittsburgh Penguins (about their rivals San Jose Sharks tomorrow) who make their names in NHL play offs. Forget Crosby, Malkin and Kunitz.

Numero uno almost all season between pipes of the Pens is young Murray. He is a staple on the roster, who made Fleury to be the second behind him, ironing the bench as a spare. The young fixture of the net does not fly like the bat but he is almost seen cold and icy like the ice rink. The boy who comes from the marriage between Scottish father - yes, that Murray, like the tennis star, but his composed version, and Dutch mother is seen as next big star. Certainly the Pens rely on him.

The biggest media star of the Pens locker room? With speech impendent and horrible scary huge beard? Once outsider who hoped for the NHL career, Bryan Rust. He plays starring role this season, so different from his years in minor leagues where he was picked up by the coach and joined Penguins this season. He played Game 2 against the Sharks despite the hit on his head, by Patrick Marleau. Rust scored to help Pittsburgh win Game 1, his sixth goal of the postseason after scoring five times in 55 games of his career in the regular season. Who is the other Penguin player mentioned on his Twitter? Yes, the man who scored OT goal in Game 2 - Sheary.

Conor Sheary is little big man, just a sandwich + 1,7m but he was very visible with his OT goal in Game 2. We will hear about him in next games because he is very mobile. If you want to have fun, listen to Punjabi broadcast of his action which silenced the Sharks. The funny broadcast was made for Indian community of hockey fans in Canada. You know what's number 1 sport in Canada? Ice hockey, correct. I am happy I am not on TV unless the Sharks progress into game 6. Have a nice weekend. Bonimo, Bonimoooooo!!!

Sofie Vergara and OT goal drama for Pittsburgh Penguins

The sexy actress Sofie Vergara cheered with her husband on their hometown team Pittsburgh Penguins but the Pens have more reasons to celebrate after they secured two wins on the home ice before packing huge bags to western front line facing San Jose Sharks rivals - I will be here, we just landed. Tune the radio.

The overtime goal also caught the attention of Punjabi speaker who made the ice hockey coverage like great fun, but the OT caused more drama and some comments about Crosby's face off cheatings by Sean Couture. The Pens won over the Sharks 2-1 and the over time goal by Conor Sheary was seen as controversial. It was not, but it caused sensation and Sidney Crosby plays a chess master strategist's card how he told to Sheary to move to the boards and wait. In reality as we are not a part of any computer simulation and other crap he just  won the draw and Letang fed Sheary ike Pikachu and  Sheary clearly did not lost his gun powder and scored. [I am sure within 100 years with all advanced technology there will be no huge gap between VR and real ;reality' but give me break now as couple of crazies think if Crosby looks on their direction with 300 people in their section he glazed on the puckbunny and communicate with her:, there is a lot of crazies sitting all day long on fat bum doing anything than playing games and thinking they are a part of them, killing is easy etc, yes, I know, I make nice income from game industry, apps and all that VR, but I know pros and cons]. 

Full stop, great drill or just nice action. Sheary was just there at the right time at the right place, got the pass from Letang and converted this chance into the winning OT goal, with the puck ending in the net. Simple, but clever. The story about Crosby as a master of strategy is ridiculous as well as claims by Couture who lost 3 face offs from whole 4 against Sidney Crosby, that the Penguin captain is a cheater. They are both cheaters regarding their private life, Couture's social media convos with the girls are famous like Crosby himself, but you cannot fake a face offs. He just won them, the stats speak clearly, he won 3 from 4, well, he could won 4 from 4, which is worse  for Logan Couture. I am sure Kathy Leutner loves couture, do not worry, Logan:]] Sidney Crosby downplaying called play: "I call 25 face off (plays) a night so I got 24 wrong." He is known moaner and a diver, I just wear my softshell skirt by Maje, you know that material, great for diving, just in case, you know divers Sid the Kid and the Sharks:]] 

NHL Finals - Pittsburgh Penguins vs San Jose Sharks

Two surprised of Western and Eastern Conference, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightnings were eliminated by stronger teams who will cross their ice hockey sticks in Pittsburgh tomorrow. The Penguins reached the finals after seven years, they clutched their last Stanley Cup in 2009. Sidney Crosby is a part of that history and also Penguins have better stats facing the Sharks on home ice - (48-26-8) compared to home advantage by the Sharks (46-30-6). However each team is able to steal a victory on each other rival's ice - the Penguins knocked the teeth of the Sharks  with a 5-1 victory  on Dec. 1., the Sharks sent the Penguins packing back to their South Pole locker room with 3-1 in Pittsburgh on Nov. 21 last year.

I just add a note that it is the first San Jose Sharks appearance in NHL finals, under the conduct of a captain Joe Pavelski and the coach Peter de Boer. I cover San Jose Sharks part of the leg of this final journey, happy to see how former HC Slavia Prague's player Hertl is doing.