2016 Stanley Cup Final: Game 2 preview; how to watch on TV and online
The Penguins have a 1-0 series lead over the Sharks
By
Chris Peters
•
2 min read
The Stanley Cup Final is underway with the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins taking a 1-0 series lead over the Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks thanks to a 3-2 win in Game 1.
After a thrilling contest Monday, the stage has been set for a series that should turn out to be wildly entertaining. Here's how you can follow the action for Game 2.
What: Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, San Jose Sharks at Pittsburgh Penguins
When: Wednesday, June 1, 8 p.m. ET
Where to find it on TV: NBC Sports Network in the United States, CBC in Canada
Where to find it online: All of the Stanley Cup Final games will be streamed live through NBC Sports Live Extra in the U.S., and on Rogers GameCentre LIVE in Canada.
Game 2 Preview
The Pittsburgh Penguins carried play in Game 1 in the first and third periods, but the Sharks' performance in the second period shows that they have a shot at keeping up with Pittsburgh. The hard part is going to be sustaining that level of play for 60 minutes, but that's what the Sharks will have to do to prevent themselves from falling into a 2-0 hole.
Pittsburgh's speed was a major factor in Game 1 with all three of their goals coming shortly after rushes up the ice. Their ability to transition from defense to offense in the blink of an eye is what should continue to give San Jose trouble as it did during various stretches of the series opener.
The Sharks, however, have been as good as any team when it comes to making game-to-game adjustments. A lot of those adjustments seem to have less to do with tactics and more to do with execution. When they're at the top of their game, they're remarkably difficult to beat, as shown by their 5-1 record after losses this postseason.
Among the other things to know for Game 2, Pittsburgh could be without forward Bryan Rust, who has scored four goals over his last three games. The rookie was injured on a questionable hit by Patrick Marleau in the third period and is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury. He will be a game-time decision.
The Sharks also could potentially make a lineup adjustment as forward Matt Nieto has been cleared to return. He was capably replaced in the lineup by Dainius Zubrus after getting injured, but Nieto's speed could be a good reason to insert him into the lineup.
