WATCH: Patrick Marleau's first career Stanley Cup Final goal was a beauty
After 18 years with the Sharks, Marleau finally gets the big stage
By
Chris Peters
•
1 min read
Patrick Marleau had waited 18 seasons, each of them spent with the San Jose Sharks, to reach his first Stanley Cup Final. As the franchise's all-time leading goal scorer, the 36-year-old veteran wasn't about to waste much time doing what he does best on the biggest stage of his career.
With the Sharks having cut the Penguins' lead to 2-1 earlier in the second period, Marleau found himself in the right place as Brent Burns' shot careened off the boards. The puck deflected right to Marleau's stick at the net-front, but goalie Matt Murray had the near post covered.
That didn't matter much to Marleau, who went behind the net with eyes for the far post. He had the puck on his backhand, reached forward and curled the puck toward the left post. Murray was too slow to get over and as Marleau released the puck, it deflected off Murray's pad and into the net.
He was drafted in 1997.
— #StanleyCup Final (@NHL) May 31, 2016
Now, Patrick Marleau has his first goal in a #StanleyCup Final.https://t.co/R5AjqMCagO
That's a heck of a goal for the first of your career in a Stanley Cup Final. It came with only 1:48 remaining in a second period San Jose flat-out dominated.
It helped flip the game back in its favor after they were similarly rolled in the first period by Pittsburgh.
Between the regular season and playoffs, Marleau had 545 goals in a Sharks uniform coming into Game 1. Perhaps not one of them was as big as that one, especially when you add the style points for a backhand wraparound.
By the way, Burns picked up the primary assist on the goal, giving him 22 points this postseason. That is the most by a defenseman in the playoffs since Brian Leetch had 34 in 1994 for the New York Rangers.
