SAN JOSE, California: Pittsburgh moved within one victory of the NHL’s Stanley Cup title by winning 3-1 at San Jose on Monday, with Evgeni Malkin scoring his first goal of the series and goaltender Matt Murray making 23 saves.
The score in the series is the same as the score in Monday’s game, 3-1, and the Penguins can clinch their fourth title when they host Game 5 on Thursday.
Malkin had been held pointless in the first three games of the series, but set up Ian Cole’s goal to open the scoring, and added a goal of his own on the power play to make it 2-0.
“He’s a world class player,” Penguins defenseman Ian Cole said of Malkin. “He’s been going through a rough stretch. He’s been really contributing in other ways than on the scoresheet. But obviously you saw how good he is today. When he turns it on, obviously what he can do is huge for our team.”
Melker Karlsson pulled a goal back for the Sharks, but as they were pushing hard for a tying goal late in the third period, they were caught out by a rapid counter-attack and Eric Fehr sealed victory.
The Sharks conceded the first goal for the fourth straight game and went more than nine minutes without a shot on goal during the second period.
San Jose has yet to lead at any point in the series other than scoring the overtime winner in Game 3.
“We’ve been chasing the game the whole series by not scoring first,” coach Peter DeBoer said. “That takes you out of your four-line rhythm. It affects all parts of your game. ... That’s the biggest thing we have to fix. We have to find a way to get on the board earlier in the game instead of chasing it all night.”
The Sharks will now need to win in Pittsburgh to give another home game to their loyal fans who waited 25 years to watch the Stanley Cup Final in the Bay Area. No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the final since Toronto did it in 1942 against Detroit.
“It’s disappointing to lose in front of the home crowd,” Sharks center Logan Couture said. “You see them leaving and they’re not happy. You feel like you let them down. We hope we’re back here, but we have to worry about the next one first.”
Malkin was energized from the start, helping setting up the first goal when he caught San Jose on a bad line change and sent Phil Kessel in on a rush. Sharks goalie Martin Jones stopped Kessel’s shot, but Cole knocked in the rebound for his first career playoff goal.
Malkin then got his goal when he tapped in a perfect from Kessel for Pittsburgh’s first power-play goal of the series.
“I didn’t change my game a lot,” Malkin said. “I wanted a little bit more to play with the puck.”
Murray wasn’t tested often early and went nearly the first half of the second period without facing a single shot.
“I’m just trying to have fun through all of this,” Murray said. “It’s been an absolute blast so far. I’m going to look to keep that same mindset going forward.”
The Sharks made a strong late push, and it took a sharp save by Murray to rob Logan Couture of a goal when he was left all alone in the slot after a turnover by Kris Letang, late in the second.
Murray then stopped Patrick Marleau on a breakaway and saved a one-timer by Joe Pavelski early in the third before allowing his first goal. Karlsson beat him on a rebound of Brenden Dillon’s point shot with 11:53 to play.
But Murray didn’t flinch and again denied Pavelski, keeping the NHL’s leading goal scorer this postseason without a point in the final.
“He’s just been great,” Crosby said. “You see tonight. They press late. They get one, they keep coming. He gets a big stop on a breakaway, a lot of scrambles there late. He’s just showing a lot of poise now, a lot of maturity.”
Fehr provided the insurance when he beat Jones on an odd-man rush with 2:02 to play.
The score in the series is the same as the score in Monday’s game, 3-1, and the Penguins can clinch their fourth title when they host Game 5 on Thursday.
Malkin had been held pointless in the first three games of the series, but set up Ian Cole’s goal to open the scoring, and added a goal of his own on the power play to make it 2-0.
“He’s a world class player,” Penguins defenseman Ian Cole said of Malkin. “He’s been going through a rough stretch. He’s been really contributing in other ways than on the scoresheet. But obviously you saw how good he is today. When he turns it on, obviously what he can do is huge for our team.”
Melker Karlsson pulled a goal back for the Sharks, but as they were pushing hard for a tying goal late in the third period, they were caught out by a rapid counter-attack and Eric Fehr sealed victory.
The Sharks conceded the first goal for the fourth straight game and went more than nine minutes without a shot on goal during the second period.
San Jose has yet to lead at any point in the series other than scoring the overtime winner in Game 3.
“We’ve been chasing the game the whole series by not scoring first,” coach Peter DeBoer said. “That takes you out of your four-line rhythm. It affects all parts of your game. ... That’s the biggest thing we have to fix. We have to find a way to get on the board earlier in the game instead of chasing it all night.”
The Sharks will now need to win in Pittsburgh to give another home game to their loyal fans who waited 25 years to watch the Stanley Cup Final in the Bay Area. No team has come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the final since Toronto did it in 1942 against Detroit.
“It’s disappointing to lose in front of the home crowd,” Sharks center Logan Couture said. “You see them leaving and they’re not happy. You feel like you let them down. We hope we’re back here, but we have to worry about the next one first.”
Malkin was energized from the start, helping setting up the first goal when he caught San Jose on a bad line change and sent Phil Kessel in on a rush. Sharks goalie Martin Jones stopped Kessel’s shot, but Cole knocked in the rebound for his first career playoff goal.
Malkin then got his goal when he tapped in a perfect from Kessel for Pittsburgh’s first power-play goal of the series.
“I didn’t change my game a lot,” Malkin said. “I wanted a little bit more to play with the puck.”
Murray wasn’t tested often early and went nearly the first half of the second period without facing a single shot.
“I’m just trying to have fun through all of this,” Murray said. “It’s been an absolute blast so far. I’m going to look to keep that same mindset going forward.”
The Sharks made a strong late push, and it took a sharp save by Murray to rob Logan Couture of a goal when he was left all alone in the slot after a turnover by Kris Letang, late in the second.
Murray then stopped Patrick Marleau on a breakaway and saved a one-timer by Joe Pavelski early in the third before allowing his first goal. Karlsson beat him on a rebound of Brenden Dillon’s point shot with 11:53 to play.
But Murray didn’t flinch and again denied Pavelski, keeping the NHL’s leading goal scorer this postseason without a point in the final.
“He’s just been great,” Crosby said. “You see tonight. They press late. They get one, they keep coming. He gets a big stop on a breakaway, a lot of scrambles there late. He’s just showing a lot of poise now, a lot of maturity.”
Fehr provided the insurance when he beat Jones on an odd-man rush with 2:02 to play.
