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Game 2 Recap Penguins vs. Sharks: Conor Sheary wins it in OT!

The Pittsburgh Penguins take a 2 games to 0 lead in the series thanks to an OT goal from Conor Sheary. See the highlights of the big win here!

By Hooks Orpik
Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Stanley Cup Finals Game 2, San Jose Sharks @ Pittsburgh Penguins

The Lineups

Same as game one for the Pens after Bryan Rust is able to answer the bell after getting rocked in Game 1.

San Jose makes a one change, dressing youngster Matt Nieto (back from injury for his first game since May 9) and scratching oldster Dainius Zubrus.

The Highlights

First Period

Pens do fairly well, SJ looks like they've adjusted by increasing the forechecking pressure and trying to finish any and all checks against Pittsburgh defensemen as they can.

No goals in the period.


Second Period

The Pens continue the pressure and get a reward. A puck rolls on the stick of a Shark giving the HBK line another chance. Nick Bonino freezes Martin Jones and out-waits a sprawling Roman Polak . Bonino flicks a centering pass that Polak deflects that Kessel makes sure ends up in the net with a little chip in. 1-0 Pens.

Pittsburgh continues to dominate possession, but that's it for the scoring.

Third Period

Back and forth action, no goals, but Joe Thornton 's starting to get frustrated.

Sadly for him, that's the first noteworthy thing Thornton's done all series.

The bad thing about a lopsided one goal game is it's only a one goal game. San Jose ties it with 4 minutes left, Justin Braun shoots from the point and with traffic in front it finds it's way in past Matt Murray.

Overtime

Early in OT, Sidney Crosby wins a faceoff clean against Joel Ward . Kris Letang double-pumps a shot and lays a pass down for Conor Sheary . Sheary collects the puck then rifles it by Martin Jones and the Pens are up 2-0 just like that, 2:35 into OT.

Some Thoughts

  • Today was the first day of June. There was a high of 87 degrees Tuesday in Pittsburgh, 88 on Wednesday. And it showed with the way the puck was bouncing around. Not too much you can complain about and both teams have to play on the same surface.
  • Sharks got away with a clear too-many-men late in the first with 6 skaters on the ice for an extended time. Win some, you lose some.
  • Speaking of, Tomas Hertl plunked pucks off the posts 3 times in the first 25 minutes of the game. He's easily been the best Sharks forward to pop out of no-where, get the puck and then make a dangerous chance out of thin air.
  • Posts were a big story. Along with Hertl's near-misses, Chris Tierney got one too. So did his fellow Chris, Chris Kunitz. And so did Evgeni Malkin after a deflection. And Kessel in the 3rd period. If football is a game of inches, hockey is a game of fractions of inches.
  • Not sure I've seen a better shot-blocking forward than Nick Bonino . Looks like mainly heart and drive, he'll just push himself back towards the net, clog a shooting lane and absorb a puck. He'd be having a good playoffs even if he wasn't creating all those points, but he's doing that too and adding so much value to the team.
  • The Sharks have been admirably un-hateable to this point but Logan Couture 's dive in the 2nd period, and Thornton chopping at Crosby and yep, they're getting there.
  • I've said it once lately, but it's rung true again so I'll say it again -- what a great game from Ben Lovejoy tonight.
  • Great use of the one and only timeout of the game by Mike Sullivan in OT. The HBK line was gassed and Letang was on the ice for most of the OT at that point, with an irregular partner in Ian Cole . They needed a breather, even if it let SJ get their top line on the ice, and they weathered the storm.
  • Sheary told Pierre on NBC that Crosby told him to lineup on the left-wall, roll off it and look for the set play. It worked to perfection, great shot by Sheary and great plays by Sid and Letang to run their parts to perfection.
  • Pens improve to 4-1 this playoff in OT.

14 down, 2 to go. Kenny Powers, your thoughts on the Sheary goal?

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