Stanley Cup Betting Preview: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks Game 6 Odds

Just when bettors counted out the San Jose Sharks, they bit the Pittsburgh Penguins with their best effort of the Stanley Cup Final, winning Game 5 on the road, 4-2, in an upset to stave off elimination.

The Sharks return home to the SAP Center for Game 6 on Sunday, and they are listed as -120 home betting favorites (bet $120 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark to force a Game 7 next Wednesday.

For the first time in the series, San Jose jumped out to an early lead against Pittsburgh, scoring the first two goals of Game 5 on Thursday. Logan Couture assisted on the first one scored by All-Star defenseman Brent Burns a little more than a minute into the game and then tallied one himself less than two minutes later to set the tone.

Couture later assisted on the third goal by the Sharks at the 14:47 mark of the first period after the Penguins fought back with scores by Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin.

But the real reason San Jose will be playing a Game 6 is goaltender Martin Jones, who turned away 44 of Pittsburgh's 46 shots to outplay rookie counterpart Matt Murray yet again.

Jones has been brilliant throughout the Stanley Cup Final, facing 60 more shots than Murray following a difference of 25 in Game 5 alone. Murray surrendered three goals on 21 shots, with the Sharks scoring their fourth and final one into an empty net.

The over cashed for the first time in the series for over bettors and for just the second time in nine meetings overall when San Jose’s Joe Pavelski found the back of the net with less than two minutes remaining.

The Pens had seen the under go 5-0 in their previous five games, and they will now try to win the Stanley Cup on the road, where they have found success in winning each of their past three NHL championships.

The Sharks split Games 3 and 4 with Pittsburgh at home, and they have not dropped two there in any series this postseason. According to the Odds Shark NHL Database, the last time San Jose lost consecutive home games came more than two months ago on April 7 when the Winnipeg Jets pulled off a 5-4 win as +180 underdogs.