Stanley Cup Final Schedule 2016: Game 1 TV Info, Sharks vs. Penguins Predictions

The puck drops Monday for Game 1 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final between the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center.

NBC will have the coverage at 8 p.m. ET from Pittsburgh as the Penguins embark on their quest for a fourth championship. The Sharks are hoping to seize Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time in their Final debut.

Below is a preview of what to expect in the Stanley Cup Final opener, which should kick off a captivating series with no shortage of offensive fireworks.

2016 Stanley Cup Final Game 1 Preview, Predictions

As previously mentioned, these two clubs know how to light the lamp. It comes as little surprise they advanced to the Final, considering the Sharks and Penguins rank first and second with 3.32 and 3.16 goals per 60 minutes, respectively, in the 2016 playoffs.

Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times highlighted the adversity both teams weathered just to get to this point—and to peak and play at such a high level:

In terms of which side is more explosive on paper, though, Pittsburgh has to get the nod. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are among the world's most dynamic playmakers and have the shared experience of winning a championship in 2009, which gives the Penguins a big edge.

But Pittsburgh's points leader this postseason has been Phil Kessel, whose nine goals and nine assists have been instrumental to the Penguins' run. He also has fellow stars who have been this deep in the postseason before to lean on as he prepares for his maiden Stanley Cup contest.

"He's been really good. Just really consistent," said Crosby of Kessel, per NHL.com's Michelle Crechiolo. "With his shot, especially with the way the playoffs are, everything's so tight and there’s not a lot of time and space. It works out pretty good for him with the release that he has and how dangerous it is. I think he's been really solid all playoffs."

The Sharks may not boast the speed or elite-level firepower of Pittsburgh, but they have a ton of size and play a punishing, physical style. With two exceptional defensemen in Justin Braun and Marc-Edouard Vlasic as headliners, they have the goods to keep the Penguins forwards in check.

San Jose can control the puck as well as any team in the NHL, which should offset Pittsburgh's advantage in quickness to a degree.

"If you control the puck, it's harder to create speed," said Sharks coach Pete DeBoer on Sunday, per ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.

That knack for retaining possession plays into San Jose's favor on the power play. The Sharks have converted on 27 percent of those opportunities in the playoffs after finishing third in the league on the power play at 22.5 percent in the regular season.

It may take a full game for San Jose to adjust to Pittsburgh's pace, however. While the Sharks do have the goods to win this series, their outlook for Game 2 figures to be more promising, with the Penguins being under pressure to win and maintain home-ice advantage.

With the likes of Joe Thornton and many other San Jose stars dealing with the Stanley Cup stage for the first time, especially on the road, look for the Penguins to get off to a hot start and hang on down the stretch for a victory Monday.

Game 1 Score Prediction: Penguins 3, Sharks 2