Stanley Cup Final 2016: Sharks vs. Penguins Game 5 Odds, Props, Predictions

For some, it is the culmination of a year's worth of demanding and draining work. They are the lucky ones. For others, it is about achieving a goal that was set a lifetime ago.

Either way, the tension is palpable, and it creates unrelenting pressure. 

When a team is one game away from winning the Stanley Cup, it is in a unique position. That's where the Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves as they prepare to play the San Jose Sharks in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final at the Consol Energy Center Thursday night.

Head coach Mike Sullivan's team has parlayed a brilliant stretch run in the regular season and an even better one in the postseason to stand one game from championship glory.

For Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin, it will be familiar and wonderful territory. They were part of the 2009 Stanley Cup-winning Penguins who wrested that crown from the Detroit Red Wings. However, Phil Kessel has never been close to the Stanley Cup, and after playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the previous six seasons, he may have felt like he never would be.

The Penguins admit there's tension and pressure. They are not hiding from it. They just have to find a way to overcome it.

Forward Matt Cullen tried to put it into perspective, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby:

"

It's hard to approach this as just another game. A lot goes into it emotionally. A lot goes into it physically and mentally. It's about managing that emotion. But it's not like you can show up in the morning and say, 'It's another game, it's Game 40 here in December' or whatever.' We understand how big this game is, and it's exciting. We've worked our butts off to get here and we've gone through a lot to get here. So, I'm proud of what we've done so far, but we're not there yet.

"

The reason the Penguins are in this position is that they have taken an excellent team like the Sharks and made them look ordinary.

San Jose has not been able to dominate in the offensive zone for long stretches because it has struggled to get the puck out of its own zone, carry it through center ice and set up plays in the attack zone.

That's because the Penguins have excelled at unleashing their forecheck on the Western Conference champions. If San Jose can't find a way to change that, Game 5 appears to be the last of the series and the postseason.

The Penguins are 8-2 in their last 10 home games, so they should be at ease once the action starts. They don't have to think about what is directly in front of them.

They should be comfortable with their opponent, because they have outshot the Sharks 133-98 in the first four games of the series.

The oddsmakers believe the Penguins will end the series in Game 5. They are minus-150 favorites to win the game, while the Sharks are plus-136 underdogs, according to Odds Shark.

Even though this series is just one game away from completion, handicappers can still bet on the overall outcome. The Penguins are minus-1400 (risk $1,400 to win $100) to hoist the Stanley Cup, while those who think the Sharks will overcome their 3-1 deficit and win the series will get a plus-700 return for their money if they are successful and the Western Conference champions win the last three games of the series.

One of the top prop bets offered earlier in the series was selecting which player would be the top goal scorer. Crosby and Kessel were the favorites for that wager, as offered by Oddschecker at 5-1. Joe Pavelski was the highest-rated San Jose player at 7-1.

Prediction

The pressure of the moment will weigh on the Penguins, and they may be quite uncomfortable as the hours go by Thursday.

However, once the puck drops, the Penguins will be in their element and quickly find their comfort zone.

The Sharks will play with desperation and may finally get the opening goal they have been so hungry for, but the Penguins are the quicker and better team. Even if the Sharks get the early lead, the Penguins will roar back and seize control.

This will be a game where Crosby dominates, as he will score two goals and earn the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Penguins come away with a 4-1 victory, and their fans will be delirious.