Stanley Cup Final 2016: Penguins vs. Sharks Game 6 TV Schedule, Predictions

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a 3-2 lead in the Stanley Cup Final, and that lead is accompanied by a huge dose of pressure.

Instead of winning the Stanley Cup on home ice in Game 5 Thursday night, the Penguins could not solve San Jose goalie Martin Jones, and they dropped a 4-2 decision.

It was a game that broke the mold in the Stanley Cup Final, because the Penguins had scored the opening goal in each of the previous four games. But this time, the Sharks not only jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a quick goal by Brent Burns at the 1:04 mark, they stretched it to 2-0 shortly thereafter when Logan Couture scored his first goal of the series at the 2:53 mark.

If Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan was starting to wonder what was going on, he didn't have to be concerned for very long. The Penguins tied it up moments later on goals that were credited to Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin.

Game 6 Matchup	Series Standings	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Prediction
Pittsburgh Penguins at San Jose Sharks	Pittsburgh, 3-2	June 12	8 p.m.	NBC, CBC, TVAS	San Jose, 3-2

The Penguins had all the momentum in the world, and they would fire shot after shot at Jones. But the goalie did not crack. He was fortunate that the Penguins rang a few shots off the post, but he did not let another goal in.

Joe Thornton gave Jones full marks for his 44-save performance. "He's been doing this all year," Thornton said to NBCSN after the game (h/t NHL.com). "He's the backbone of our team. We just feel so much confidence just coming out of him. But just a spectacular performance out of him tonight."

Melker Karlsson, who had scored the lone goal for the Sharks in the Game 4 loss at the SAP Center, returned to the slot with slightly more than five minutes to play in the first period and potted the go-ahead goal. He had about 12 inches of space on goalie Matt Murray's left side, and he made no mistake in putting the puck in the back of the net.

Now the Penguins are under far more pressure than they were prior to Game 5. They must take yet another cross-country flight, and they have to confront the Sharks yet again in front of their raucous home fans.

Coach Sullivan knows his team is capable of winning on the road, but what kind of opponent will they find on Sunday night? Last rites had been all but given to the Sharks, and few thought they would find the gumption to win on the road to stay alive.

But that's just what they did, and now they have momentum. If San Jose can once again find a way to score the opening goal, then the Sharks could make it quite difficult on the Penguins.

The Penguins will try to go about their business from this point forward, but they are only human. They will think about what could have been as they prepare for Sunday's game.

If Sullivan can't keep his team on track and get them to concentrate fully on the game at hand, then it will turn into an even tougher assignment.

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

Prediction

The Sharks are breathing easier after a surprising Game 5 win, and they will come home as conquering heroes.

If they are going to tie the series, then they must find a way to outplay and outhit the Penguins; that's what it will take to beat them.

The Sharks can compete hard and take the play to the Penguins, but they can't outskate them. They have been outskated in each of the first five games.

Look for the Sharks to get the early jump on the Penguins, but Pittsburgh is not going to allow this game to turn into a runaway. Instead, the Penguins will get close and make it a one-goal game.

San Jose will build a 3-1 lead, and the Penguins will close to 3-2 late in the third. They won't get that tying goal. The Sharks will hold on and force a seventh game.