Penguins vs. Sharks: Preview of Game 6 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final

There will be a sixth game in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

The San Jose Sharks defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2, in Game 5, spoiling the latter's opportunity to win the championship on home ice. 

As the series returns to San Jose, the Penguins still hold a 3-2 series lead over the Sharks. 

In this preview of Game 6, which takes place Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, we'll examine what the Sharks must do to force a seventh game and what the Penguins need to do to close out the series in San Jose and win the Cup. 

You can weigh in with your thoughts on this topic in the comments section below. 

Recap of Game 5

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Thousands of Pittsburgh fans expected to celebrate their Penguins winning their first championship on home ice in Game 5. The Sharks, however, spoiled the party.  

For the first time in this series, the Sharks opened the scoring. Taking advantage of the Penguins' jittery start, San Jose scored twice on three shots less than three minutes into the first period.

Sharks defenseman Brent Burns struck first. He circled from behind the Penguins net to beat goalie Matt Murray high to the short side only one minute, four seconds into the game. His goal was similar to teammate Joonas Donskoi's overtime winner in Game 3. 

Less than two minutes later, Logan Couture tipped in a Justin Braun point shot to give his club a 2-0 lead.  

That advantage, however, didn't last for long. A delay-of-game penalty by Sharks center Dainius Zubrus at 4:21 of the period led to a Penguins power play. Only 23 seconds later, Evgeni Malkin cut the lead to 2-1. 

Penguins fans were still cheering Malkin's goal when Nick Bonino tied it at 5:06, thanks to linemate Carl Hagelin screening Sharks goalie Martin Jones. 

The Penguins came close to taking the lead, with right wing Phil Kessel failing to capitalize on three golden scoring chances. However, the Sharks went up 3-2 as Melker Karlsson swatted in a nice pass from Couture. 

Over the next two periods, the Penguins dominated the play. However, they couldn't beat Jones, who overcame his shaky start with a 44-save performance. Joe Pavelski tallied the insurance marker into an empty net at 18:40 of the third.

Jones Could Steal Another Game

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The Sharks got off to a quick start in Game 5, ending the first period with a 3-2 lead. After that, it was the Jones show.

Throughout this series, Jones kept the Sharks in each game and gave them a chance to win. However, he had yet to play with a lead or have an opportunity to steal a game from the Penguins. Until Game 5. 

Overcoming an unsteady first period, Jones was outstanding through the remaining two periods. He finished with 44 saves on 46 shots and a sparkling .957 save percentage.

While his teammates once again struggled with the Penguins' swift-skating offensive attack, the 26-year-old Sharks goalie thwarted their repeated efforts to score the equalizer. 

Without Jones' incredible effort in Game 5, the Penguins would've awakened Friday morning nursing Stanley Cup championship hangovers. Instead, the Sharks survive to play another day. 

Jones met the challenge of his first "do-or-die" Stanley Cup Final moment. If the Sharks keep struggling against the speedy Penguins, they could look to Jones to do it again in Game 6.  

Maintaining Focus

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The Penguins dominated Game 5 almost everywhere but on the score sheet.

They overcame a poor start to tie the game and maintained their poise when they fell behind 3-2 in the first period. Pittsburgh controlled the play over the next two periods, out-shooting, out-hitting and out-chancing the Sharks. 

However, Jones slammed the door on their comeback attempts with a superb display of clutch goaltending. 

That uncharacteristic poor start was the Penguins' undoing. Facing a historic opportunity to win their first Stanley Cup championship on home ice, they lost their focus, and it cost them.

Murray gave up three bad goals on six shots, including two goals within the game's opening three minutes. He wasn't helped by his teammates' skittish defensive play. 

There's little the Penguins must change in their game plan for Game 6. Expect a more disciplined, focused effort. 

Sharks Can't Rely on Jones Alone

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The Sharks owed their victory largely to the efforts of Jones. If not for him, this series wouldn't be returning to San Jose for a sixth game. 

However, the Sharks lived dangerously throughout Game 5. After falling behind 2-0 early in the first, the Penguins quickly tied the score and came close to taking the lead. 

Even after San Jose went up 3-2, the Penguins dominated the Sharks over the next two periods. Indeed, the case can be made the better team lost Game 5. 

For the Sharks to win Game 6 and force a seventh and deciding game in Pittsburgh, they'll need more than Jones' heroics to see them through.

Several positives emerged from Game 5 that the Sharks can build upon for the next game. They got off to a strong start, took and regained a lead and held it for over two periods. They had a slight edge (51 percent to 49) in the faceoff circle and forced the Penguins into 10 giveaways. 

Defenseman Burns scored his first of the series and was a physical presence at both ends of the ice. Scoring leader Couture also scored and enjoyed his first multipoint game since the Western Conference Final. 

The Sharks, however, still struggled to contain the Penguins speed and depth. Pavelski finally tallied his first goal of the series, but it was an empty-netter late in the third. Joe Thornton collected an assist on Pavelski's goal. Both need to have more of an offensive presence in Game 6.

As a team, the Sharks must find a way to blunt the Penguins' offensive attack. They also need to put up more sustained offensive pressure for longer periods. They simply cannot continue chasing the play and relying on Jones to bail them out. 

Better Effort Needed from Crosby and Murray

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The focus will be firmly upon Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and goaltender Murray in Game 6. 

Crosby, 28, was a key factor in his club's victories in the opening two games. He assisted on Conor Sheary's goal in Game 1 and set up Sheary's overtime tally in Game 2 by winning a key faceoff in the Sharks' zone. 

Though Crosby's a scoring threat whenever he's on the ice, he's been held off the score sheet since Game 2. Sharks blueliner Marc-Edouard Vlasic is doing a fine job of containing the Pittsburgh captain. 

Murray had two uneven performances in his last three games, both of which were losses. The 22-year-old rookie gave up three goals on 26 shots for an .885 save percentage in Game 3 and three goals on 21 shots for an .857 save percentage in Game 5. 

In this postseason, Crosby and Murray proved they can rise to the occasion in big-game situations. For the Penguins to emerge from Game 6 as Stanley Cup champions, they need a strong effort from their captain and their starting goalie. 

Home-Ice Pressure Shifts to the Sharks

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The Pittsburgh Penguins had to cope with the jitters in front of their hometown fans in Game 5. As the series returns to San Jose for Game 6, the pressure shifts to the Sharks. 

While the Sharks got an emotional lift by thwarting the Penguins' efforts to win the Cup in the previous game, they still face a "do-or-die" situation in Game 6 on their home ice. 

They'll try to draw energy from their faithful fans at the SAP Center. As the Penguins had to deal with big-game jitters at home in Game 5, the Sharks could now experience the heightened tension of tying the series at home. 

The Sharks already have a home-ice victory in this series, taking Game 3 in overtime. In the next game, however, they suffered a 3-1 defeat in what was the Penguins' most dominating effort of the series. 

As in Game 5, scoring the first goal is crucial for the Sharks. Should they fall behind early, they'll be chasing the game as they've done in each of their three defeats in this series. It could also take the fans out of the game, muting the energy in the Shark Tank.

Phil Kessel Could Be the Game-Breaker

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Entering Game 6, right wing Kessel leads the Penguins in goals (10), points (22) and shots (95). With linemates Hagelin and Bonino, he's the offensive engine who drives the HBK Line.  

For all Kessel's scoring prowess in this postseason, he's yet to score a game-winning goal. That could change in Game 6. 

Though Kessel didn't score a goal in Game 5, he was the most dangerous Penguin on the ice. He collected an assist on Malkin's power-play goal and had at least three quality scoring chances of his own.

After the Penguins tied the game at 2-2, Kessel narrowly missed a one-timer with a wide-open net. He also beat Jones cleanly on a shot that struck both goalposts and bounced harmlessly away. In the second period, he had another golden scoring opportunity turned aside by a left-pad save from Jones. 

Throughout Game 5, Kessel played with incredible intensity. He was seemingly everywhere in the Sharks zone, creating several quality scoring chances. 

If Kessel brings that same effort to Game 6, he could be the factor who decides the outcome of this series.