Stanley Cup 2016: Sharks vs. Penguins Recap, Analysis and Best Moments

After missing the opportunity to end the 2016 Stanley Cup Final in front of their home fans, the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks 3-1 on the road in Game 6 on Sunday to take home the Stanley Cup.

Martin Jones turned in an unbelievable performance between the pipes for the Sharks in Game 5, and Penguins goalie Matt Murray registered his own clutch performance in the series clincher, as he stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced Sunday night. Defenseman Kris Letang scored the Cup-winning goal just over a minute after Sharks center Logan Couture knotted the game at one in the second period.

Brian Dumoulin opened the scoring for the Penguins with a power-play goal halfway through the first period, and Patric Hornqvist gave the Penguins an insurance tally with an empty-netter with under two minutes left in the game.

Sidney Crosby took home the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It was his first time winning the award, as Evgeni Malkin got it when the Penguins won the Cup in 2009. However, ESPN Stats and Info pointed out Crosby won the award despite a minus rating:

ESPN Stats and Info also noted that, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Crosby is the third skater to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite not scoring a goal in the Stanley Cup Final. He's also the fourth former No. 1 pick to win the award.

Phil Kessel was likely also in the discussion for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Kessel notched 10 goals and 22 points in 24 games this postseason. Kessel, Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino formed the "HBK" line that gave teams fits throughout the playoffs. NHL on NBC provided more on the line's dominance: 

In a low-scoring series, the Penguins won with their defense. ESPN also pointed out the Penguins blocked 136 shots in the series, which averages out to about 23 per game. Despite giving up a few questionable goals throughout the series, the rookie Murray never lost his confidence and found himself in the record books, as SportsCenter and ESPN Stats and Info, citing the Elias Sports Bureau, indicated:

One of the main bright spots for the Sharks was Jones, who would surely have won the Conn Smythe Trophy had the Sharks won the series. Jones made incredible save after incredible save despite being peppered by shots. 

John Buccigross of ESPN pointed out how Jones upped his game when the brightest lights came on:

Jones' performance in Game 5 was the sole reason the Sharks kept the series alive, and he did his best again in Game 6. Jones had 24 saves in the game, including this beauty against Conor Sheary, via the NHL:

In case you missed it, here's the NHL's recap of Jones standing on his head in Game 5:

But in the end, the onslaught by the Penguins was just too much. Their speed advantage was evident the entire series, and that helped them secure the championship. Both franchises have found good, young goaltenders to anchor their teams around, so it's safe to say both teams will be fixtures in the playoffs for years to come.