What we learned:In the first period, the Penguins' speed and pressure gave the Sharks the same kind of trouble it gave the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and New York Rangers before them in first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Sharks repeatedly turned the puck over when they tried to come up ice, resulting in counterattack scoring chances and offensive zone pressure for the Penguins.
The Sharks adjusted and turned the tables some on the Penguins in the second period. Pittsburgh learned it has to stay out of the penalty box against the Sharks power play, which converted on its first chance of the series to start their comeback.
Sharks goaltender Martin Jones (38 saves) responded well to a heavier workload against the Penguins.
What this means for the Penguins: After the Sharks pushed back in the second period, the Penguins got back to their game and were able to pull out the victory. Teams that won Game 1 in the Cup Final have gone on to win the series 78 percent of the time since best-of-7 format was adopted in 1939.
What this means for the Sharks:Although they were able to battle back after a sluggish first period to tie the game, San Jose still came up short. Now that the Sharks have seen the Penguins' speed at its best, they'll need to play better for 60 minutes (or more) in Game 2.