Penguins defeat Predators, win Stanley Cup for second straight year

HORNQVIST'S LATE GOAL LIFTS PENGUINS TO SECOND STRAIGHT STANLEY CUP

Stanley Cup Standings, NHL History
24 - Montreal Canadiens^
13 - Toronto Maple Leafs
11 - Detroit Red Wings
6 - Boston Bruins
6 - Chicago Blackhawks
5 - Edmonton Oilers
5 - Pittsburgh Penguins
^ The Canadiens won one Stanley Cup prior to the formation of the NHL in 1917-18
* The Penguins, who defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games in last year's Final, became the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998. Prior to the Red Wings, the last team to repeat was the Penguins in 1991 and 1992.
* The Penguins improved to 5-1 with the chance to clinch the Stanley Cup, including 5-0 on the road. No other NHL, NBA or MLB team is undefeated with at least five championship-clinching opportunities as visitors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
* In the Eastern Conference Second Round at the Washington Capitals, the Penguins improved to 6-0 in Game 7s on the road, also the best such record among all major pro sports franchises.
* At 18:25, Hornqvist became the third player to score a Stanley Cup-clinching goal in the final two minutes of regulation (all on the road). The others: The Boston Bruins' Bill Carson in 1929 (18:02 of Game 2 at the New York Rangers) and the Chicago Blackhawks' Dave Bolland in 2013 (19:01 of Game 6 at the Bruins).
* Hornqvist, who was acquired from the Predators in a trade on June 27, 2014, had 216 points (106 goals, 110 assists) 363 regular-season games with the Predators from 2008-14. He is sixth in Predators history in goals and 15th in points.

SUNDAY'S RESULT

Home Team in Caps
Pittsburgh 2, NASHVILLE 0 - PIT wins 4-2

CROSBY CAPTURES SECOND CONSECUTIVE CONN SMYTHE

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who led the Stanley Cup Final with seven points (one goal, six assists) and was second during the playoffs with 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in 24 games, won his second straight Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to "the most valuable player to his team in the playoffs." The winner was selected in a vote by a panel of the Professional Hockey Writers Association
* Crosby became the sixth multiple winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy since it first was handed out in 1965 and the third to win it in consecutive seasons, joining the Philadelphia Flyers' Bernie Parent (1974 and 1975) and the Penguins' Mario Lemieux (1991 and 1992).
* Crosby's past 365 days include winning the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy twice, as a World Cup of Hockey championship and MVP. He also won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy during the 2016-17 regular season with a League-best 44 goals, and is a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award, which will be handed out during the 2017 NHL Awards presented by T-Mobile on June 21.
* Crosby joins Chicago's Jonathan Toews (2010, 2013, 2015) as the only active players to captain their teams to the Stanley Cup three times.

MURRAY WRITES STANLEY CUP HISTORY …

Matt Murray made 27 saves for his second straight shutout and win the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many NHL seasons.
* No other goaltender in League history has won the Stanley Cup-clinching game in each of his first two seasons. In fact, only one other goalie, the New York Islanders' Roland Melanson, won the Cup in each of his first two NHL seasons. Melanson did so in his first three seasons (1981-83), but primarily served as the backup to teammate Billy Smith.
* Via Elias, Murray became the fourth NHL goaltender with consecutive shutouts to win the Stanley Cup, and the first to do so for a team other than the Red Wings. They achieved the feat in 1937 when Earl Robertson defeated the Rangers; in 1943 when Johnny Mowers defeated the Bruins; and in 1952 when Terry Sawchuk defeated the Montreal Canadiens.
* Murray stopped 64 straight shots to close the Stanley Cup Final, allowing his last goal at 13:08 of the second period in Game 4, a span of 146:26 of time on ice.
Matt Murray, Career Playoff Statistics
2016: 21 games, 15-6, 2.08 GAA, .923 save percentage, one shutout
2017: 11 games, 7-3, 1.70 GAA, .937 save percentage, three shutouts
Total: 32 games, 22-9, 1.95 GAA, .928 save percentage, four shutouts

… KUNITZ ADDS FOURTH STANLEY CUP

Forward Chris Kunitz, whose six assists tied Crosby for most among players in the Final, won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time, the most among active players, following his previous victories with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 and the Penguins in 2009 and 2016. Kunitz became the first player to achieve the feat since 2008, when the Red Wings' Kris Draper, Tomas Holmstrom, Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty all earned their fourth.
* Kunitz is one of five Penguins players who have won each of the last three Stanley Cups with the team (2009, 2016 and 2017). The others: Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin.
* Forward Matt Cullen also won the Stanley Cup for the third time, adding to his victories with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and the Penguins in 2016.
Active Players to win Stanley Cup at least 3 times
Sidney Crosby (2009, 2016 and 2017 w/ PIT)
Matt Cullen (2006 w/ CAR, 2016 and 2017 w/ PIT)
Marc-Andre Fleury (2009, 2016 and 2017 w/ PIT)
Niklas Hjalmarsson (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Marian Hossa (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Patrick Kane (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Duncan Keith (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Chris Kunitz (2007 w/ ANA, 2009, 2016 and 2017 w/ PIT)^
Kris Letang (2009, 2016 and 2017 w/ PIT)
Evgeni Malkin (2009, 2016 and 2017 w/ PIT)
Brent Seabrook (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Patrick Sharp (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Jonathan Toews (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Justin Williams (2006 w/ CAR, 2012 and 2014 w/ LAK)
^ Only active player with four Stanley Cups

SULLIVAN SETS BAR FOR U.S.-BORN COACHES

Mike Sullivan, a native of Marshfield, Massachusetts, became the first United States-born coach in the NHL's 100-year history to win multiple Stanley Cups. He coached the Penguins to the Stanley Cup last year.
Only six other U.S.-born coaches have won the Stanley Cup, including the Predators' Peter Laviolette in with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. This marked the first Stanley Cup Final with opposing U.S.-born coaches.

LOOSE PUCKS

Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne made 27 saves in Game 6 finished the playoffs with a 9-2 record, 1.40 GAA and .951 save percentage at home. … Penguins forward Jake Guentzel had 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) in 25 games, tied for the most points by a rookie in one playoff year. … ICYMI: The Flyers signed defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere to
a multiyear contract
. … The Columbus Blue Jackets signed goaltender Joonas Korpisalo to
a two-year contract
. … Country music superstar Luke Bryan opened Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final with a special performance from the rooftop of Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge.

PENGUINS' WIN LOCKS FIRST ROUND DRAFT ORDER

Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup win finalized the order of selection for the opening round of the 2017 NHL Draft, which will be held at United Center in Chicago on June 23:
1. New Jersey Devils
2. Philadelphia Flyers
3. Dallas Stars
4. Colorado Avalanche
5. Vancouver Canucks
6. Vegas Golden Knights
7. Arizona Coyotes
8. Buffalo Sabres
9. Detroit Red Wings
10. Florida Panthers
11. Los Angeles Kings
12. Carolina Hurricanes
13. Winnipeg Jets
14. Tampa Bay Lightning
15. New York Islanders
16. Calgary Flames
17. Toronto Maple Leafs
18. Boston Bruins
19. San Jose Sharks
20. St. Louis Blues
21. New York Rangers
22. Edmonton Oilers
23. Arizona Coyotes (from Minnesota Wild)
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
25. Montreal Canadiens
26. Chicago Blackhawks
27. St. Louis Blues (from Capitals)
28. Ottawa Senators
29. Dallas Stars (from Ducks)
30. Nashville Predators
31. Pittsburgh Penguins