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Stanley Cup Final: 5 X-Factors for Pittsburgh Penguins/San Jose Sharks

By Ryan Ritchie

Dec 1, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau (12) scores against the San Jose Sharks in the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports.
Dec 1, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau (12) scores against the San Jose Sharks in the second period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports. /
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Stanley Cup Final: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks – Exploring 5 Series Changing X-Factors

With Pittsburgh’s win on Thursday night, the Stanley Cup Final is now set. The San Jose Sharks will face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins, which starts on Monday.

In the Eastern Conference, we have a veteran squad that has been here before and hoisted Lord Stanley. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and company are looking to win their second Stanley Cup.

Over on the Western Conference side, we have the San Jose Sharks. Largely regarded as the team that was always there but never able to get over that final hurdle, it seems veterans Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau will finally have an opportunity to play for the top trophy in sports.

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A tale of two different stories; Pittsburgh caught fire late in the regular season and were by far the hottest team down the final stretch, which seemingly continued into the playoffs.

The Sharks are one year removed from the Draft Lottery and bounced back nicely. They faced adversity as Logan Couture dealt with numerous injuries, but secondary players managed to step up and fill the gap.

While normally you can identify one or two big x-factors in a series, the 2016 Stanley Cup Final could have numerous unsung players step up and make a difference.

We’re opting not to include some of the obvious candidates such as the HBK Line (PIT), Kris Letang (PIT), and Brent Burns/M.E. Vlasic (SJ).

Related Story: NHL Weekly Roundup: Latest News and Rumors

Stanley Cup Final: 5 X-Factors

Starting Goalies (Matt Murray/Martin Jones)

May 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray (30) makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won the game 2-1 and the Eastern Conference Championship four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matt Murray (30) makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won the game 2-1 and the Eastern Conference Championship four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Hand it to the Pens rookie, his poise is that of a seasoned veteran. Murray emerged for Pittsburgh this year and continues to push Marc-Andre Fleury out the door – somewhat strange considering how much of this roster failed to show up in 2015-16 while Fleury carried this team on his back.

Doug Wilson took a gamble on Martin Jones last summer after a promising pair of seasons with Los Angeles, and the risk paid off. Jones put up excellent numbers during the regular season and could easily been included in the Vezina Trophy conversation.

One Team Leader Set to Prevail (Sidney Crosby/Joe Pavelski)

Sidney Crosby is hoping to join elite company with Mario Lemieux as a two-time Cup winner wearing the “C” for Pittsburgh.

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He wasn’t afraid to get his hands on the Prince of Wales Trophy after capturing a Cup victory the last time he touched it.

A bit of an odd superstition that began back in 2009 with Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers if you think about it. Exactly what chance did Philly think they had at winning with Michael Leighton between the pipes?

A first time arrival for Sharks captain Joe Pavelski – perhaps no one deserves it more. He was handed the “C” heading into 2015-16, and embraced the role.

Not a lot changed behind the scenes as the captaincy speaks for itself. It’s what Little Joe was able to do on the ice that made a real difference. As a captain, you lead by example, and players look up to you. Joe Pavelski is one of the NHL’s true unsung heroes.

Star Power (Evgeni Malkin/Joe Thornton, Logan Couture)

Geno continues to play better as the postseason wears on. He was arguably the Pens top player in round three. If Pittsburgh plans on winning another Stanley Cup Final, they’ll need their superstar to continue producing.

Couture leads the playoffs in scoring, with Thornton among the leaders as well. The Pens defense has a few question marks that can easily be exploited if the Sharks star players can continue to load up the score-sheet.

Mr.Postseason (Joel Ward)

He only has 11 points during these playoffs, but you’d be surprised how many of those came in crucial moments. A guy who was signed specifically for this reason, Joel Ward has fit in beautifully with San Jose in 2015-16. If there’s one guy to keep an eye on late in a tied game, it’s Ward.

Speed Kills (Bryan Rust)

May 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) during the third period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won the game 2-1 and the Eastern Conference Championship four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
May 26, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust (17) during the third period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. The Penguins won the game 2-1 and the Eastern Conference Championship four games to three. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

He broke onto the scene in 2015-16 splitting time between AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Pittsburgh before finally cementing his spot late in the regular season. His knock for years was that his feet and hands moved a lot quicker than his mind could process things.

Rust has five goals so far in the playoffs, including a pair of massive ones in game seven on Thursday night. Here’s a guy that should cause a nightmare for the San Jose Sharks defense with his speed alone.

Overall, both teams have question marks on the blueline. Give both defensive groups credit though, players continue to step up on both sides. Even with two outstanding netminders, this series has a chance to be a high-scoring affair. We might even get a taste of Marc-Andre Fleury and James Reimer at some point stepping up in relief.

Next: Sharks Advance to Cup Final for 1st Time

Speaking as a general hockey fan, it would be great to see Jumbo Joe and Patty Marleau raise the Cup for the first time.

Good luck to both teams heading into the Stanley Cup Final. Each worked extremely hard to get here, and whoever comes out on top is well deserving. To all the fans out there, we hope you enjoy the final bit of hockey before yet another grueling offseason.

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