Watch: Penguins Beat Predators 2-0 In Game 6 For Second Straight Stanley Cup

The Pittsburgh Penguins topped the Predators 2-0 in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Nashville on Sunday to win their second straight national title.

Patric Hornqvist, Carl Hagelin Score for Penguins in 2-0 Win vs Predators

Patric Hornqvist scored the visitors’ first goal by firing the puck off Predators goalie Pekka Rinne with 1:35 left in the third period.

Carl Hagelin contributed an empty-net goal with 14 seconds remaining.

The Penguins — who have been led by coach Mike Sullivan since 2015 — are the first NHL team to repeat as Stanley Cup champion since the Detroit Red Wings claimed the 1997 and 1998 national titles. Pittsburgh, who defeated the San Jose Sharks in last year’s Stanley Cup finals, now boasts five national championships, all since 1991.

The victory also marked the third NHL title for captain Sidney Crosby, who also won his second straight Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. The 29-year-old Canadian center finished the postseason with 27 points, eight goals and 19 assists, one point behind teammate Evegni Malkin. He is the first player to secure the trophy in back-to-back years since the Penguins’ Mario Lemieux did it in 1991 and 1992.

“It’s hard to throw it all together like that,” Crosby said of his accomplishments, which also include two Olympic gold medals as a player for Canada’s national team.

Lemieux, who retired in 2006 and is an owner of the Penguins, gave Crosby much credit for the team’s consecutive title victories: “He’s the main reason we went back-to-back,” said Lemieux.

“I think I’m just really happy for this group,” Crosby added. “A good chunk of the guys were returning from last year, so it’s pretty special. We set out to try to go back-to-back. We knew it was going to be pretty difficult, but I think that’s probably where the most joy comes out of is just knowing how difficult it is to go back-to-back and knowing that we overcame all those things. It’s a pretty special group, I’ll say that.”

Matt Murray played a phenomenal game for Pittsburgh. The 23-year-old — who technically just finished his rookie season — now boasts two Stanley Cup titles after having taken over for the injured Marc-Andre Fleury last year.

On Sunday, Murray stopped 27 shots for his second straight shutout and fourth of his NHL postseason career. According to ESPN Stats & Info, he is the first player to end the Stanley Cup Final with consecutive shutouts since 1952. Murray finished with 24 saves in Thursday’s 6-0 Game 5 victory.

Here are two great saves Murray made in Game 6: the first was a block of a shot from Mike Neal. The puck bounced off Murray’s pads, and Neal took his own rebound in the crease. Murray just managed to get his glove on Neal’s second shot to deflect the puck.

Murray then denied Colton Sissons during a breakaway in the second period. Sissons passed Pittsburgh’s defense on a line change and attempted to beat Murray on his glove side.

Sissons seemed to give Nashville a 1-0 lead at 1:-07 of the second period, but the goal was disallowed due to a blown whistle.

The Predators held a 5-on-3 power-play 32 seconds in the third period, and managed just three shots on goal during four power plays.

Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang have also won three Stanley Cups with the Penguins (2009, 2016 and 2017), while Sullivan is the first American-born coach to win the NHL championship twice.

NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 11: Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates with the Stanley Cup Trophy after they defeated the Nashville Predators 2-0 in Game Six of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Bridgestone Arena on June 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena