The St. Louis Blues were not the only big winners on Wednesday night. Blues fan Scott Berry won $100,000 on a $400 bet that he made on the Blues to win the Stanley Cup back in January.

At the time of the bet, the odds of the Blues winning the Stanley Cup seemed nothing if not a giant long shot. Entering January, the Blues stood with a record of 15-18-4 on the season, giving the Blues 250-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. For most betters, it would seem like a foolish bet to think a team like the Blues could muster up getting a playoff spot in the always highly competitive Western Conference, let alone think that they have a chance to lift Lord Stanley’s Cup in June. The Blues, sitting in the last place in the Western Conference standings, looked like a team ready to hit the golf course come summertime. Berry though, as most sports fans do, showed unrelenting and maybe even emotional faith. That faith is about to pay off big time.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

“You know it’s so funny, it’s like I never in a million years thought I would be watching a game where I either am a $100,000 victor or I’m walking away with my tail between my legs. But, I’ve got all faith in these guys, I still think they’re gonna do it, they’re a better road team so tonight’s gonna be an emotional roller coaster. You’ll probably see me in tears either way,” Berry said before the Blues’ Game seven’s victory over the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals.

“I feel like I’m in this with the team, and I don’t want to lay any of it off,” Berry told ESPN this week. “I put the bet down in January for $400 to win $100,000. That was the bet. … I’m very superstitious and don’t want to ruin any juju.”

An unstoppable force met an immovable object in Game 7. Rookie goalie Jordan Binnington for the St. Louis Blues was rooted in the net for 60 minutes, helping the Blues lift their first Stanley Cup in franchise history after a 4-1 win.

The Boston Bruins had 12 chances on net in the first and were denied by Binnington. The Bruins then had nine shots on goal in the second, and again Binnington rejected them. He didn’t give up a goal until less than five minutes were left in the final period, but the Blues were already up 4-0 and on their way to celebrating after capitalizing on stellar defense.

The Bruins were backed by an electric crowd at the TD Garden during the first, as fans were pushing them on after multiple first-period chances. The Blues’ transition defense was pitch-perfect, parking the bus in front of their goal. When the Blues saw their chances, they exploited the Bruins defense. Ryan O’Reilly made history scoring first for the Blues, followed by a one-two punch, with the Blues scoring with just under 10 seconds left in the first thanks to captain Alex Pietrangelo.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

It was all St. Louis after that, with the team holding their own and making their limited chances count. For the first time in the team’s 52-year franchise, the cup is going home to St. Louis.

“We’ve been waiting for this for so many freaking years, and to be from St. Louis and put this sweater on every night, holy cow,” said Blues’ Patrick Maroon, according to New York Times. “We brought it home.”

The Bruins gave it their all, including the Bruins’ iconic captain Zdeno Chara, who lifted the team’s spirits after playing through the rest of the series with a broken jaw he suffered in Game 4.

“It’s hard to find words,” Chara said, according to USA Today. “It’s not easy. I’m sure everyone pictured it differently and we believed that it was there for us. That’s sports. You’ve got to kind of take those and move on.”

The Blues denied the Bruins their seventh Stanley Cup and refused to let the city of Boston have their 12th championship parade since 2002. This one is going to Missouri.

The St. Louis Blues bounced back in a 4-2 win against the Boston Bruins to even the series 2-2 at Enterprise Stadium on Monday night.

In Game 3, The Bruins throttled the Blues 7-2 in a disappointing performance with over 14 penalties called against them. In Game 4, the Blues learned from their past mistakes and controlled their emotions to help them even the series.

The Blues scored just 43 seconds into the first period in Game 4, with Ryan O’Reilly scoring. Later in the first period, Vladimir Tarasenko made it two, scoring his 11th goal this postseason.

O’Reilly scored another when the Bruins played with an empty net, making it his night after scoring just three playoff goals coming into this game. Captain Alex Pietrangelo assisted the Blues twice, and defenseman put in quite the shift in Game 4, racking up almost 30 minutes of gametime. Braydon Schenn scored the go-ahead third goal to give the Blues the lead in the third period.

The Bruins’ goalkeeper Tuukka Rask looked unprotected for the first time this series. This game was the first time he allowed three goals in regulation time since the conference semi-finals against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rask has continued to be a rock in the heart of the defense, and the Bruins should have limited concern about his Game 4 performance going into the rest of the series.

The Bruins also suffered casualties in Game 4, losing captain Zdeno Chara after getting hit with a puck to the face in the second period. He was sidelined for the remainder of the game and could possibly miss Game 5 back in Boston. This could be a major issues for the Bruins’ back line as one of their top defensemen, Matt Grzelcyk, is still currently in concussion protocol after being hit by Blues Center Oskar Sundqvist in Game 2. If Chara is out for Game 5, the Bruins will have to look to their reserves for replacements. The 42-year-old feels he is ready to play, but team doctors recommended that he should stay out indefinitely, according to ESPN.

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“He’s a guy who wants to be out there. He wants to battle and be with the guys, Bruins’ David Backes said about Chara, according to ESPN. “He wasn’t gonna miss that opportunity. He doesn’t get back on the ice, but he’s a warrior. If there’s any chance for him to be back, he’ll be back.”

Brandon Carlo and Charlie Coyle provided the Bruins with two goals, but Blues goalie Jordan Binnington played a significant role for the Blues, bouncing back after his inadequate Game 3 performance. The rookie Binnington will have to continue to play an important role in this Blues’ team if they hope to stop this Bruins’ fast-paced front line. The experience is still in favor for the Bruins, but the Blues have that underdog edge that can sometimes propel teams to the Cup.

With the series tied 2-2, we could be looking at a fun rest of the series with emotions packed high. Game 5 will be back at the TD Garden in Boston on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. EST, and will air on NBC.

Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara’s status for Game five of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals remains up in the air.

On Monday night, during the Bruins’ 4-2 loss in Game four of the Cup Finals against the St. Louis Blues, Chara left the ice after taking a hockey puck to the face during the second period of play. The incident occurred when Blues forward Brayden Schenn, fired a shot that deflected off of a stick and struck Chara in the face.

https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1135721603331960832

After the game, Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said that Chara received stitches and might require additional dental work at a later date. Cassidy also said that while the training staff advised him to leave out Chara for the remainder of the game, that there was no problem with Chara returning and sitting on the bench for the remainder of Game four. Chara personally asked Cassidy if he could return to sit on the bench because he wanted to be with his teammates.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

“That’s the type of guy he is, come out and be there to support,” said Bruins forward Charlie Coyle. “You never want to see that happen to anyone, especially someone on your team, someone who is such a big part of our team playing-wise, leadership-wise. It’s not an ideal situation, but it’s how you respond to adversity, and you see a lot of it during this time of year.

https://twitter.com/mkmolnar/status/1135721157611655169

Bruins center David Beckes said, “He’s a guy who wants to be out there. He wants to battle and be with the guys. If there’s any chance for him to be back, he’ll be back.” If not, it’ll be next man up again. Whoever our next guy up is will have to fill that role admirably — and they’re big feet to fill.”

Game five of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals will take place on Thursday at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.

After six years of not making the Stanley Cup Finals, the Boston Bruins took a crucial 4-2 Game one win at the TD Garden against the St. Louis Blues on Memorial Day.

With Monday night’s win secured, the Bruins will look to take a favorable lead in the series. Thursday’s Game two in Boston will start at 8 p.m. EST and will air on NBC Sports.

The Bruins (49-24-9) are on a tear in these recent games in this postseason, winning seven straight after Monday’s game, sweeping Carolina 4-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, and winning three straight in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals after going 2-1 down against Columbus.

Left-wing Sean Kurlay led the Bruins in points with a goal and an assist. Defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Connor Clifton and left-wing Brad Marchand all scored as well.

The Blues (45-28-9) won’t fold this easily, however. This team has battled adversity as much as anyone this season, as they were in last place at the start of 2019. The Blues started Game one off the way they wanted to, leading 2-0 at one point, but began to struggle as the Bruins started to settle in. Discipline and perhaps a lack of experience caved in for the Blues. As interim head coach Craig Berube told ESPN, “Five penalties takes a lot of guys out of the game and uses up a lot of energy of other guys.”

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

The last time St. Louis was in the Stanley Cup Finals, 49 years ago, they were swept by the Bruins 4-0. The Blues are still looking for their first ever win in the Stanley Cup Finals.

If the Bruins win this years Stanley Cup, the city of Boston will be the first town since Detroit in 1935 to have three major titles at one time, as the Patriots and the Red Sox are current champions. Since the turn of the century, the city of Boston has won six Super Bowls, one NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, one NBA Finals and four MLB World Series.

The NHL trade deadline started off slowly. However, before the deadline at 3 p.m. EST on Monday, 35 different players and 18 picks were shuffled around the league as some teams hoped to rebuild and others tried to reload.

Rangers, Sharks Win Big At Deadline

The 23 swaps this year are up from 18 in 2018 and 2017, 17 in 2016, and just below the 24 trades in 2015.

The Ottowa Senators, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Columbus Blue Jackets and the San Jose Sharks came out on top of the deadline.

The Senators were dealt a poor hand. After not resigning any of their soon-to-be free agents, general manager Pierre Dorion prevented them from walking away empty-handed. Erik Karlsson, Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel all rejected the idea of sticking around in Ottowa. Though the organization is a mess and the team is without their 2019 draft pick, they got back a monster haul. This year, they hold seven draft picks and in 2020 they’ll have 13, including three in the first round alone.

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Meanwhile, the New York Rangers continued on with their fire sale. After Ottowa shipped off Duchene, center Kevin Hayes‘ value shot up. The Rangers flipped him to the Winnipeg Jets for a first-round pick and a decent forward. Then, they were able to turn 32-year-old defender Adam McQuaid into two late-round draft picks. Though King Henrik Lundqvist is all alone on a dismal team, they’ve got 10 picks in the upcoming draft and only $61 million on the books for next season.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

The Lightning didn’t have to do anything to win. They pulled in their talent early with Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller joining the team last year from the Rangers. Instead, they’ve got 98 points in 62 games and much less competition as all of the talent in the east went out west.

The Blue Jackets found themselves in a weird spot. They could’ve imploded after Artemi Panarin demanded out along with the possibility that Sergei Bobrovsky wouldn’t be on the team. Instead, they added Duchene and Dzingel and are hoping to make a deep run into the playoffs. While it’s left the team depleted with picks and betting on free agents, for a team that hasn’t even sniffed the second round of the playoffs, these are the right moves to make.

Any fan of the San Jose Sharks can’t complain about the deals they’ve made. While sitting on second place in the Pacific Division, they doubled down and added Gustav Nyquist. He’s been good for 49 points in 63 games and could be the piece that catapults them over the top. He’s been shaky in the playoffs but as a third option, no team would complain.

Now, with the dust settling, all that matters for these teams is hoisting the Stanley Cup come June.

The Vegas Golden Knights will host the Washington Capitals on Thursday night for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and here is what you need to know.

Golden Knights Vs. Capitals Game 5 Preview

The Capitals lead the series 3-1 and are thus only one win away from their first-ever Stanley Cup title, as well as Washington’s first sports championship in 26 years (when the Redskins last won the Super Bowl).

The Caps won Game 4 by a score of 6-2 on Monday. Washington needed only 23 shots to score all their goals, three of which came on power plays. (The Capitals had five power plays in the contest)

Braden Holtby finished with 28 saves for Washington in Game 4, and Evgeny Kuznetsov logged four assists in the win, which featured goals by six different players.

Thursday’s game at T-Mobile Arena will begin at 8pm EST and will air on NBC. It can also be live-streamed on NBC Sports. 

The Washington Capitals will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and here is what you need to know.

Golden Knights Vs. Capitals Game 4 Preview

After dropping the series opener, the Capitals lead the series 2-1. Washington won Game 3 by a score of 3-1 on Saturday.

The Caps stand a strong chance at winning Game 4 given their home-ice advantage. Additionally, Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL playoffs in goals scored with 14.

However, Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has also been stellar, having stopped 70 of the 80 shots the Capitals have fired at him this series.

Monday’s game in Washington will begin at 8pm EST, will air on NBC and can be live-streamed on NBC Sports.

Here is the schedule for the rest of the series:

• Game 5 (in Vegas): Thursday, June 7, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 6 (if necessary) (in Washington): Sunday, June 10, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)
• Game 7 (if necessary) (in Vegas): Wednesday, June 13, 8 p.m. ET (NBC)

The Vegas Golden Knights will host the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and this what you need to know.

Golden Knights vs. Capitals Finals Game 2 Preview

Vegas leads the series 1-0 after winning 6-4 on Monday. Game 1 was a very intense matchup, as the lead changed four times. Tomas Nosek scored twice in the third period, and Marc-Andre Fleury made 24 saves.

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According to Sports Illustrated, the previous six Game 1 winners of the Stanley Cup Final have ultimately won the national title.

Wednesday’s game will start at 8pm EST and will air on NBC. It can also be live-streamed on the NBC Sports app.

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The Washington Capitals defeated the Lightning 4-0 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals in Tampa Bay on Wednesday night, which means the Stanley Cup Finals are now set.

Capitals Beat Lightning 4-0 In Game 7

On Thursday, the NHL released the full schedule for the Finals, which will feature the Capitals facing off against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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Here is the schedule: (all times are in EST)

• Game 1: Capitals at Golden Knights — Monday, May 28, 8 p.m.
• Game 2: Capitals at Golden Knights — Wednesday, May 30, 8 p.m.
• Game 3: Golden Knights at Capitals — Saturday, June 2, 8 p.m.
• Game 4: Golden Knights at Capitals — Monday, June 4, 8 p.m.
• Game 5: (if necessary) Capitals at Knights — Thursday, June 7, 8 p.m.
• Game 6: (if necessary) Golden Knights at Capitals — Sunday, June 10, 8 p.m.
• Game 7: (if necessary) Capitals at Golden Knights — Wednesday, June 13, 8 p.m.

The Caps are in the Stanley Cup Finals for only the second time in franchise history. They last reached the final round of the playoffs in 1998, when they got swept by the Detroit Red Wings.

The Golden Knights defeated the Capitals twice during the regular season.

Braden Holtby was excellent in Game 7 against the Lightning, making 29 saves for his second straight shutout of the series. Alexander Ovechkin opened the scoring just 1:02 into the first period, then Andre Burakovsky had two goals in the second period. Nicklas Backstrom scored the empty-netter.

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Wednesday’s victory was a big moment for Ovechkin, as the 32-year-old Russian had never before advanced further than the second round of the playoffs.

The Lightning also played Game 7 in the 2015 Eastern Conference Final, when they routed the New York Rangers. Tampa Bay also played Game 7 of the semifinals in 2016, when they fell 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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)

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Nashville Predators 4-1 in the second game of the Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday. Much like the first game of the series, the Predators held strong for the majority of the game, but all it took was a couple of minutes for the Penguins to pull ahead. Pittsburgh now has a 2-0 lead.

Jake Guentzel again proved to be the difference maker, scoring the game-winning goal – and his second of the night – at the top of the third period. He now owns the record for most game-winning goals by a rookie in the playoffs, with five – he tied the record in game one.

The reigning champs bolstered their lead with two more goals coming from Scott Wilson and Evgeni Malkin, several minutes after Guentzel scored. They poked in a fifth goal with only a few minutes remaining in the game but it was called back for off-sides after a review of the play.

Nashville scored first on the night, when Pontus Aberg put the puck through the legs of Pittsburgh defenceman Olli Maatta and floated it past goalie Matt Murray for the 1-0 lead. It was the first and only lead Nashville has held thus far in the series.

The game remained tight and even during the second period, as neither team scored, despite the fact that Nashville had far more shots on goal.

By the end of the night, the Predators had 38 total shots on goal, while the Penguins, who only had 12 on Monday night, had 27.

Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne was pulled from Wednesday’s game after Malkin scored Pittsburgh’s fourth and final goal. His save percentage during the finals, compared to his percentage over the rest of the playoffs, is abysmal. In two games Rinne has .777 save percentage despite coming into the series at .947.

“The limited chances [Pittsburgh has] had they’ve done a good job,” Rinne told the AP. “Overall these two games, like I said, it’s disappointing to be down 2-0 but we have to be feeling still positive with the way we played as a whole and creating chances.”

The series heads to Nashville on Saturday, where the Predators have a 7-1 record over the course of their 2017 playoff run. If the Penguins win, they will be one victory away from becoming the first NHL team in nearly 20 years to win back-to-back titles.

Game three will be played on Saturday, June 3 at 8 p.m. EST on NBCSports.

‘Catfishing’ may take on a whole other meaning after this year’s Stanley Cup finals between the Nashville Predators and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Predators fan Jacob Waddell, the fan who threw a dead catfish onto the ice during the second period of game one of the Stanley Cup finals, was initially charged with disorderly conduct, disrupting a meeting, and possessing instruments of a crime. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala has decided not to pursue a conviction.

“Having reviewed the affidavit involving Mr. Waddell as well as the television coverage of the incident, District Attorney Zappala has made the determination that the actions of Mr. Waddell do not rise to the level of criminal charges,” Mike Manko, a spokesman for Zappala told WTAE-TV Pittsburgh. “As such, the three charges filed against Mr. Waddell will be withdrawn in a timely manner.”

Those charges, when relevant, read like pure comedy.

“The actor possessed one or more instruments of crime, namely, dead catfish with intent to employ it or them criminally,” the original Pittsburgh police report read.

Had Waddell been convicted of all charges, he could have faced up to six years in prison.

Waddell was hardly the first fan to toss a dead catfish onto the ice during a hockey game, as the odd practice has become tradition in Nashville.

Waddell brought the the catfish from Tennessee, vacuum sealed it, sprayed it with Old Spice, and stuffed it inside his compression shorts in order to get it into PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. But he also had to make it slightly smaller.

“The head was too damn big,” Waddell told the Pittsburg Post-Gazette. “No matter how much I ran it over with my truck, the head was too big.”

The cunning fan decided his best bet would be to filet the fish, and take only the parts that fit inside his shorts.

Once safe and inside, he removed the dead fish inside a bathroom and went to his seat. Had Waddell stuck with tradition, the fish wouldn’t have been thrown until the Predators scored. But with his team losing 3-0 halfway through the action, Waddell grew impatient.

The game had to stop in order for the fish to be cleaned up off the ice. During that time, Waddell was escorted out of the stadium with a smile on his face.

The Predators lost the game 5-3 and will look to tie the series at one game a piece on Wednesday, May 31 at 8 p.m. EST.

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday night despite only having 12 shots on goal. On a night otherwise controlled by the Predators, the Penguins were able to capitalize on several opportunities and take advantage of the Predators’ equally sluggish offense.

Pittsburgh scored their first three goals in the first twenty minutes, ending the first period with a commanding lead. The Predators, in order to claw their way back into the game, would have to step up defensively. And they did so, plus some. The Penguins were unable to take a single shot on goal through out the entirety of the second period. It was the first time the Penguins went shot-less in an entire period in team history.

With a goal from Ryan Ellis in the second, and one from Colton Sissons and another from Frederick Gaudreau to start the third period, the Predators tied the game at 3-3.

37 minutes after taking their last shot, the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel took a shot and scored what would turn out to be the game winning goal, with a little over three minutes left in the match. It was the fourth game winning goal Guentzel has scored during the playoffs this year. With that goal, Guentzel tied the NHL record for game winning goals scored by a rookie.

Nick Bonino scored the Penguins’ fifth and final goal with a little over a minute of play left to cap the victory.

To add to the wackiness of the game, a Nashville Predators fan was ejected from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh after tossing a dead catfish onto the ice early in the second period. The mess required the game to stop for several minutes so stadium crew could clean up.

The fan, Jacob Waddell, brought the fish from Tennessee to Pittsburgh, vacuum sealed, inside his compression shorts. After sneaking it into the stadium, Waddell removed it in the men’s restroom, according to police.

Waddell is now being charged with disorderly conduct, disrupting a meeting, and possessing instruments of a crime.

Game two of the Stanley Cup Finals is on Wednesday, May 31 at 8 p.m. EST in Pittsburgh. It will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network.

Martin Jones made spectacular 44 saves to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 4-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Thursday night.

Martin Jones Shines To Keep Sharks Alive In 4-2 Finals Game 5 Win Over Penguins

“Just unbelievable,” Sharks center Joe Thornton said after his goalie’s incredible performance that extended San Jose’s season, leaving them trailing the final series 3-2.

“You know, he’s been doing it all year,” Thornton added. “Not just tonight, he does it every game for us. He’s just a stud for us.”

Jones finished with the most saves in a Stanley Cup Finals regulation game since former Toronto Maple Leafs great Ken Dryden made 43 in Game 2 of the 1967 finals. It was also his second-most saves this final series, after finishing with 40 saves in a Game 3, 3-2 overtime win on Saturday.

“Yeah, that was unbelievable,” Sharks defenseman Justin Braun said. “He’s calm, he doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t go after guys, he doesn’t lose his cool. He’s always tapping us on the pads saying we did a good job, and he’s usually bailing us out. He was great to watch tonight, but we’ve got to give him a little more help.”

On June 30, 2015, just four days after the Boston Bruins had traded for the goalkeeper from the Los Angeles Kings, Sharks GM Doug Wilson got him out of Boston and on his team.

Like Braun, head coach Peter DeBoer also noted Jones’ ability to remain cool under pressure.

“We started the season, it didn’t start as smoothly for any of us as we wanted,” DeBoer said. “I mean, we were winning one, losing one, including him. Just kept battling and battling. Kept throwing him out there, he kept finding a way. I think we all recognized then that he had that competitive edge too, that is critical.”

Brent Burns scored 64 seconds into the game, giving the Sharks their first lead of the series, and Logan Couture deflected a shot from Braun 1:49 later to make it 2-0. The Penguins had not trailed in a game since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 20, a series during which they lost twice in overtime.

“I felt like I was on top of things tonight, to be honest,” said Pittsburgh goalie Matt Murray, who made 18 saves. “They kind of fanned on the [third] one. I probably could’ve played [Brent] Burns’ goal a little bit better. I felt really good.”

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin scored a power-play goal at 4:44 of the first period to bring the score to 2-1, and Carl Hagelin tied up the game 22 seconds later after a feed from Nick Bonino. The four goals in 5:06 set a record for the fastest four goals to start a game in the Stanley Cup Final beating the four combined goals scored by the Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks (two by each team) to start Game 4 in 1992.

Jones then stopped the next 40 shots after Hagelin’s goal, including 17 in the scoreless second period.

Sharks forward Melker Karlsson brought the score to 3-2 with 5:13 remaining in the first. He misfired on the shot, but it wobbled past Murray. Captain Joe Pavelski scored an empty-net goal with 1:20 remaining in the game to seal the win for San Jose.

Game 6 is set for Sunday in San Jose.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD8i5lLBohQ

PHOTO: PITTSBURGH, PA – JUNE 01: Martin Jones #31 of the San Jose Sharks tends goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Two of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Consol Energy Center on June 1, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

Following a crushing 3-2 overtime road loss to the San Jose Sharks on Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins regained hope after defeating the Sharks 3-1 in Game 4 at SAP Center in San Jose on Monday night.

Penguins Beat Sharks 3-1 In Game 4, One Win From Stanley Cup

The Penguins now lead the Stanley Cup Final series 3-1 and are just one victory away from winning a national championship, which they will seek to earn when they return home to Consol Energy Center for Game 5 Thursday night.

“You’ve just got to understand that it’s going to take our best and we’re going to see their absolute best,” Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. “In saying that, you can’t get caught looking ahead of things. We’ve had a great approach all playoff long — all season long — in making sure we’re staying in the moment here. That will be important here, now more than ever.”

The Penguins have come a long way from a rough start to the season that began with three straight losses. After struggling through much of November, general manager Tim Rutherford fired second-year head coach Mike Johnston and replaced him with Mike Sullivan. 

“No one was happy with the way [the season] started,” said defenseman Ian Cole, who opened scoring on Monday with his first-ever playoff goal. “We learned hard lessons. We grew as a team. We had some fantastic additions to our team. We just kind of grew together and knew we had to kind of come together as a team to be this successful, to get to where we wanted to get to, and we did that.”

The Penguins will try to win the Stanley Cup for the fourth time; each of their previous wins (1991, Minnesota North Stars; 1992, Chicago Blackhawks; 2009, Detroit Red Wings), were on the road. If they win on Thursday, it would be the first major sports championship won at home by a Pittsburgh-based team since the Pirates defeated the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series.

Cole scored 7:36 into Game 4, slamming home the rebound of a shot from Phil Kessel that Sharks goalkeeper Martin Jones kicked into the right face-off circle.

It was Cole’s first goal in 105 games, regular season and playoffs, dating to March 26, 2015 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

“I hit a lot of posts, a lot of sticks; pucks were going to the open net and they’d get tipped wide,” Cole said. “It was a weird year in that sense. It’s nice to finally get that one. I was saving a special one for a special game.”

The only time San Jose has led in this Final series was when forward Joonas Donskoi scored in overtime of Game 3. The Penguins, meanwhile, have been ahead in 435:46 of playing time, dating to Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Center Evgeni Malkin, who assisted on Cole’s goal, scored at 2:37 of the second period to make it 2-0. He got his stick on a power-play shot by Kessel for his first goal in six games. It was Pittsburgh’s first power-play goal in eight attempts in the Finals, and Malkin’s 10th career game-winning goal in the postseason.

Sharks forward Melker Karlsson scored at 8:07 of the third period to make it 2-1, but the Sharks were unable to capitalize, despite outshooting Pittsburgh 12-7 in the period.

Penguins goalie Matt Murray finished with 23 saves, and is now 5-0 with a 1.76 goals-against average and .935 save percentage this postseason.

Eric Fehr gave the Penguins a 3-1 lead with 2:02 remaining, thus leaving the Sharks one loss from the end of their first Cup Final in their 25-year history.

“We’re confident that we can go to Pittsburgh and win a hockey game,” Sharks forward Logan Couture said. “We’ve been good on the road all year. We’re going to go there and start by having a good first period, into the second [period] and then the third and see what happens.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsLb18kgBII

PHOTO: SAN JOSE, CA – JUNE 06: Matt Murray #30 of the Pittsburgh Penguins makes the save as Patrick Marleau #12 of the San Jose Sharks looks for a rebound in Game Four of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Final at SAP Center on June 6, 2016 in San Jose, California. The Penguins defeated the Sharks 3-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Rookie forward Joonas Donskoi scored 12:18 into overtime to lead the San Jose Sharks to a 3-2 Game 3 home victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Joonas Donskoi Nets OT Winner In Sharks’ 3-2 Victory Over Penguins

The Sharks had waited 25 years for their first Stanley Cup Final home game, and did not have to wait much longer for their first Stanley Cup Final win. The Sharks now trail the Final series 2-1.

Pittsburgh Penguins right winger Phil Kessel appears to have simply shrugged off his omission from Team USA’s roster for the World Cup of Hockey this coming fall.

Penguins Winger Phil Kessel Unfazed By Team USA Omission

“Obviously you’re a little disappointed, but is what it is,” said Kessel, who was among the players who drew a crowd at an NHL-run media gathering Sunday on the eve of the Stanley Cup final. “I’ve had a pretty good playoffs and I’ve always done pretty well for them in all the tournaments I’ve played for them. But we’re in the Stanley Cup final, so I can’t be too disappointed.”

Penguins General Manager seemed to bit his tongue when asked about his thoughts on the omission. Kessel, a two-time Olympian, was not among the final seven additions announced Friday despite leading Pittsburgh in playoff goals (9, with 9 assists).

“I’m trying to decide whether I’m going to give you a long answer or a short one,” said Rutherford, who ended up giving a short one. “So I’m surprised he’s left off Team USA.”

Coach Mike Sullivan stated Kessel, 28, has come a long way this season by improving his play away from the puck, scoring clutch goals and finding a fit in the locker room.

“I think Phil deserves all the credit for how his game has evolved over the course of this season,” Sullivan said. “I know that we would not be playing in the Stanley Cup final without his contribution.”

The Penguins defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-2 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals at their own Consol Energy Center on Monday night.

Pittsburgh recovered after blowing an early two-goal lead. Rookie Bryan Rust opened scoring at 12:46 of the first period by firing home a rebound off a Justin Schultz shot to earn his sixth goal of the playoffs, a franchise record for postseason goals by a rookie.

Just one minute later, Conor Sheary, who didn’t become a regular until mid-January, pushed the lead to 2-0 when Sidney Crosby flicked a blind backhand cross-ice pass to him. Sheary then fired a wrist shot from the right circle that flew by Sharks goaltender Martin Jones.

San Jose answered with a strong second period. Czech centre Tomas Hertl, 22, scored a power-play goal by firing a shot from just outside the crease between Penguins goalie Matt Murray’s legs 3:02 into the second to make it 2-1. Then with 1:48 remaining in the period, Patrick Marleau collected a rebound off a one-timer from defenseman Brent Burns behind the Pittsburgh net and then beat Murray on a wraparound that bounced off the young goalie’s extended right leg and into the net to tie the game.

Penguins center Nick Bonino ultimately sealed the victory for Pittsburgh, however, by darting to the net and knocking in Kris Letang’s centering pass with 2:33 remaining.

“Tanger put it right on my stick,” Bonino said of Letang’s pass that led to his fourth goal of the playoffs. “It was a shot that wasn’t my hardest shot by any means but I kind of found a way to flip it over him.”

Murray, 22, finished with 24 saves, while Jones made 38 stops on 41 shots.

Game 2 is set for Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsY3C4Wm0c4

PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 26: Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in action against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Final during the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Consol Energy Center on May 26, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-0, to clinch the series 4-2 and secure their sixth Stanley Cup.

Chicago Blackhawks Win Stanley Cup

Last night, the Chicago Blackhawks cemented themselves as one of the most dominant hockey teams of the last decade — something only rivaled by the Los Angeles Kings — as they clinched their third title in six years.

But the Lightning had plenty of opportunities to claim this game with Steven Stamkos — who would miss a wide open net and a breakaway chance to end the championship series goalless — Ondrej Palat and Anton Stralman all missing opportunities to send this series to a deciding game seven in Tampa.

On top of this, Ben Bishop, who has revealed that his lower body injury was a groin tear, even kept them in the game with some fantastic saves — one literally off his toe — finishing last night with 30 saves. But it was the solid Corey Crawford, who used a mixture of luck and skill to get the shutout on 25 saves, and the Blackhawks’ late goal scoring ability that pushed Chicago to their sixth Stanley Cup victory.

The first goal of the night came in the second period, when the Conn Smythe trophy winner, Duncan Keith, ripped a slapshot from the blue line, which Bishop was unable to control. This resulted in the defenseman retrieving his own rebound and scoring. Keith had an amazing playoff run, being the pillar of Chicago’s ailing defense: he by far played the most time — 715 minutes — garnering 21 points, 18 assists and three goals over the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“It feels so great. You want to keep being a part of these things,” Keith stated after winning the trophy. “You don’t get these awards without being on great teams with great players, and like I said, I’m just proud to be a part of this group of guys who cares so much and do whatever it takes.”

The insurance goal was scored with five minutes left in the game, when Brandon Saad made a gorgeous no look pass to Patrick Kane, who scored on a wide open net. While the young Saad was a standout in this series — and in the entire playoffs with eight goals — Kane saved his best for last night: after only one point throughout the Stanley Cup finals, he assisted Keith’s game-winner and put away any hope for a Lightning come back.

Though the Blackhawks have won titles in 2015, 2013, 2010 and 1961, this is the first time since 1938 that they clinched the Stanley Cup while on home ice. And the scary part is the young age of this Chicago team, giving them plenty of chances to secure future championships.

The Chicago Blackhawks battle back to tie the series 2-2, thus giving them at least one more home game after their trip to Tampa Bay.

Blackhawks Defeat Lightning To Tie Series

The Chicago Blackhawks desperately needed game four because they did not want to go back to Tampa down 3-1. Though the Blackhawks are built to battle back — they have the experience and won the Western Conference Finals after being down 3-2 — they would have to win two away games if they lost last night.

And again, for the third time in this series, the better team lost the game. The Lightning dominated the puck for a good portion of the night as they outshot the Hawks in two of the three periods.

But it seemed like a few key factors played into Chicago’s favor last night. First, Ben Bishop, who previously talked about how it would take a lot for him to sit, was scratched from last night’s lineup with an undisclosed lower body injury. Back up Andrei Vasilevskiy  was not terrible in his first Stanley Cup start, as the two goals he let in were great offensive plays. But he still went 17 for 19 on the big stage and left a lot of rebounds on the ice.

On top of this, the big story was how both teams’ superstars have been unable to score, with Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and even the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos unable to put one in the net. However, all three had decent days with both Kane and Stamkos getting a point from assists and Toews opening up the scoring in the second by putting in an uncontrolled rebound from Vasilevskiy.

Simply, if Chicago did not score during their second period onslaught, then the tides may have turned in Tampa’s favor. With this said, the Lightning would score five minutes later off a wristshot by Alex Killorn. Again, it was the result of another breakdown in the Blackhawks’ defense, as three players surrounded the tripped Stamkos and Valtteri Filppula, allowing a wide open Killorn to score.

But it was Brandon Saad, 2015 playoff legend, that would score the go ahead goal, as he somehow dragged the puck across the front of the net and put it through Vasilevskiy’s five-hole. Again, it was a nice play by Brandon — which was also a bit lucky — but a veteran goaltender would have stopped it. Saad, who is an restricted free agent next year, has eight goals in the NHL playoffs, with three of them from the Stanley Cup Finals.

Afterwards, it was the Corey Crawford show, as he survived an onslaught of Lightning attacks. In fact, Tampa had several clear opportunities, with Stamkos missing two wide open shots and a final shot sailing just over the net. Crawford would finish the day saving 24 of 25 with a save percentage of .960.

Game four is scheduled for Saturday at 8:00 pm EST on NBC.