The Pittsburgh Penguins repeated as Stanley Cup champions with a 2-0 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Nashville on Sunday.
The Penguins became the first team to repeat as the NHL champion since the Detroit Red Wings did so in 1997 and 1998.
Patric Hornqvist scored the Penguins’ first goal with 1:35 remaining in the third period, then Pittsburgh added a second goal when Carl Hagelin scored on an empty net with 14 seconds remaining to clinch the win. Pittsburgh rookie goaltender Matt Murray recorded 27 saves and his second straight shutout win against Nashville. It was his fourth shutout in the playoffs this season.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Crosby, a native of Canada, registered 19 assists and 27 total points in 24 postseason games for the Penguins.
Crosby is just the third NHL player in history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in back-to-back seasons. Mario Lemieux (1991, 1992 Penguins) and Bernie Parent (1974, 1975 Philadelphia) are the others.
By Eric Mann
Eric Mann is the communications assistant at the United States Sports Academy. Reach him at emann@ussa.edu.