The Sharks may have extended the Stanley Cup Finals, but Evgeni Malkin thinks it was good fortune that helped them get to Game 6.
The Penguins' star center was disappointed to come up short in Game 5 in Pittsburgh on Thursday, but believes the series could end Sunday in San Jose.
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"Yeah, 4-2 we lost, but I think we played a little bit better than San Jose," Malkin said after practice Saturday, via NHL.com. "They're a good team, but they were a little bit lucky."
Malkin's notion is hard to question. The Penguins outshot the Sharks 46-22 and led 76-36 in total shot attempts, including 66-29 at even strength. But the anticipation in Pittsburgh to win a championship at home for the first time since 1960 was too much for the Penguins, and the Sharks took advantage to spoil their celebration.
"I think it's too much energy," Malkin said. "We were excited playing at home, first time we could get a Stanley Cup win at home. Lots of noise around team, and we did not think we [started] right."
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The pressure will be on the Penguins on Sunday, who have botched series leads three times in the last six postseasons. No team has lost the Stanley Cup Finals after being up 3-1 since 1942, when Toronto defeated Detroit after losing the first three games of the series.
"We really liked a lot of our game. We carried the play for long stretches. Our power play was good. A lot of the aspects of our game we really liked," coach Mike Sullivan added. "We’d like to win the next game, regardless of where it’s being played. I think being on the road, it’s just the team."
After being down 3-1, the Sharks look to pull off a historic comeback and force Game 7 against the Penguins when Pittsburgh visits San Jose on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.