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The Latest: Letang, Couture score, Penguins lead Sharks 2-1
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) The Latest on Game 6 the Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks. The Penguins lead the series 3-2 (all times PDT):
6:30 p.m.
Just when Logan Couture and the Sharks had everything rolling and the score tied, Kris Letang answered for the Penguins.
After Couture scored to tie it at 1 in a back-and-forth second period, Letang beat Martin Jones 1:19 later to restore Pittsburgh's lead. Letang took a pass from captain Sidney Crosby and fit the puck between Jones and the post at the 7:46 mark
Couture's goal came at 6:27 After defenseman Brent Burns gloved down a clearing attempt just outside the blue line, he got the puck to Couture, who went five-hole on Matt Murray for his second goal of the series.
The Sharks showed the desperation of a team facing elimination in the second period with nine shots to the Penguins' four. It was the opposite in the first period.
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6:15 p.m.
Penguins and Sharks players stood on the ice and the benches and watched a video tribute to Gordie Howe before the start of the second period.
The video featured Howe's banner that hangs in the rafters of Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, a line from son Marty and clips of his Hall of Fame career. ''Mr. Hockey'' died Friday at age 88.
Howe won the Stanley Cup four times with the Red Wings.
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6 p.m.
A dominant first period by the Pittsburgh Penguins has them up 1-0 on the San Jose Sharks and 40 minutes from the Stanley Cup.
Pittsburgh outshot San Jose 9-4 in the first period, including Brian Dumoulin's power-play goal that opened the scoring at the 8:16 mark. It came with Sharks forward Dainius Zubrus in the penalty box for tripping Dumoulin.
The Penguins could've had a second or third goal if not for San Jose goalie Martin Jones and a near miss by Phil Kessel. In the final minutes of the period, Kessel shot just wide beyond Jones' right pad.
Kessel is a favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. He leads the Penguins with 22 points in 23 games.
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5:45 p.m.
The Pittsburgh Penguins want to finish off the San Jose Sharks. Chris Kunitz showed that in a major hustle play to keep them up 1-0.
With Joel Ward off to the races on a breakaway, the 36-year-old Kunitz took blistering strides down the ice on the backcheck to stop the scoring chance. Kunitz laid out and poked the puck away from Ward before he could even get a shot off.
Melker Karlsson returned for the Sharks after only missing a couple of shifts with an apparent leg injury. Karlsson's presence means a lot to San Jose, which is still without Tomas Hertl.
Goaltender Martin Jones' presence means even more. Jones faced a late flurry of shots from Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel and Conor Sheary and stopped them all.
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5:35 p.m.
Brian Dumoulin drew the penalty that gave the Penguins their first power play of Game 6. Then he scored the power-play goal that gave them the lead.
Sharks forward Dainius Zubrus tripped the Pittsburgh defenseman 7:50 into the first period. Then Dumoulin beat Martin Jones 26 seconds into the power play to make it 1-0 Penguins.
The penalty and goal came a few shifts after Penguins goaltender Matt Murray stopped Matt Nieto on a 2-on-1 rush. Murray, who allowed two quick goals in Game 5, looked more poised early in Game 6.
After the goal, San Jose's Melker Karlsson crashed awkwardly into the boards and suffered an apparent leg injury. He went down the tunnel to the locker room.
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5:20 p.m.
The puck has been dropped for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins are trying to win their fourth Cup in franchise history.
San Jose's Joe Thornton won the opening faceoff against Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby. Then Crosby slashed Thornton and the two got into it in the first few seconds.
Before the game started, public address announcer Danny Miller offered condolences to the victims of the nightclub shooting in Orlando on behalf of the Sharks, Penguins and the NHL. Fans at SAP Center observed a moment of silence.
A tribute to Gordie Howe, who died Friday at age 88, was expected to occur before the second period.
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4:45 p.m.
Martin Jones and Matt Murray have led the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins onto the ice at SAP Center for pregame warm-ups for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Murray is one victory away from tying Patrick Roy, Ron Hextall and Cam Ward for the most victories by one goaltender in a single postseason. Murray has 14 of Pittsburgh's 15 victories so far, after Jeff Zatkoff started the playoffs.
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4:10 p.m.
Two days after the death of Gordie Howe, ''Mr. Hockey'' is being honored at Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Howe's No. 9 was displayed with a series of teal and white shirts at SAP Center on Sunday. Several current players have said they wear No. 9 because of Howe, who died Friday at age 88.
The San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins will wear Howe decals on their helmets during pregame warmups. The red decals say, ''Gordie Howe, Mr. Hockey,'' with the No. 9 and the Detroit Red Wings logo.
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3:50 p.m.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to wrap up the fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history on the seventh anniversary of their last championship.
After missing their first opportunity at home Thursday, the Penguins are up 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final and can finish off the San Jose Sharks on the road in Game 6 on Sunday night. Seven years ago, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Co. beat the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7.
Defenseman Ben Lovejoy was on the roster in 2008-09 but didn't participate in the playoffs.
''I had a great seat to watch that team do it,'' Lovejoy said. ''I would love to be part of one myself.''
Crosby, Malkin, forward Chris Kunitz, defenseman Kris Letang and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are the only Penguins players left from that Cup team. Fleury has spent this series backing up 22-year-old rookie Matt Murray, who has a .916 save percentage in the series.
Coach Peter DeBoer said the Sharks will be without forward Tomas Hertl for the fourth consecutive game. Hertl has an undisclosed injury.
San Jose is trying to become the seventh team in 33 chances to force a Game 7 when down 3-1 in the Cup Final. Only the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 went on to win the series.
