Sharks look to force 7th game

Series returns to San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Paul Martin, who spent the previous five years with Pittsburgh. “I think it’s more of a mental thing realizing your opportunity to finish it off is getting smaller, and each loss gives that other team that much more belief and momentum that they can get it done and pull it off.”

No team has lost the Stanley Cup Final after going ahead 3-1 since Toronto rallied to beat Detroit in 1942 after losing the first three games of the series.

But the Penguins have had problems closing out playoff series in recent years. Since winning their third Stanley Cup back in 2009, they have blown series leads three times in the last six postseasons.

They lost to Montreal in 2010 after going up 3-2 in the series and squandered 3-1 edges in losses to Tampa Bay in 2011 and the New York Rangers in 2014.

Now they lost in their first chance to close out the Sharks.

“I thought our guys did a really good job of handling it the right way,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “It was unfortunate that we didn’t get the result we were looking for. But we’re playing a very good opponent and we know that. We know this is the most difficult win to get. Our players are well aware of the expectations and the heightened intensity that we need to have in order to get this next win.”

The Penguins have little they would want to change from their Game 5 loss, other than the start. After allowing two goals in the first three minutes, Pittsburgh dominated much of the rest of the contest.

Only a stellar performance by San Jose goalie Martin Jones and a goal that Matt Murray allowed to Melker Karlsson later in the first gave the Sharks the win.