2016 Stanley Cup Final Review
Momentum is a strange thing in sports and is a much-debated topic with some believing that it doesn’t exist and others believing that it is a big part of any game.
Momentum is not something that can be measured or seen it is more of a feeling that fans and players go through.
Regardless of if it is real or not the fact is that in many player’s minds it is a real thing and that is where it comes in handy most of all.
It can be in a game where everything seems to be going wrong until they start to get bounces and score goals and then it seems like they can do no wrong.
That type of thought process makes a player better as they get the confidence that things are going right and they can do anything including winning the game despite a bad start.
On the other hand, it can seem like things are going wrong and that you can’t do anything right.
That can weigh on a player to the point where it seems like they can’t get out of a hole and they can build that up in their minds.
It can also happen throughout a season as a team can see both sides of momentum swings even in the extended period.
They can start off a season great only to begin falling apart and when that happens the team usually can’t seem to get things going for them.
The bounces don’t go and scoring droughts happen as a team that once had everything in their favour can’t seem to get things going without any real reason.
Then there is what happened with the Pittsburgh Penguins this year as they looked to get back to the Stanley Cup.
The Penguins looked great on paper before the season started as they had added some key players that seemed like they were ready to make another serious run.
When the season started that wasn’t the case as the Penguins looked terrible with this new line-up.
Everyone wondered what was happening with this team and how they could turn things around.
It seemed like they were out of the playoff hunt before the halfway mark of the season.
It was that negative side of momentum where nothing seemed to be going right for the Pens.
The bounces never went their way and the goals began to dry up as they fell further behind with every game.
Then they made a move firing their head coach and bringing in Mike Sullivan to try to turn things around.
Whether it was Sullivan installing something else or just the shock of a big change the Penguins began finding that other side of momentum.
In the second half, the Pens were an entirely different team as they began putting together big wins one after another.
Out of nowhere the team looked like they could do no wrong and for the players that only made things easier.
When the belief that things will be alright and that games aren’t over until the final whistle begins to take hold it is hard to stop a team and the players.
That is what the Penguins were experiencing and everyone that played them began facing this tower of momentum going in Pittsburgh’s way.
They rode that momentum to a great season comebacks they went from sure losers to a division playoff team.
The crept into the top three in their division and eventually that earned them a playoff spot.
The Penguins were easily the hottest team heading into the playoffs as the momentum was leaning far in their favour as they started the second season.
That is usually a good sign as the hottest team often makes a big impact throughout the playoffs.
The Penguins did just that as they took out the Rangers in five games before a tough test in the rival Capitals.
Even then they finished off Washington in six games before finally earning a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven.
They began losing some momentum near the end but they still looked like one of the best teams throughout the playoffs.
They were set to face another team that looked great throughout every round of the playoffs in the San Jose Sharks.
The Sharks were going strong throughout the western conference playoffs and they had finally earned their first Stanley Cup Final berth after years of coming so close.
They were determined to make this the time the one that they could take home a cup to California.
With Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau both set to be emotional rallying points, both came into the finals after putting in the most games without a Stanley Cup.
Still though that momentum seemed to be on the side of the Penguins as they quickly came out to a two-game lead.
They took both games at home and started off well but the Sharks were not done taking Game 3 and making the Penguins sweat.
The Pens took the next game though and truly got a strangle hold going up 3-1 and heading home for Game 5 with a chance to hoist the cup.
Despite being outplayed the Sharks fought back in Game 5 and took the win leaving the Penguins trying to ensure that they stayed on the right side of a big lead.
In Game 6 the Penguins were once again in control from the start but this time, they didn’t let the Sharks take the lead as they lead from the start.
The win gave the Penguins another Stanley Cup, their second since 2009.
The Penguins had nothing at the start of the season but out of nowhere the momentum swung to their side and they rode that momentum all the way to a Stanley Cup Finals.
Momentum is a funny thing and for the Penguins, whether they believe it or not, it helped them to hoist the ultimate prize in hockey.
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