PITTSBURGH (AP) The Latest on Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final between the San Jose Sharks and Pittsburgh Penguins (all times local):
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9:35 p.m.
The Pittsburgh Penguins scored first, just as they did in Game 1, to move a step closer to taking a 2-0 series edge against the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup Final. Phil Kessel tapped in the puck from the right side of the net off assists from Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin, finishing off a fantastic shift by the trio.
The goal is Kessel’s 10th of the postseason.
At the other end, the Penguins did a good job defensively of keeping the puck along the boards when the Sharks had possession.
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9:05 p.m.
The San Jose Sharks talked a lot about starting strong after falling behind 2-0 and losing 3-2 to Pittsburgh in Game 1.
The Sharks didn’t have the jump they seemed to have in the second period Monday, when they outscored Pittsburgh 2-0, but they did have an 18-14 advantage on hits in the scoreless first. Pittsburgh outshot the Sharks 11-6 and won 12 of 21 faceoffs.
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8:30 p.m.
The Pittsburgh Penguins got a boost in Game 2, getting winger Bryan Rust on the ice after saying his status would be a game-time decision. Rust was questionable after taking a hit from San Jose’s Patrick Marleau in the third period of Game 1.
The NHL’s Department of Player Safety declined to call Marleau in for a hearing to discuss his hit. He was penalized for an illegal check to the head. Rust scored to help Pittsburgh win Game 1, his sixth goal of the postseason after scoring five times in 55 games of his career in the regular season.
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8 p.m.
Game 2s of the Stanley Cup Final have traditionally been pivotal, and lately three periods haven’t been enough.
The team that has won the second game of the seven-game series has ended up hoisting the Cup nearly 74 percent of the time since 1939, when the Final expanded to the current format, and in nine of the past 13 Game 2s.
Last year, both trends were not followed. Tampa Bay beat Chicago 4-3 in the only Game 2 since 2011 that wasn’t extended to overtime. And the Blackhawks ended up winning the Cup for the third time in six years.
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