FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 6th, 2016

2016 STANLEY CUP FINAL GAME 4 NOTES & QUOTES – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS. SAN JOSE SHARKS

“The Penguins will go back to Pittsburgh and have a chance to win the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.” – Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick

Penguins Lead Sharks 3-1 – Game 5 Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

“People were worried about Evgeni Malkin. I don’t think they need to worry about him anymore.” – Pierre McGuire

“When you’re faced with the electricity of Metallica, you fight it off with KISS defense – ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid.’” – Mike Milbury

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 6, 2016 – NBC Sports Group continued its exclusive coverage of its 11th consecutive Stanley Cup Final tonight with Game 4 featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks on NBC from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. The Penguins won Game 4 by a score of 3-1 to move within one win of the 2016 Stanley Cup, as Evgeni Malkin scored his first goal of the series and Phil Kessel recorded a pair of assists.

Pittsburgh now leads the Stanley Cup Final 3-1. The Penguins can win the 2016 Stanley Cup with a Game 5 victory on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET on NBC at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa., with pre-game coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Four-time Emmy Award-winning play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member and analyst Eddie Olczyk, and Emmy Award-winning Inside-the-Glass analyst Pierre McGuire called Game 4 tonight from SAP Center. This marks the 10th consecutive year that Emrick, Olczyk and McGuire have combined to call the Stanley Cup Final for NBC Sports Group.

Coverage began on NBCSN at 6 p.m. ET with NHL Live. Kathryn Tappen hosted alongside analysts Jeremy Roenick, Anson Carter and Brian Boucher on-set outside of SAP Center. Dave Briggs reported on the action inside and outside the building.

Coverage shifted inside the arena at 7:30 p.m. ET with host Liam McHugh, who was joined by analysts Mike Milbury and Keith Jones.

Tonight’s pre-game coverage also featured interviews with San Jose mayor Sam Liccardo; Sharks radio analyst and two-time Olympian Bret Hedican; Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi, who’s been a Sharks season ticket holder since 1992; and Metallica frontman James Hetfield, who performed the National Anthem prior to Game 4 alongside Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. In addition, coverage included a live interview inside SAP Center with top 2016 NHL Draft American prospects Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk.


NHL Live
(6-8 p.m. ET) on NBCSN

Roenick on Sharks forward Joonas Donskoi: “I thought the best player would be Joe Pavelski, but the best player for me (in the series for San Jose) has been Joonas Donskoi. He has really come in and shown so much energy, so much poise beyond his years obviously scoring the biggest goal of the season last game in overtime. He’s so smart moving the puck…this kid never stops moving his feet and he has so much courage going to the net.”

Carter on Penguins forward Nick Bonino: “Nick Bonino has been their best player. He’s done a little bit of everything for the Penguins, with how he plays down low. He gives Hagelin and Kessel a chance to do their thing up front, but he’s also been super effective at blocking shots. He’s a two-way player that gives Mike Sullivan to play him against any line on the Sharks.”

Roenick on rookies outshining stars in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final: “I don’t think anybody could have seen this coming. You think the stars will rise to the occasion, but for the San Jose Sharks, all of their stars have no goals – Thornton and Pavelski no goals, Marleau just one goal. On the Pittsburgh side of things, Malkin no goals, Crosby no goals. It’s amazing to really watch these young guys take over. The rookies have been the story.”

Carter on the Sharks’ fan base: “I lost my voice yelling and screaming over these fans during the post-game of Game 3. That’s an indication of how loud the San Jose Sharks fans can be.”

Boucher on Penguins goalie Matt Murray: “His Game 3 was OK…unfortunately for goaltenders, you’re judged on what you don’t stop. The Joel Ward goal was one he should have had…no passing option, he sees it all the way and he simply misses it…in defense of Matt Murray, he hasn’t had a ton of offensive support…I love the fact that he was unfazed after the loss…he’s rock-solid for a 22-year-old.”

Milbury on the Penguins’ shot-blocking: “The shot-blocking has been terrific for Pittsburgh throughout the series…it’s made it really difficulty for San Jose to find a way to get the puck to the net…but the downside is you can create a screen in front of your goaltender. That was clearly the case on Braun’s goal in Game 3.”

 

Game 4 (8 p.m. ET) on NBC

First Period

Olczyk on Ian Cole goal, 1-0 Penguins: “The puck is in the middle of the ice, and the Sharks are going for a change. A big rebound and everybody is on one side of the ice. The last three plays by the Penguins – Dumoulin had a chance, Maatta had a chance, and Cole had a chance – all defensemen.”

First Intermission

Milbury on the Penguins: “When you’re faced with the electricity of Metallica, you fight it off with KISS defense – ‘Keep It Simple, Stupid.’”

Second Period

McGuire on Evgeni Malkin power-play goal, 2-0 Penguins: “On the off-day, Malkin talked about how their power play needs to make harder plays – Exhibit A right there.”

McGuire: “People were worried about Evgeni Malkin. I don’t think they need to worry about him anymore. He’s been jumping tonight…Malkin ready to play here in Game 4.”

Olczyk after shots hitting post by Penguins’ Justin Schultz and Tom Kuhnhackl: “This post is taking a beating.”

Olczyk on Sharks’ line change to Couture-Thornton-Pavelski: “If you’re San Jose, you’ve got to stay with this line. One shot in this period is not good enough.”

Second Intermission

Jones on Malkin: “Mike Sullivan recognized that Evgeni Malkin had his game going in the first period. He starts to free up Malkin, puts him out there with Sidney Crosby to start the second period.”

Milbury on Penguins defenseman Kris Letang: “A marvelously disciplined effort – Letang has just been superb in his decision-making in this game…this has been his best game of the playoffs.”

Third Period

McGuire on Melker Karlsson’s goal, 2-1 Penguins: “It’s virtually the same position – watch where the puck goes in, off the left hip and by the glove. Remember Joel Ward’s goal in Game 3.”

McGuire on Eric Fehr’s goal, 3-1 Penguins: “What a luxury to have a player like Eric Fehr. Jim Rutherford brought him over from Washington…in junior hockey, he scored 50 and 59 goals (in consecutive years). He’s always been a pure goal-scorer, and he doesn’t waste any time.”

Emrick: “The Penguins will go back to Pittsburgh and have a chance to win the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday.”

Emrick: “It was October 1960 the last time a Pittsburgh team named the Pirates, Steelers or Penguins won a championship within the city limits. There have been 11 titles since then, but none of them won at home – something these Penguins have a chance to do Thursday. Maybe Bill Mazeroski will be there.”

Post-Game

Milbury on the Penguins: “They had a brilliant game plan. They simplified it to the point where San Jose was totally frustrated.”

Milbury: “A really brilliant game by Kris Letang.”

Jones on Matt Murray: “He was outstanding in this game. When San Jose started to come in the third period, Matt Murray was there to close the door…in control throughout the night.”

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–