I have no doubt the Penguins are a better hockey team than the Sharks, and nothing we saw Thursday in Game 5 at Consol Energy Center changes that opinion even slightly.
The Penguins were faster and more aggressive. They are deeper, and it took a heroic effort from Sharks goaltender Martin Jones for them to hold on for dear life and win the game 4-2.
But here are two things that I think, in the anticipation of a historic celebration, a lot of people in this town (me included) have lost sight of, and hopefully Thursday served as a reminder:
1) It’s hard to win a championship of any kind, and especially the Stanley Cup because it is such a long, hard grind and there are so many variables that a team must overcome.