Pittsburgh Penguins win Stanley Cup; defeat Nashville Predators for back-to-back titles

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The 2016-17 NHL season ended Sunday in Nashville. The Penguins closed out the Stanley Cup Final — and secured a championship repeat — by beating the Predators 2-0 in Game 6.

Patric Hornqvist and Carl Hagelin scored in the final 95 seconds of the third period and Pens goalie Matt Murray turned aside all 27 Preds shots.

PENS WIN THE CUP: Get Pittsburgh championship gear

The Penguins franchise, which debuted in 1967 as an expansion club, has now won five Stanley Cups (1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, 2017).

Sporting News provided live updates of Stanley Cup Final Game 6 between the Penguins and Predators. You can also check the  stats with SN's Game Center

Stanley Cup Final Game 6, Penguins vs. Predators: Live updates, score

11:32 p.m. ET: Mario Lemieux lifts the Cup for the third time as the team's owner, to go along with two as a player.

11:25 p.m. ET: CHAMPIONS!

11:22 p.m. ET: The passing of the Cup continues, but it all started with the Kid, Sidney Crosby:

11:10 p.m. ET: Sidney Crosby wins the Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup playoffs MVP. It's his second in a row, which is a rare accomplishment. Preds fans are not Crosby fans.

11:09 p.m. ET: One of the best traditions in all of sports: The post-series handshakes.

10:59 p.m. ET: FINAL: PENGUINS 2, PREDATORS 0. The Cup is going back to Pittsburgh.

10:57 p.m. ET: Pittsburgh is going to go back to back. Carl Hagelin scores an empty-netter with 13.6 seconds remaining. Pens up 2-0.

10:54 p.m. ET: Rinne leaves the ice. The Preds have the extra attacker on the ice with 1:10 to go.

10:52 p.m. ET: GOAL, PITTSBURGH. And, maybe the Stanley Cup. Patric Hornqvist scores on a rebound in front of the goal with 1:35 remaining. Nashville is challenging the goal, claiming goalie interference. Challenge denied. Ninety-five seconds until a repeat.

10:47 p.m. ET: This is why they play/bleed/bruise/break:

10:38 p.m. ET: Pittsburgh kills the 5-on-4/5-on-3/5-on-4. Nashville is now 0 for 4 with the man advantage. The Pens have yet to go on the power play.

10:33 p.m. ET: Two-man advantage for the Preds after Trevor Daley is called for roughing at 8:47.

10:31 p.m. ET: A third power play for the Predators; Olli Maatta is in the box for tripping at 7:19.

10:29 p.m. ET: This is a real pitcher's, er, goalie's duel.

10:19 p.m. ET: The third period has begun. Buckle in.

END OF SECOND PERIOD: PENGUINS 0, PREDATORS 0.

Pittsburgh holds a slight edge in shots on goal, 22-19. The Pens have yet to go on the power play. 

9:50 p.m. ET: This feels like 3-on-3 overtime: end-to-end action, great chances, huge saves. Let's see if these guys can keep up the pace. (They can, because it's the Cup.)  

9:39 p.m. ET: Murray makes a huge save against Colton Sissons to keep it 0-0.

9:33 p.m. ET: Another penalty kill for Pittsburgh.

9:28 p.m. ET: Another power play for Nashville. Conor Sheary goes off for tripping at 4:38.

9:22 p.m. ET: Nashville thought it had scored, but referee Kevin Pollock blew his whistle after losing sight of the puck in the crease. Really bad break for the Preds.

END OF THE FIRST PERIOD: PENGUINS 0, PREDATORS 0.

Not your typical goalless period. There was end-to-end action and chances galore. Both goalies were sharp.

9 p.m. ET: The condition of the ice is an issue. Doc Emrick said on the NBC broadcast that it was 85 and humid in Nashville.   

8:51 p.m. ET: Pittsburgh kills the penalty after mild pressure by Nashville.

8:48 p.m. ET: The first power play of the night goes to the Predators. Ian Cole is called for interference at 13:14.

8:40 p.m. ET: First TV timeout. Rinne is looking much better than he did in Game 5 (yeah, yeah, he couldn't look worse). Still, a good sign for the Preds. 

8:31 p.m. ET: And now a catfish foul. Random throw onto the ice four minutes into the first period. Bad timing, son.

8:25 p.m. ET: The Penguins create a chance in front of Pekka Rinne. P.K. Subban follows with a slap shot that's saved by Matt Murray.

8:23 p.m. ET: The catfish have been thrown, and we're ready for puck drop.

8:20 p.m. ET: It's Faith Hill to sing the anthem (on a Sunday night, no less). Powerful rendition. BONUS: Tim McGraw waves the towel!

8:10 p.m. ET: Subban was not available to the media prior to Game 6. He finally emerged to speak with NBC's Pierre McGuire during warmups.

7:47 p.m. ET: The Cup is in Nashville, and one of its keepers, Philip Pritchard of the Hockey Hall of Fame, is prepared to bring it to center ice if the Penguins win. A Pittsburgh victory would mean a second straight year of Phil Kessel carrying the Cup, and of Kessel getting to spend a day with it during the offseason. Before Game 6 Sunday, Pritchard shared a really nice story of where Kessel took the Cup on his day last year.

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Tom Gatto is a senior editor at The Sporting News.
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