Pens' Close in on Cup with Win

Just as the San Jose Sharks were beginning to catch on, the Pittsburgh Penguins came along to snuff out their chances. In a Stanley Cup game that was as closely contested on the ice as any yet, the Penguins scored a 3-1 victory in San Jose Monday. Now the determined Penguins, who withstood more pressure on the road than they have in this series, have a 3-1 series lead heading back to Pittsburgh with a chance to clinch. The Stanley Cup finals betting for this best-of-seven affair will lean solidly in their favor.

Game 4

The Penguins held a 2-0 lead going into the third period of Game 4 on goals by Ian Cole in the first period and Evegni Malkin in the second. It was Cole's first goal of the season and Malkin's first point of the series. The Penguins' power play had gone 0-for-7 in the finals before Malkin scored his goal at 2:37 of the second period. But unlike the previous games in the series, the two teams' shots and possessions were even. And when Melker Karlsson scored for the Sharks midway through the third, San Jose mounted a furious rally to try to tie it. But Eric Fehr scored late in the period to virtually put the game away. For the first time in the series, the Sharks actually outshot the Penguins, 24-20.

Stanley Cup Finals Betting

You get the idea that the Sharks are getting better as this series progresses. But it will probably be too little too late, and don't be surprised to see the Penguins clinch at home on Thursday. They're just one win away from their fourth Cup and their first since 2009. Meanwhile the Sharks will attempt to cling to hope for their first NHL title in their 25-year franchise history. As far as Stanley Cup finals betting is concerned, the Penguins are the prohibitive favorite for the series. For the game betting, they'll be at least -130 for Thursday's game back at home. That number or better is worth taking. The Sharks, though a good road team in the regular season and OK as visitors to LA and St. Louis in the postseason, are 0-5 in the longer trips to Nashville and Pittsburgh.