Pittsburgh Penguins’ kiddie corps delivers big-time to draw first blood against San Jose Sharks in Stanley Cup final

PITTSBURGH — They were banged up, beat up and, perhaps, fed up on Sunday, so much so that they could not show up for Media Day at the Stanley Cup final. Good thing Kris Letang and Nick Bonino weren’t no-shows on Monday.

In this, an exhilarating opener in what stands to be an outstanding final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks, Letang and Bonino produced one special snapshot of brilliance that now has the hosts leading this best-of-seven series 1-0 entering Game 2 on Wednesday.

With the Consol Energy Center clock precariously ticking down toward overtime, Letang, seeing that star Sharks defenceman Brent Burns was without his stick, went deep into the San Jose zone. With the puck on his stick, he looked up to see a welcoming sight.

“I saw (Bonino) on the back post and just tried to get it to him,” Letang said.

Mission accomplished.

Letang’s outstanding feed was converted by Bonino past Sharks goalie Martin Jones, giving the Penguins a 3-2 lead with just 2:33 remaining in regulation. It was a lead they would never relinquish.

“I just came into the zone a bit late and saw Tanger in the corner,” described Bonino. “Tanger put it on my stick.

“It wasn’t one of my hardest shots, but found a way to flip it in. Great pass by Tanger.”

And a lethal finish by Bonino, the well-travelled journeyman who seems to have blossomed with the Penguins.

That Letang produced some late-game magic is no surprise. In some regards, it is almost expected. He easily is the best blue-liner on the Penguins and one of the tops at his position in the league.

Bonino, well, that’s a different story. At least in the time leading up to this spring.

In the past three seasons, he’s played for three different teams — Anaheim, Vancouver and Pittsburgh. In that time, his regular season point totals have dropped by 10 — 49 with the Ducks, 39 with the Canucks, 29 with the Penguins.

But since being put on a line with Carl Hagelin and Phil Kessel, Bonino has blossomed. That trio has been the Penguins’ best unit for much of the playoffs, with all three turning into cult heroes in these parts.

Evgeni Malkin, left, of the Pittsburgh Penguins is dumped by Brenden Dillon of the San Jose Sharks during Game 1 action in the Stanley Cup Final Monday in Pittsburgh. The Penguins were 3-2 winners.

In honour of the HBK Line, the famed Primanti Brothers sandwich shop here in Pittsburgh created the HBK sandwich, featuring ham, bacon and kielbasa. After Bonino’s heroics in Game 1, chances are that demand for the gooey concoction were brisk Monday night.

After all the moving around he’s done in the past few years, Bonino finally seems to be in a comfortable place.

“I found a home,” he said.

Coach Mike Sullivan is thankful for that.

“I think he is a terrific player in every aspect of the game,” Sullivan said, adding that “he has an impressive hockey IQ”

Of course, the veterans weren’t the only ones who helped lead the Penguins on this night.

Youngsters Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust scored 62 seconds apart in the first period. But the Sharks battled back, with Tomas Hertl and Patrick Marleau replying in the second.

Cue Bonino’s heroics.

A year ago, Sheary and goalie Matt Murray were with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, while Rust was yo-yoing between the farm team and the parent club.

What a difference a year makes.

Entering the 2016 Stanley Cup tournament, these youngsters appeared to be no more than the supporting cast for a star-studded Penguins team featuring big names like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Now, six weeks later, the fill-ins are occupying front-and-centre roles.

If the Penguins go on to win the Stanley Cup, these three kids will deserve a huge chunk of credit. So, too, will Sullivan, who coached all three with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm club.

“It doesn’t surprise me,” Sullivan said of his terrific trio of kids. “They all show a maturity beyond their years.”

Indeed, Murray, Sheary and Rust all played roles in getting the Penguins to the latter stages of the game.

That’s when Bonino and Letang sealed the deal