Penguins win Stanley Cup: Watch final handshake line

Not even the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup on enemy territory and P.K. Subban’s bad breath could break the oldest tradition in sports.

NHL playoffs get praised year in and year out for being the best in all of sports. This year’s Stanley Cup Final did nothing to change that. The series between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins was tense and full of animosity. Yet, when all was said and done, the two teams still found time to shake hands at the end.

The Predators got to show why they had the best home-ice advantage in the playoffs, as their crowd in and out of the building stole the series. Yet the Penguins’ experience showed when they were able to capture the Cup in hostile territory while shutting out the home team.

Despite the loss, the fans took it in stride and stayed well beyond the final whistle to congratulate their team. They were also classy towards their opponent, as were the players in the final handshake line:

All eyes were on the exchange between P.K. Subban and Sidney Crosby after Listerine-gate became an unexpected storyline during the series. However, the two were able to put their differences aside. Crosby went on to win his second Conn Smythe in a row, proving why he’s the best player in the world.

In a sport where parity reigns supreme, winning the Cup back-to-back is extremely impressive. It hasn’t been done since the Detroit Red Wings won in 1997 and 1998. It’s an especially remarkable accomplishment for Matt Murray, who now has two Stanley Cups as a rookie. It’s arguably the greatest start to a career for any goalie.

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The Penguins didn’t show any signs of a Stanley Cup hangover by finishing second in the East. They were also able to navigate through the playoffs without their best defenseman, Kris Letang. Their depth is incredible, and because of it, it’s hard to think they won’t be in a lot more of these handshake lines.