Cam Ward's tenure in Carolina may not be up.

The veteran Hurricanes goaltender is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, but general manager Ron Francis may be intent on retaining his services.

"Cam takes a lot of criticism, but Cam from December to the end of the year was one of the top five goaltenders in the league in goals-against and save percentage," Francis told reporters Thursday. "I think there’s some merit to revisiting that as we move forward."

While Ward did not see a heavy workload in the time frame cited by Francis, he did indeed have stretches of solid play.

Month	Appearances	Record	Shots Against	Save %
December	8	4-3-0	189	.905
January	5	3-0-2	134	.925
February	10	4-4-2	280	.914
March	8	4-1-3	220	.914
April	2	1-1-0	67	.925

While Eddie Lack is under contract for two more seasons at a cap hit of $2.75 million, Francis doesn't appear overly confident in his abilities to be a full-time starter, while the price for acquiring another goalie via trade or free agency may not be worth the loss of a familiar, albeit aging commodity like Ward.

"I think we’ll make a decision fairly soon in that regard," Francis said. "When we look at Cam, part of my job is making sure I go through the meetings with my pro (scouting) guys and assessing what’s out there in the free-agent market and then talking to all the other GMs to see which goaltenders may or may not be available and for the ones that are, what the price is.

"As I sit here today, do I want to give up a first-round pick for a goaltender that may have a year or two left on his deal and then we lose him, an older guy? Not really the plan I’m looking for."

The 2006 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has appeared in 564 regular season games with the Hurricanes, posting a career record of 269-208-68 with a .910 save percentage.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For a chance to witness Pittsburgh's first major North American championship won at home in over a half century, it'll certainly cost you.

Tickets for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and San Jose Sharks are hitting staggering units on the resale market.

As of just a few hours before puck drop, the cheapest seats are being valued at a minimum of $1,500, while tickets along the glass are available for just short of $10,000 a pop.

(Courtesy: Stubhub)

Meanwhile, an estimated 30,000 fans (who evidently don't have that sort of coin) flooding the streets outside Consol Energy Center and Market Square in anticipation of the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup.

This is probably why it took nearly two hours to drive in: pic.twitter.com/UlckpqtvXt

— Seth Rorabaugh (@emptynetters) June 9, 2016

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEW YORK, N.Y. - The National Hockey League might be suffering buyer's remorse after agreeing players can appeal a commissioner's decision to an outside arbitrator. The league asked a Manhattan federal court judge Wednesday to reject the redu...

It's not so much that the San Jose Sharks haven't been able to secure a lead - not a single one - through four games of the Stanley Cup Final. It's that the Pittsburgh Penguins refuse to trail.

In fact, NHL Public Relations informs us that the Penguins last trailed in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning, when they lost 4-3 in overtime. At no point during regulation in that game were the Penguins behind.

The last time the Penguins trailed in regulation was in Game 4 against the Lightning, when they were down 4-0. They made a game of it, scoring three times in the third period, but fell a goal short. In other words, the Penguins are on a dominant six-game stretch right now.

That's bad news for the Sharks. And here's more:

• Teams that have gone down 3-1 in the Cup Final have lost 31 of 32 times.
• The Penguins are 9-3 at home this spring.
• Pittsburgh's won 25 of 32 since Jan. 17 at home, including the playoffs.

Here's some good news for the Sharks:

• They're 3-0 in Game 5s in the playoffs.
• They've been tied with or trailed the Penguins by just one goal for 86 percent of playing time through four games.
• Home teams with a chance to clinch the Cup are only 9-8 since 2000.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If it wasn't his day job, we'd say he had too much time on his hands.

Vin Masi, an ESPN research specialist, decided to see if he could recite every Stanley Cup-winning goal of the expansion era.

When prompted by co-worker Mark Simon, Masi not only listed every winner, he even added details about many of the championship-deciding markers.

For his next trick, we'd like to see him do every winner ever.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh's been waiting a long time. And it's ready. It's actually never been more ready.

Penguins faithful were gathering outside Consol Energy Center early this morning, some lining up as early as 9 a.m., to view the game outdoors on a jumbotron.

Six hours before puck drop, to watch the game on a large screen outside Consol. #Penguins pic.twitter.com/99ByKCt5g8

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 9, 2016

The Penguins are looking to win the fourth Stanley Cup in club history, but first on home ice. They took care of business in Minnesota in 1991, in Chicago in 1992, and in Detroit in 2009.

In fact, the Pens have never lost a Cup-clinching game, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Dave Molinari. They beat the Stars in six games in '91, the Blackhawks in four straight in '92, and rallied from a 3-2 deficit to beat the Red Wings in seven in '09.

The last time Pittsburgh celebrated an in-city championship was 1960, when the Pirates won the World Series. Their subsequent titles in 1971 and 1979 were both won in seven games on the road.

Enjoy, Pittsburgh.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While pregame cliches may peg Thursday's night's Game 5 as just another game, Matt Cullen knows that is not the case.

The Pittsburgh Penguins lead the Stanley Cup Final 3-1 over the San Jose Sharks. One more win will crown new champions and Cullen admits that's all that is on his mind.

"You can’t fool yourself and say this is just another game. It doesn’t work. Your body knows it. Everybody knows it," said Cullen, according to Pens Inside Scoop. "It’s not like you can show up in the morning and say it's Game 40 in December or whatever. We understand how big this game is."

For Cullen a victory in one of the final three games would give him his second-career Stanley Cup after claiming his first as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

"I think you can share those experiences," Cullen said, recalling the 2006 postseason, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. "Really, it comes down to try to make the most of each moment. It’s a bit more of a challenge to keep your focus here. That’s the test for all of us. You’re close to the end of the road here. It’s exciting, but it’s about using that excitement as energy. We’re really happy with the position we put ourselves in, but now the work really begins."

Cullen has contributed four goals and two assists on his latest Cup-run.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban's no-trade clause kicks in July 1. Until then, things may get a bit silly.

TSN's Darren Dreger was on TSN Montreal 690 radio Thursday, and revealed that a Western Conference general manager who recently inquired about the availability of Subban was "flat-out told that (Subban) wasn't going to be available."

Subban's a lightning rod for criticism, even though he's put up more than 50 points from the blue line in each of the past three seasons. He had six goals and 45 assists in 2015-16, but the Canadiens collapsed, eventually missing the playoffs, which led to a lot of finger pointing in Montreal.

Dreger added that while circumstances can certainly change, he doesn't believe an offer that makes sense for Montreal will present itself.

Subban's under contract through 2021-22 at a cap hit of $9 million. He turned 27 on May 13.

- With h/t to Today's Slapshot

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

#StanleyCup game 5 "TONIGHT" @penguins

A video posted by Ross Ventrone (@rustybenson) on Jun 9, 2016 at 6:53am PDT

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ross Ventrone is a big fan of supporting local sports teams.

The backup defender is accustomed to playing the role of cheerleader. On Thursday he channeled his inner Herb Brooks and Kurt Russell in an effort to help the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup on home ice with the famous speech from the "Miracle on Ice".

This is not Ventrone's first venture in support of the Penguins' playoff run.

#StanleyCup

A video posted by Ross Ventrone (@rustybenson) on May 30, 2016 at 7:23am PDT

Game 7 tomorrow @penguins

A video posted by Ross Ventrone (@rustybenson) on May 25, 2016 at 4:14pm PDT

#StanleyCup Game 3

A video posted by Ross Ventrone (@rustybenson) on Jun 3, 2016 at 1:52pm PDT

#StanleyCup Preview of ice rink film session #BigUps @jasonrestich for the fotog n film n editing action... StayTuned

A video posted by Ross Ventrone (@rustybenson) on Jun 9, 2016 at 4:32am PDT

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The San Jose Sharks have plenty of concerns as they prepare for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night.

The Penguins lead the series 3-1, and aside from allowing Joonas Donskoi's overtime winner in Game 3, Pittsburgh hasn't trailed at any point in the final.

Here's a handful of questions facing the Sharks as they attempt to extend the series.

Can the stars break through?

San Jose's offensively gifted players have dominated the 2016 playoffs, but they've been shut down by the Penguins.

Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Logan Couture and Brent Burns have combined for only one goal in the final - Marleau's marker in Game 1.

Pavelski is still at a point-per-game pace in the postseason, but he's been held off the scoresheet entirely in all four Cup Final games. Couture was on a historic pace through three rounds, but has only a pair of assists in the last four contests.

The Sharks need more production from their top point producers.

Can the NHL's best road team win a game in Pittsburgh?

San Jose's 28-10-3 record away from SAP Center was the best regular-season road mark in the NHL, and the series shifts back to Pittsburgh for Game 5.

The Sharks defeated the Penguins in their only regular-season meeting at Consol Energy Center in November, but the Penguins held serve at home in Games 1 and 2 of the final.

Without the benefit of home-ice advantage, the Sharks needed to win on the road at some point in the series, and after losing Game 4 in San Jose, a win away from the Shark Tank is now imperative.

Can the Sharks overcome the odds?

Since the Stanley Cup Final went to a best-of-seven format in 1939, only one team - the 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs - has come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win, falling behind 3-0 in the series before stunning the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.

Teams that have held a 3-1 series lead in the Cup Final have won the championship 31 out of 32 times.

That doesn't bode well for the Sharks, but they do have a couple of more recent sources of inspiration, including one involving their opponent.

Recent Cup Final teams down 3-1 to win on Road in G5: 2006 Oilers (Pisani OT winner) and 2008 Penguins (Sykora 3OT winner).

— Mike Halford (@HalfordPHT) June 9, 2016

Can Martin Jones steal one?

Goaltending hasn't been much of a storyline in the series. Both netminders have played well, but neither Penguins goalie Matt Murray nor Martin Jones of the Sharks has stolen a game on their own.

Jones has allowed 10 goals on 133 shots in the final, which amounts to a respectable .925 save percentage, but he hasn't dominated any of the four games.

San Jose could use a show-stopping performance from Jones to avoid watching the Penguins celebrate another Cup victory Thursday night.

Is this the last chance for Thornton and Marleau?

The Sharks have several young players who will help the club build toward the future - Donskoi, Tomas Hertl, Melker Karlsson and even 26-year-old Jones, but San Jose's foundation is rooted in its core group of veterans.

Specifically, the Sharks' heart and soul lie in a pair of 36-year-old former captains, Thornton and Marleau.

San Jose is playing its first Cup Final and could certainly contend for future championships, but this very well could be the last opportunity for the two faces of the franchise who've been relatively successful together for more than a decade.

Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.