Many Nashville Predators fans erased their visions of their hockey team skating around the ice with the Stanley Cup after Game 1 and 2. Despite the Predators holding Pittsburgh without a shot on goal for 37 minutes, the Penguins walked away with two victories. Game 2 was a disaster for Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne, who let in 3 goals in under 4 minutes. However, the momentum has shifted to the Predators’ favor. They won 4-1 last night and 5-1 in Game 3. As the teams prepare to meet in Pittsburgh for Game 5, the Predators seem to have the edge.
Pekka Rinne’s flawless play
Goalie Pekka Rinne denied the Penguins all evening in Game 4. The highlight of Rinne’s night occurred when Crosby tried to sneak one past him. The play resulted in two rebounds and a stretched out Rinne, who stopped both shots. With Rinne on this much fire, Pittsburgh will be hard pressed to get anything by the goalie. The only goal of the evening for the Penguins came from Sidney Crosby on a power play. Rinne ended the night with 23 saves.
Predators laying it on thick
In Game 3 and 4, the Predators hit the Penguins all game and stayed with the puck until the end. This included a perfectly placed pass from Mike Fisher. As Fisher fell, he flicked the puck to the quick skating Viktor Arvidsson.
Arvidsson flew down the ice and beat goalie Matt Murray to set up the third goal in last night’s match-up. This seemed to take the sails out of Pittsburgh’s game. Nashville kept the puck off Pittsburgh’s sticks for most of the night.
A delayed Gaudreau goal
The referees mysteriously stopped the game at the start of the second period.
Frederick’s Gaudreau’s shot was being reviewed. Matt Murray appeared to have made a spectacular save, as he reached back with his glove and stopped the puck. However, the officials decided that it was a goal. The replay showed the puck sliding over the goal line. That gave the Predators a 2-1 lead and seemed to be karma for the goal that the referees took away from P.K.
Subban in Game 1. It was unclear whether P.K. Subban would be out for the rest of the third period when he hobbled off the ice after he injured his knee. However, Subban did come back to finish the game and looks good to go for Game 5.
The Predators have outshot The Penguins in this series. For Pittsburgh to win, they need to keep the puck more and put more pressure on Nashville. Finesse and fancy stick handling will probably not work for the Penguins. Limiting the damage that Filip Forsberg can do, who has been a force on the ice, is needed when Pittsburgh hosts the Predators this Thursday.
