from Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,

The feeling here in “Smashville” is that the Predators are on their way to the Stanley Cup. All it took was one win, a 5-1 drubbing of the Penguins Saturday night in Game 3 of the final series. Goaltender Pekka Rinne found his way after being lost in the first two games. The special teams embarrassed the Penguins’ special teams again. The defense, considered the NHL’s best, locked down like never before. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin failed to get a shot on goal, the first time they’ve been shut out like that together in a postseason game. Matt Murray looked human in his net. His defensemen appeared to be running out of miracles without Kris Letang.

Predators fans have legitimate reasons to be optimistic.

I have one reason to stick to my original prediction of Penguins in six games.

Mike Sullivan.

Penguins winger Phil Kessel is in a scoring slump and coaches and teammates are trying to figure out how to get him out of it.

Crosby, Malkin, Murray and the rest of the Penguins have to get it done on the ice, of course. They certainly are capable and have a Cup ring from last season to prove it. But no one makes me believe in the team more than Sullivan, who has found the right answer for every challenge and adversity that has come his way in this postseason.

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