Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

The Storyline From Nashville And Pittsburgh

06/06/2017 at 7:40am EDT

ffrom Joe Rexrode of The Tennessean,

Hockey is perfectly executed exchanges gone awry and random puck fumblings gone to the back of the net. It is a breathtaking commute between frustration and elation, and this city is all in for wherever this ride goes.

Hockey has existed in Nashville at the NHL level for 20 years, and the Nashville Predators are two wins from possessing its ultimate prize for the first time. Monday’s 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins to tie the Stanley Cup Final at 2-2 treated another combustible Bridgestone Arena crowd to thrills from one end of the ice to the other, enough promising opportunities for both teams that this could have ended 7-2 either way.

But that’s hockey. And the Predators might be the best hockey team going. That will be determined in what is now a best-of-three series, starting with Game 5 on Thursday at defending champ Pittsburgh, followed by Game 6 on Sunday back in Nashville.

One team or the other will hoist the Stanley Cup that night, or this will come down to Game 7 on June 14 at the Penguins’ PPG Paints Arena. Maybe throw in a few overtimes for good measure. Why not?

continued

from Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,

Lazy answer says the Penguins have to be frustrated beyond belief.

I mean, you saw the game, right? They had all kinds of glorious chances turned back by the resurrected Pekka Rinne. The power play again came up empty. Several sure goals turned into ridiculous Rinne saves.

The biggest of those, maybe the save of the series, was Rinne turning back Jake Guentzel’s one-timer on a feed from Crosby early in the second period with the score tied, 1-1.

Two minutes later, Rinne stopped Chris Kunitz on a breakaway. Seconds after that, Frederick Gaudreau scored on a wraparound.

The Penguins buzzed for the equalizer, but Viktor Arvidsson beat Matt Murray glove-side (pattern emerging) on a breakaway to make it 3-1.

That must have been frustrating.

All of it must have been. But you know what? I’m thinking the predominant feeling among the Penguins, once the frustration subsides, will be one of confidence going into Game 5.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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