from Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,

Going into Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final Monday night, the on-line betting site Bovada had Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne as the favorite to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL’s postseason MVP. His 1.70 goals-against average and his .941 save percentage were the best in these playoffs. He had stopped 446 of 474 shots in series wins against Chicago, St. Louis and Anaheim.

But then Rinne got to Pittsburgh.

Unbelievable things happen to him when he plays the Penguins.

A five-on-three power-play goal that was set up by teammate James Neal’s undisciplined stupidity, a goal by a player who hadn’t scored one all spring and an own-goal by teammate Mattias Ekholm happened to him Monday night....

The next shot that Rinne saw didn’t come until 3:17 was left in the game. A beautiful wrister by Jake Guentzel — a player who hadn’t scored in eight games and one many speculated would be scratched before the game — was the deciding goal in the Penguins’ 5-3 win.

That’s beyond surreal.

“It’s tough. He’s been a rock for us,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said of Rinne. “There’s no question about Pekks in net and what he’s capable of. He’s the backbone of this team.”

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