06 June, 2017
Murray allowed five goals on 33 shots in Game 3.
Coming up empty in six minutes of power play time was tough, but the Penguins only recorded one shot on Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne during that time. When the player attempting the zone entry gives away the puck after the Penguins have already set up in the offensive zone, they hand the Predators a breakaway or odd-man rush that the Penguins are not prepared to stop.
Crosby had another breakaway almost midway through the period, and Rinne stopped him not once, but twice. It was basically win or face the inevitable for Nashville in Game 3. But his performance in Game 4, when Nashville could conceivably send the series back to PPG Paints Arena with a stalemate through four matchups, figures to be the X-factor for a Pens team that's thrived when their young goalie has showcased his signature poise. "We can't force any plays and that's what we did there on all our power plays".
The puck drops shortly after 8:00 pm ET. "We played two really good games". The score was tied at 1 at the time, and Nashville rookie Frederick Gaudreau scored Nashville's second of the game 16 seconds later on a wraparound under the stick of Matt Murray that was not initially called a goal on the ice.
The defending champion Penguins will host Game 5 on Thursday night, hoping home ice is an advantage after being outscored 9-2 in losing the two games in Nashville after averaging 4.5 goals in winning the first two.
(And to those in the 716, it means no coach for the Sabres this week, with General Manager Jason Botterill clearly needing this series to end before he can have his sitdown with Pittsburgh assistant Rick Tocchet and Nashville aide Phil Housley).
The Predators continue to have the blueprint to win games, as they are getting more shots and being more physical than Pittsburgh. The Penguins are 10-3 in the last 13 meetings. Now there is guaranteed to be at least a fifth game in the series, if not more, depending on how the next game goes.
Bonino was in a suit and, using crutches and in a walking boot about an hour before the start of pregame warmups.
Martina McBride performed before puck drop of the Predators first Stanley Cup Final home game, on Saturday (June 3).
The Penguins had some goalie drama of their own earlier in the post-season when they chose to replace Marc-Andre Fleury with Matt Murray as the team's starter midway through the Eastern Conference Final. Laviolette sat veterans Cody McLeod and Vern Fiddler to get more speed with Harry Zolnierczyk and P.A. Parenteau. It was Crosby's first goal of the series. He's always had a personality that belongs on the biggest stage possible.
"It was just a dumb redneck with a bad idea, and it's turned into all this", he said. "You have no idea how special it is for us and I am so proud to be a Nashville Predator".
Can he skate and play effectively enough on a foot that barely allows him to walk? Fans packed shoulder to shoulder almost an hour before Jackson's concert with the street then being used for an outdoor viewing party. He says the Predators are excited for Game 3.
Predators forward Harry Zolnierczyk says the atmosphere was insane through the first three rounds of the playoffs and now sees Nashville revamping everything downtown.
This wasn't Nashville's Ryan Johansen whining in the third round that Anaheim's Ryan Kesler was such a dirty player that his family and friends should be embarrassed.
