03 June, 2017
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Nick Bonino will be a game-time decision for Saturday's Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in Nashville.
He delivered an All-Star guarantee for Saturday night. And Predators defenseman P.K. Subban added to the frenzy by guaranteeing a Predators' win in Game 3, then doubling and tripling down on his prediction.
Subban came very close to guaranteeing a win in the moments after Pittsburgh's 4-1 win Wednesday night.
But the Preds can't take back those minutes and, consequently, are down two games to none heading into Game 3. Ultimately, we have to be realistic with where we're at. We're down, two-nothing. We're coming back in our barn, and we don't lose here.
Rinne told reporters he knows who is starting in net for the Predators.
Rinne went into the final with the stingiest numbers in net this postseason and a favorite to win the Conn Smythe trophy as postseason MVP.
Rinne posted a.976 save percentage against Chicago in the first round (.991 at even-strength), a.932 save percentage against the St. Louis Blues in the second round and a.925 save percentage against Anaheim in the third round.
For instance, on San Jose'sthird goal, the sequence of inevitablity started with a San Jose dump-in.
"It's not his fault by any means", Nashville captain Mike Fisher said of the goals allowed in Pittsburgh. "I think there's things we can do better". "As a player, as a team or as a coach, any of us who are associated with the Stanley Cup final, you can't help but get excited by the types of environments that these guys are playing in".
Penguins goaltender Matt Murray, who turned away 37 of 38 shots in Game 2, trails as a +550 wager to emerge as this year's Conn Smythe victor.
"There's nothing that can replace Peks", Ellis said.
Will Rinne return for another chance at redemption?
Maybe Jones feels that way because the Predators are 7-1 at home during this playoff run.
Murray said the Penguins understand what they will be facing in Nashville, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com: "We know it's going to be more of a challenge in Nashville".
And yet it's the Penguins who lead the series 2-0 and have outscored Nashville 9-4. "You've got to go out there and do whatever you can to make you better and to make you prepared for whatever's thrown at you", Hagelin said. That includes the last three such situations with the Kings winning in 2012 and 2014 and the Penguins a year ago. The Penguins lost 5-1 in Nashville last October, and the atmosphere will be much more intense this time around with a forecast that could include fan-tossed catfish. "We've had tremendous success in our building and we're going to take advantage of it". "Obviously they're going to be tough to get".
