NASHVILLE, Tenn – With 1:32 left in regulation, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Patric Hornqvist banked a shot off Nashville Predators’ goalie Pekka Rinne to break a scoreless tie in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
With the puck drop off the face off Rinne went to the bench for an extra attacker as the Preds pressed for the tying goal.
But with the six skaters in the offensive zone, Carl Hagelin picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated in to deliver the dagger to the Nashville hopes with an empty net goal.
The goal sealed the 2017 Stanley Cup Championship for the Penguins, their second straight.
For the Nashville Predators, it was a amazing run but in the end Matt Murray stole the show with back-to-back shutouts of the Preds. 6-0 in Game 5 and 2-0 in Game 6.
The Nashville faithful left no doubt of their feelings for their home squad with a long session of “Let’s Go Preds” after the final horn.
Rinne made 28 saves in the loss.
Murray made 27 saves to the second Stanley Cup of his rookie career so far.
The Predators had appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the middle frame off a scramble in the crease but the puck crossed the line after the referee had had the intent to blow his whistle.
Video review upheld the call and the Murray retained his shutout bid.
It’s hard to argue the strength of experience in a Final series and the Penguins used every once of that experience to exert their will in the six games.
Now it is wait until next year for 29 NHL clubs and the Las Vegas Knights who debut this coming fall.
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