NASHVILLE, Tenn – Behind a three-goal second period outburst, the Nashville Predators made a series of the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Photo by Don.Haas@prohockeynews.com
Trailing 1-0 after the first period, the Predators took control of the game with a stingier defense and a smothering penalty kill to set up the scoring.
After two games of suspect goaltending, Pekka Rinne came through with a solid effort in turning aside the Penguins’ offense when they did get limited chances.
The game turned chippy late with 10-minute misconducts handed out like candy by the officials as they looked to keep the game under control and avoid any message-transmission by Pittsburgh for Game 4 Monday night.
Jake Guentzel gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead early in the first period as Pittsburgh pressed early on and capitalized off a slick pass across the crease.
Rinne managed to keep the Predators in the game through the first period with five saves.
“The first part of the game, we are able to do whatever we wanted,” Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said after he game.
The game turned on the second period when the Predators struck twice in 42 seconds to take a 2-1 lead.
The goals came off strikes by Roman Josi on the power play and Frederick Gaudreau.
“He’s (Josi) as consistent a player as there is in the NHL,” Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette said.
The Penguins pushed back but a goal from James Neal made it 3-1 and sent the Bridgestone Arena into a frenzy.
Matt Murray was under serge after the first period and he certainly would like to have had two of those goals back in the middle frame.
“I started to the see the puck well in the second period,” Rinne said after the game.
With the two-goal lead heading into the third period, the Predators came out in the final frame with energy and hemmed the Penguins in their own zone and dominated play.
Craig Smith lit the lamp for Nashville at 4:54 of the period on a steal in the neutral zone and breakaway;Â Smith beat Murray high on the glove side to give the Predators a commanding 4-1 lead.
Photo by Don.Haas@prohocke3ynews.com
Mattias Ekholm closed out the scoring off a scramble to ice the game and send the tensions high on both benches as the teams
Neal picked up an unsportsmanlike call and Ekholm and Auston Watson picked up 10-minute misconducts late.
Phil Kessel, Chris Kunitz and Matt Cullen were assessed 10-minute misconducts for the Penguins.
Murray took the loss on 27 saves while Rinne made 27 saves for the win.
Game 4 is Monday night in Nashville at 7 PM Central time.
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