After recording the game-winner in Monday’s series opener, Guentzel scored Pittsburgh’s first two goals on Wednesday night, giving him an NHL-leading five game-winning playoff goals and 19 points in the postseason, the most of any American-born rookie in National Hockey League history.
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The Penguins beat Rinne three times in the first 3:28 of the third, scoring a 4-1 Game 2 win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night. And Jake Guentzel, hydroplaning a juicy rebound into a virtually empty net, becoming only the second rookie ever with a dozen goals in a single postseason.
Evgeni Malkin extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-1 just 15 seconds later, beating Rinne with a wrist shot during a two-on-one.
Guentzel was also the hero in Game 1, beating Rinne to break a 3-3 tie with just over three minutes left in regulation.
The Penguins and Predators are tied at 1-1 going into the third period of Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final.
Game Two of the Stanley Cup Final happens tonight in Pittsburgh. After taking a 3-0 lead on a Nick Bonino shot that was deflected into the net by Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm in the first period, the Penguins went a remarkable 37 minutes without a shot on goal. He allowed four goals on 11 shots in Game 1 and has allowed 20 goals over his past six games after allowing just 16 over his first 11 playoff games.
Jake Guentzel scored 10 seconds into the third period to put Pittsburgh in front. Just how long the series lasts will likely depend on whether he can regain his previous form before game three Saturday 7 p.m.
“It’s not his fault by any means”, Nashville captain Mike Fisher said of the goals allowed in Pittsburgh. The Predators are available at a lesser price than they were for game 1 after losing 5-3, and the majority of the action is coming in on them anyway. “We can’t thank the fans enough for their enthusiasm and all the Metro agencies and community partners who will make these events possible”.
Even when they had a power-play advantage, the Pens generated little against a Preds penalty kill – 0 for 5 through two periods with only two shots – that’s been excellent throughout the playoffs. “There’s things that we could’ve done – all three goals in the third period were odd-man rushes”. Needless to say, this could have been a much different game if the Predators had been able to play with the lead in the second period. “You could tell they want to do that so whether it’s from the point or from the sideboards they’re trying to get pucks in there and (Murray) did a great job of making those saves and sometimes second opportunities as well”.
“When we come with that kind of hunger and come out with those shifts and start building on it, that’s when we become a really good team”, veteran Penguins center Matt Cullen said.
On top of that, as documented in other places in the run-up to Game 2, Phil Kessel hasn’t put the puck in the net. They went 9 minutes and 50 seconds without a shot, reminiscent of the second period of Game 1when they had no shots at all.
Last year, some fans got hold of an eight-foot replica of a hammerhead shark and strung it up from a crane before the team went on to win the Stanley Cup Finals over the San Jose Sharks.
The game was stopped until the fish was removed from the ice.
“They are opportunistic”, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said of the Penguins. The Stanley Cup Finals are finally here.
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After public outcry and a groundswell of support for Waddell, both Nashville Mayor Megan Barry and whoever is mayor of Pittsburgh issued statements Tuesday saying that the charges should be dropped, because they are apparently reasonable people.
