It's not that they don't throw punches; it's not that they don't have knockout power. In terms of overall balance of play, it felt similar to Game 1 (plus a lot more Penguin shots), which was both optimistic and ominous for Nashville.
Too busy for Rinne and the rest of the Nashville Predators to keep up with the surging defending Stanley Cup champions. Of those teams, 90 percent went on to win the Stanley Cup, including Pittsburgh last season.
"We have to be more responsible with our actions", said Laviolette. "But we know the ultimate goal is two more wins and they're going to be tough to get".
Guarantees in sports are ridiculous because nobody can guarantee a damned thing, and besides, it would mean knowing Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne isn't in the middle of a collapse.
This was the downfall of the Preds, as Guentzel scored his second goal of the game a mere ten seconds into the period. He has found his touch at the right time for Pittsburgh, which leads the Final 1-0. The Penguins added two more goals in just under three and a half minutes, leading to Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne's exit to the game. And though the Pittsburgh Penguins failed to score on any of their seven power plays, all that time Nashville spent killing penalties would've been better spent trying to beat Matt Murray. Four seconds after a penalty on Josi _ he cross-checked Conor Sheary four times _ expired, Guentzel backhanded the rebound from Sheary's shot past Rinne. But the Predators were in near-complete control.
Guentzel tied it later in the period, planting his 5-foot-11 frame at the post, where he jabbed a backhand rebound to tie it.
Just 15 seconds later, Evgeni Malkin scored off a two-on-one, firing a ideal shot over Rinne's glove for a 4-1 lead.
Pittsburgh Penguins fans from all over headed to the game and the big screens outside of PPG Paints Arena. He was replaced by Juuse Saros. "For me, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity".
We hit on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first two games, but that doesn't mean it's time to give up on the Predators just yet.
Rinne gave up four goals on 25 shots and was outclassed again by Matt Murray, who stopped 37-of-38 shots. Laviolette is famously secretive, of course, so it might mean nothing.
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With No. 1 defenceman Kris Letang gone midway through the season, they finished 14th in shots for and against at five-on-five; going into Game 2 Wednesday night, Pittsburgh had the second-lowest percentage of five-on-five shot attempts of any team in the playoffs at 46.9 per cent, which in the regular season would make them the 29th-ranked team in hockey, and then it got worse.
"When we score one, we don't stop", Malkin said.
Goaltender Matt Murray missing the first two rounds of the playoffs.
"Yeah, I think. when teams start peppering us, we do a really good job of keeping the shots to the outside, and we limit the quality scoring chances", said winger Bryan Rust.
"It's not the situation we wanted coming here", said Rinne. "It plays a part, but I'm not probably maybe as big on it as other people".
The outburst marked a turnaround for a Penguins team that had been struggling on offence.
Jake Guentzel scored two goals and now has 12 in 21 playoff games to lead all scorers. Olli Maatta, sometimes, can be an adventure, and his soft play led to Aberg's goal. They went 9 minutes and 50 seconds without a shot, reminiscent of the second period of Game 1when they had no shots at all.
"You try to be good every game".
"We're going back home, we're going to win the next game and then we'll see what happens from there", Subban said.
Wednesday, the Nashville Predators goalie went to the bench.
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