Penguins crush Predators 6-0

The Penguins, from the opening faceoff, dominated the Predators, 6-0, in Game 5 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead and a chance to lift the Cup with a win in Game 6 on Sunday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.

From their album "Failed States", a fairly prophetic song even when it came out, but so much more so now. Save for a pair of flurries (one at the end of the first period in Game 1, the other at the beginning of the third period in Game 2) Nashville has been every bit Pittsburgh's equal. He lasted just two shifts into the second period before he went to the bench in pain.

Kessel, who had gone six games without scoring, broke out with a goal and two assists.

Nashville's goal differential in the playoffs at home is 34-15 in 10 games. Even Ron Hainsey chipped in with a goal.

Yes, Preds goalie Pekka Rinne has had issues (on the road, at least) in this series, and didn't make it past the first intermission in this game.

Crosby's three-assist game marked his 56th multi-point playoff game, tied for fourth most in National Hockey League history.

The Nashville Predators got slapped hard in the mouth by the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final Thursday.

"Still a lot of work to be done, but the way we played (Thursday) night, if we can build off that momentum that's important, but we know we're going to face a desperate team", he said. They may be going home, but they are all in an unfamiliar position with very little positives to pull from Game 5. "I don't think that necessarily they were bad goals".

It is also higher than the price of any NBA game SeatGeek has ever tracked, according to SeatGeek analyst Chris Leyden, exceeding the $1,946 average price tag for Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals. Or rather, it belonged to the Penguins captain.

The trash talk between the two continue throughout the series and in Game 5 both players were tangled up behind Pittsburgh's goalpost. "I think they understand how these series go and how, from one game to the next, we have to reset the mindset and just be ready to play that game right in front of us". The rest of the team aptly followed. In an exchange perhaps more befitting the mixed martial arts octagon, Crosby planted himself on top of Subban and proceeded to shove the defenseman's head into the ice multiple times. Pittsburgh then scored on the ensuing power play, with Schultz one-timing a pass from Crosby that seemed to redirect off a Nashville player's stick on its way in. "What people are going to say is what people are going to say". I came here well-prepared, and we didn't have it tonight. "We continued to do that". That was a huge game. Crosby set up Sheary - playing on his 25th birthday - in the low slot for a 4-0 Pittsburgh lead at 1:19 on the first shot by either team in the period.

The Penguins finally put a full game together and showed the Predators how good they can be. Oh, and then Evgeni Malkin scored with 10 seconds left in the period, after a ridiculous call on P.K. Subban for getting drilled in the head a dozen times. The Penguins kept attacking. After combining for zero points in Games 3 and 4, Malkin had a goal and an assist and Kessel a goal and two assists.

In three games in this series, he has allowed 11 goals on 45 shots, a save percentage of only.756.

"It's not really something I think about at all, to be honest", said Murray, who took over for Fleury midway through the Eastern Conference final. "Wanted to make sure that we played on our toes". And when he's vocal, it pushes you to be better. It's one game at a time.

There is one statistic that made a difference in Game 5 and will make a difference in Game 6 - the Penguins have 20 players who have hoisted the cup, and several have done it a few times. The Penguins played fast and with a goal.