"It's incredible", said Rinne, who was sensational in Games 3 and 4 in Nashville, helping the Predators even the series.
Murray, who entered the game 9-0 in the postseason following a Pittsburgh loss, also allowed a first period rebound goal by Calle Jarnkrok and a breakaway goal to Viktor Arvidsson in the third. "It's an opportunity for us to get on the ice, play the best game that we can play and put ourselves in a position to accomplish the ultimate goal, and I think that's how our team is certainly looking at it, that this is a great challenge and it's a great opportunity and we're excited about it".
The biggest factor for the Predators in game three and four was the way goaltender Pekka Rinne regained his form.
Sullivan said earlier this series that the duo is most effective "when they're playing the game the right way, they're winning puck battles, they're good on the wall, they're stopping on pucks, they're being hard to play against".
No matter how Game 5 ends, look for Sullivan to stress the importance of what the Penguins did away from the puck and how they handled breakouts more than the final score and its implications for the Stanley Cup Final's outcome. "It's nice to have your fans cheering you on and screaming and giving you extra energy, but at the same time, I think maybe we deserved to win one of the first two games and we felt we played good", he said.
The goal was Crosby's first goal in the Final since June 4, 2009, a span of 12 goalless games for the Pittsburgh captain.
With eight goals and 27 points, Crosby isn't leading the playoffs in scoring (Malkin is).
"It's not easy, but I know I can be better myself", Malkin said.
The Preds also contained the Penguins in the wins, holding them to just two goals while snuffing out six power-play attempts. Although, like Laviolette, he wouldn't make an ironclad commitment, though he did say, "The one comment I will make is that we didn't lose (Game 4) because of our goaltending".
Both Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were held without a shot in Game 3 - the first time that's happened to the duo in the same playoff game and for just the fifth time in Crosby's postseason career.
Holcomb fire north of Big Bear burns 850 acres; voluntary evacuations begin
Holcomb Valley Road - also known as 3N16 - is closed between Highway 18 and Van Dusen Canyon Road - also known as 3N09. The DC-10 can carry 12,000 gallons of water or fire retardant which can be dropped in a matter of seconds.
Their two scariest remaining offensive players only just got in on the action in Game 4.
"If anything we just need to press a little more", Cullen said. "I don't think that they were necessarily bad goals". "This is a team that Games 1 and 2, there were a few minutes where we liked our game for some of it, then other parts of it, they took over".
Matt Murray also was stellar in net for a 24-save shutout, the third time in Cup history a rookie goalie blanked his opponent.
Would you rather listen to the same 10 clichés that we usually get in hockey interviews or have a good laugh at a colourful comment? The Stanley Cup Final is down to a best-of-three, as Penguins fans freak out over everything from the goalies to the defense to a catfish being chucked onto their home ice. But once the game started, the ice belonged to the Penguins.
So the Predators limp back to Nashville for Game 6, facing elimination.
"Clearly the stage is not too big for him", Fisher said after Gaudreau scored the go-ahead goal and game-winner in Game 4 on Monday night.
Murray has started every game for the Penguins since replacing Fleury in the first period of Game 3 against the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Final.
"I don't know, that's anybody's guess", Sullivan said.
Each team now needs two victories to win the Cup.
Comments