Predators stay ‘hungry’ heading into big show
Nashville just the third team seeded last in conference to reach Cup final since ’94
The Nashville Predators, the final team into the NHL playoffs, are headed to the first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history.
Head coach Peter Laviolette insists they won’t just be happy to be there, either.
“Our guys know the big picture,” Laviolette said.
“They understand what it is that we’re trying to do here. And when that time comes, we’ll be ready.”
Colton Sissons scored a hat trick with his third goal the game-winner with 6:00 left, and goalie Pekka Rinne made 38 saves as the Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3 on Monday night in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.
Now the team no one outside of Nashville expected to be here is waiting to face either defending champion Pittsburgh or Ottawa for the Stanley Cup. Game 1 is Monday. No matter what happens next, the Predators already have turned in a thrilling run this post-season as just the third franchise seeded last in its conference to reach the Stanley Cup Final since the NHL went to the current conferencebased playoff format in 1994.
The Edmonton Oilers lost to Laviolette’s Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, while the Kings beat New Jersey in six in 2012.
They also are the eighth team in the past 15 seasons to reach the Stanley Cup Final after finishing the regular season outside the top 10 in the final standings.
Nashville’s magical run started by sweeping the West’s No. 1 seed in Chicago.
The Predators downed St. Louis in six to reach their first conference finals, and now they’ve knocked off the Pacific Division champ in Anaheim, which lost for the second time in three years in the Western finals.
Rinne, the Predators’ longest tenured-player at 34, called the victory an amazing feeling.
“It’s a funny thing though,” Rinne said.
“Everything that is happening around us, you still feel hungry and now we have a chance to play for the Cup. It’s a pretty amazing feeling and you’re working for that for a long, long time. I feel like the last number of years, we’ve been going in that direction, building this team and having more depth.”
Added Sissons: “I don’t think I even dreamt of this moment, scoring a hat trick in the Western Conference clinching game, but I can’t speak enough for just our whole group.
“We’ve been through some challenges together and we stuck together no matter what, just always believed and here we are.”