Preds even Stanley Cup Final at 2-2, beat Penguins 4-1
Rinne spectacular in goal; Pittsburgh Crosby scores first goal in series
great fans,” Rinne said. “It’s a great feeling. We played two really good games.”
Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby scored his first goal in the series after not getting a shot on goal in Game 3. The goal was his first in the Stanley Cup Final since June 4, 2009, a span of 12 games, but it was not enough as the Penguins lost two straight for the second time this postseason. Goalie Matt Murray lost consecutive games for the first time in his young career.
“It’s hard to win when you score one goal,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I thought tonight of all nights, we generated the most chances of the highest quality.”
Nashville tapped country singer Dierks Bentley as the latest star to sing the national anthem, while Jason Aldean waved the towel to rev up the crowd. Former NBA star and TV commentator Charles Barkley also was on hand, accepting NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s invitation to watch in person. Carrie Underwood admitted during the second intermission that she did not get Fisher, her husband, a birthday present on Monday — holding out hope that a Stanley Cup championship celebration would do the trick in coming days.
“That’s all I wanted for my birthday,” Fisher said afterward of the big win.
Craig Smith ricocheted a puck off Murray’s pads that Jarnkrok tapped in at 14: 51 to start the fans yelling louder. Pittsburgh lost a challenge for goalie interference.
Just 66 seconds later, Crosby tied it up for Pittsburgh on a dazzling breakaway. He skated in on Rinne, holding the puck, faking a slap shot and then slipping one past the goalie for his eighth goal and 24th point of the playoffs. He also moved into 20th all-time in NHL playoff points but the Predators clamped down after that.
Rinne kept it tied in the early minutes of the second first with a stop of Jake Guentzel before a big save on Chris Kunitz on a breakaway. And then came Gaudreau’s goal, confirmed only after the horn sounded and officials reviewed the play. They ruled Gaudreau’s wraparound attempt slid the puck just over the line before Murray stopped it, giving Nashville a 2-1 lead 3:45 into the second.
“I heard it on the bench that it was possibly in the net,” Gaudreau said. “I wasn’t certain. When I heard the horn, I sort of thought it was in.”
Crosby had another breakaway nearly midway through the period, and Rinne stopped him not once, but twice. Then the goalie slid to his right stopping Guentzel with an assist from Nashville defenseman Roman Josi. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin finished with six shots, but just the lone goal.
“It’s a game of execution,” Crosby said. “They capitalized on our mistakes, and we have to do the same.”
Arvidsson made it a 3-1 Nashville lead with his first goal since the end of the first round. James Neal started the play, getting the puck to Fisher who fed the puck up to Arvidsson while falling to the ice. Arvidsson beat Murray under his glove, putting the puck just inside the right post at 13:08.
“If I make the save there, it could be a different game,” Murray said.
Forsberg sealed the win with an empty-netter with 3:23 left.