Penguins Down Predators, Now Two Games Away from Stanley Cup

The Pittsburgh Penguins are rolling now and are up two games to zero in the battle for the NHL’s Stanley Cup.

A big third period led the Penguins to a 4-1 triumph over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Nashville struck first with a picture-perfect goal by Pontus Aberg who scored at the 12:57 mark of the first period. The Penguins quickly answered with a goal of their own by red hot rookie Jake Guentzel who beat Predators goalie Pekka Rinne less than four minutes later. It was Guentzel’s eleventh goal of the playoffs.

As in Monday’s series opener, Nashville dominated for extended lengths of time, putting a whopping 32 shots on net in the first two periods. Yet nothing got by Penguins goalie Matt Murray who has been lights out ever since replacing Marc Andre-Fleury in the previous round against the Ottawa Senators.

But it all came crashing down for the Predators in the third period.

It was Guentzel who opened the scoring with another goal a mere ten seconds into the third as the crowd went wild.

The Penguins then delivered the death blow with two goals within fifteen seconds to chase Rinne from the net and quite possibly, the Predators from the finals.

The lightning fast scoring is a sign of how deadly that the Penguins offense can be once it gets revved up and the defending champions are now two games away from their second consecutive Stanley Cup. A feat last accomplished by the Detroit Red Wings dynasty twenty years ago.

It has to really suck for the upstart Predators. They have played well enough to win both games for two-thirds of each before collapsing in the third.

Nashville has a very tough rock to roll in order to climb back in the series and the odds aren’t good being down two games to none against a team as experienced and explosive as the Penguins.

Game three is a must-win for the Predators who will be toast if they go down 0-3.

The puck drops at 8 PM ET on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.