Penguins head home upbeat despite 0-fer in Nashville

The Nashville Predators walked away with Game 4 similar to the way Pittsburgh did in the first two games of the series, by once again keeping the main guys off the scoreboard.

Monday night’s game featured 23 saves from Pekka Rinne and game winning goal by undrafted rookie Frederick Gaudreau.

Nashville Predators beat Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 to level the best-of-seven Stanley Cup final at 2-2.

Game 5 takes place in Pittsburgh on Thursday. 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.

The Predators are hardly blaming Rinne for their predicament. The Penguins need to win more one-on-one battles along the boards while somehow preventing the Predators from using their speed to rush the crease. “But I’ve got to do a better job finding the back of the net”. There were even some claiming back up Juuse Saros should start Game 3. We can play him with anybody.

Predators coach Peter Laviolette seemed to think Sissons would escape suspension. We might have conception going on!

Life is good for the Predators and their legions of fans that now find themselves in a best-of-three mini-series to win the Cup. “It’s the intensity he brings, and that’s the kind of intensity we want to bring to our game every night”.

Also defenseman Ron Hainsey is turning into a liability on the ice.

It was easily saved by Rinne, but he couldn’t cover the puck. Stages for big time country stars before the game. “Our focus is really more concerned about just that one game in front of us”.

It was a familiar showing for Rinne. In Game 3, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were held without a shot on goal in the same playoff game for the first time in their careers. The NHL said Murray and Fleury cannot be voted as a single entity for the Conn Smythe, though they could share it if the votes end up an even split.

The goal was Crosby’s first in a Stanley Cup Final since June 2009. We believe we got guys that can score goals and can finish’.

“Both goalies have performed well and helped their teams win in their respective home buildings”, Sullivan said. The lone goal let in was a handsome backhander on a break away by Sidney Crosby. 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.

“Not to make more out of the travel than it is, but it’s hard to leave and miss out on (their) hockey games and hockey practices”, Cullen said. It’s captured the attention of everyone and I don’t care where they come from, I’m just excited to be there and witness sports history.

As the series shifts back to Pittsburgh, the Nashville Predators must be ready to steal at least one game on the road. Or maybe the diving blocker stop on Guentzel just before the midway point, the one that preserved Nashville’s lead on the way to a 4-1 victory? In Nashville, he struggled to a 0.862 save percentage in two losses.

Earlier in the evening the Predators had roared back into Stanley Cup contention with a series-leveling 4-1 victory over the defending champions. “I thought I was pretty good in Game 4”, the 23-year-old Murray said Wednesday.