Penguins’ Sullivan mum on starting goalie for Game 5

Nashville won games by 4-1 and 5-1, but the Penguins’ victory on Thursday night to take a 3-2 series lead was by far the most lopsided game of the Final. There will be another three days before Game 6 back at Nashville and then, if necessary, another three days until Game 7 at Pittsburgh on June 14.

“I don’t know, that’s anybody’s guess”, Sullivan said.

Bottom line, the blue line needs to play their best hockey yet in this now best-of-three series. We thought we played a real competitive game in Game 2. “Could have had (different) results in both those games”.

Former NBA All-Star turned TV commentator Charles Barkley joined National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman in watching the game from a skybox in sold-out Bridgestone Arena.

Murray put up 32 wins, four shutouts and a.923 save percentage in 49 games played during the regular season. “The pieces are coming together, and I don’t think anyone on this team isn’t feeling comfortable in the way we’re playing right now”.

PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 08: Andre Burakovsky #65 of the Washington Capitals skates against Chad Ruhwedel #2 of the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 8, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Rinne is remarkably resilient; he has allowed exactly one goal in each of Nashville’s last four games after a defeat. Whether Laviolette will start goalie Pekka Rinne isn’t a question despite the 34-year-old Finn giving up three goals on nine shots before being pulled after the first period.

“You have to find the point of when a player is healthy enough to get back in the lineup and when they’re not healthy enough to get back and be able to contribute and play at a level that is needed right now at this point in the season”, said Laviolette.

The goal was Crosby’s first in a Final since June 4, 2009, a span of 12 games for the Pittsburgh captain.

What the Penguins are saying now sounds an very bad lot like what the Predators were saying after coming up empty in Pittsburgh to start the final.

Nashville rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the best-of-seven series and the home team has won all five games. Home-ice advantage also provides that team’s head coach with the last change prior to a faceoff, which allows for more focus on individual matchups, but how significant is that? “Those are your only two choices”.

“We were in a tough hole against a really good team, came home and took care of the home games with the help of all our great fans”, Rinne said. Crosby missed one game with a concussion, but at the time there was no way to know how long he’d be out of action. Malkin didn’t have a point in either of the Preds two victories nor did high-scoring winger Phil Kessel.

Predators – D P. Subban (Probable Thursday, ankle), LW C. Wilson (Questionable Thursday, lower body), C R. Johnasen (Out for season, thigh), LW K. Fiala (Out for season, leg). And the game was on Washington’s home ice.

Maybe the biggest difference to the Predators though is goaltending. Kessel had two shots on goal in Game 4 and three in Game 3 but was a minus-2 in each game.

He stopped Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz on breakaway opportunities, and he also stoned Jake Guentzel on another door-step opportunity.

And then there was Matt Murray. “It’s a grind. It’s hard to get here, so when you do get here, you’ve got to make the most of it”.