By coach Peter Laviolette’s math, the Nashville Predators have been pretty good for all but 10 minutes of the Stanley Cup Final.
It is not much. Unless you are playing the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then it is too much.
Way too much.
Photo: AFP
The defending Stanley Cup champions on Wednesday needed just over three minutes at the start of the third period to turn a taut Game 2 into a runaway, beating Pekka Rinne three times in a 4-1 victory to inch closer to becoming the first team in nearly 20 years to win back-to-back titles.
The barrage started with Jake Guentzel.
Mired in an eight-game goal drought heading into the series, the 22-year-old Nebraska-born rookie provided the winner in Game 1 and again in Game 2 when he pounded home a rebound just 10 seconds into the third period for his third of the series and 12th of the playoffs.
“It’s crazy,” said Guentzel, who has an NHL rookie record five game-winning goals in the post-season. “You can’t even put into words what it feels, but we know the ultimate goal is two more wins and they’re going to be tough to get.”
Only if Rinne turns back into Rinne.
The 34-year-old spent the first three rounds of the playoffs helping carry Nashville to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time. Now he is the biggest reason the Predators head back to “Smashville” for Game 3 tomorrow reeling.
After giving up four goals on 11 shots in Game 1, he allowed four more on 25 shots in Game 2. He was pulled when Evgeni Malkin ended Pittsburgh’s surge with his ninth of the playoffs 3 minutes, 28 seconds into the third period.
Rinne entered the series with a .947 save percentage in the post-season. Against Pittsburgh, it is at .777 and he remains winless in his career against the Penguins in games he has started.
“The limited chances they’ve had they’ve done a good job,” Rinne said. “Overall, these two games, like I said, it’s disappointing to be down 2-0, but we have to be feeling still positive with the way we played as a whole and creating chances.”
Asked twice afterward if he was committed to starting Rinne tomorrow, Laviolette stressed Rinne has been “terrific,” adding that there are plenty of things the Predators can do better in front of him, like stopping the odd-man rushes that allowed the Penguins to take charge.
“There’s a stretch they’re able to gain some momentum, able to capitalize and be opportunistic, and that swung two games in their favor,” Laviolette said.
Pontus Aberg scored the lone goal for the Predators , who were once again undone by a sudden barrage from the NHL’s highest-scoring team, though they have not lost faith in Rinne.
Defenseman P.K. Subban said the team was “extremely confident” about the prospect of going home, where the Predators are 7-1 during the playoffs.
“We’re going to win the next game and then we’ll see what happens from there,” Subban said.
Malkin disagreed.
“When we score one, we don’t stop,” Malkin said. “We want to score more. The first shift in the third period, we score. We want more. It’s our game. Never stop.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping