Ravaged by injury, taken to the seven-game brink twice already, and attempting to do what no other team has done in the salary cap era, the Pittsburgh Penguins are somehow on the doorstep once again.
After a dominant 6-0 performance at the PPG Paints Arena in Game 5, Sidney Crosby‘s club is just one victory away from earning a second consecutive championship. To do so, the Penguins will have to win in Nashville for the first time since 2015, having come up empty-handed at Bridgestone Arena once during the 2016-17 regular season and twice in the Final.
With Nashville looking to push Pittsburgh to a third straight Game 7 and the Penguins hoping to lift the Stanley Cup on enemy ice yet again, here are the top storylines heading into Game 6:
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Game 6: 8 p.m. ET on Sportsnet, CBC
More than the moment
For the Penguins, the sixth instalment of the post-season’s final series is about more than 2017. It’s about the chance to move from great to legendary, from admirable to undeniable. Pittsburgh’s leading duo has done plenty to earn a spot at the all-time greats table, but a seven-year gap between the pair’s two ascents of Mount Stanley has muddied up the discussion of their dominance. Back-to-back titles drastically changes that conversation.
Not simply because Crosby and Evgeni Malkin would be the first to accomplish such a feat in nearly two decades, but because it would raise them to that hallowed level where history’s other back-to-back champs reside.
Just peruse the names of those who led the last three squads to go two-for-two. Steve Yzerman, Nick Lidstrom, and Brendan Shanahan for the Red Wings’ late-1990s titles. Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, and Ron Francis for the Penguins’ victories in 1991 and 1992. Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Jari Kurri for Edmonton’s pair of back-to-back championship efforts in the ’80s.
That Crosby and Malkin have driven their club to this point despite the absurd number of injuries that have plagued their roster — not only during these playoffs but all season long – shouldn’t be taken lightly. The black and gold’s pair have a knack for stepping up when history beckons, and that call will be ringing out in Nashville.
Time to test Nashville’s resilience
While the Penguins’ ability to overcome adversity has been well-documented – the fact that they’ve made it this far without top rearguard Kris Letang is proof enough – Nashville’s time to truly climb the hill comes now.
They certainly haven’t had an easy ride, clawing their way through a trio of tough Western Conference assignments and losing top pivot Ryan Johansen along the way. But even so, Game 6 of the Final marks the first time all post-season that Nashville will be faced with the prospect of elimination. And it will come against a team that has shown the resolve to withstand that pressure in each of the past two rounds.
But the Predators have already proven they belong on the big stage, embarrassing the doubters with a full post-season’s worth of impressive performances. A quick look at the team’s leading names leaves the origins of their chip-on-the-shoulder attitude easy to trace back. They’re a band of castaways and overlooked stars, from P.K. Subban, Filip Forsberg and James Neal – all of whom came to Nashville after being shipped out of town by previous clubs – to low-key contributors like Viktor Arvidsson who have risen from anonymity in the Stanley Cup spotlight.
After what has already been the greatest post-season in Predators history, the question is whether Nashville has the drive to seek more, to push for more than a feel-good story and instead seek tangible glory. It all starts with a win in Game 6 in front of the Predators faithful.
The fine line between aggression and regret
The two clubs have gotten more and more chippy with each passing game, culminating in a messy Game 5 that saw Crosby and Subban engage in a UFC-style grappling session. Both teams have drawn from their aggressive play to find success at times. But in as important a tilt as this one, it will be essential that they toe the line between imposing a physical presence and swinging the game’s momentum with an untimely penalty.
For Pittsburgh, the risk is clear. Though the Penguins have earned eight more power-play opportunities than the Predators during this series (22 chances to their opponents’ 14), it’s Nashville who has more man-advantage goals, tallying four times to Pittsburgh’s two. The Predators’ penalty kill has stifled Pittsburgh’s star-studded group for the majority of the series, holding the big guns at bay.
However, the Predators need only look back one game to understand the risk of continually poking Pittsburgh’s power-play bear. The offensively potent unit struck with a man-advantage stinger just 1:31 into Game 5, setting the tone immediately and putting Nashville on their heels from the get-go.
With everything on the line, staying out of the box and keeping emotions in check will be crucial for both squads. That being said, after everything that’s transpired through the Final thus far, expecting a timid affair seems a misguided endeavour.
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