We’ve got an even series, folks. 2-2 heading back to Pittsburgh, and what a game. What a series, really. Jeremy Roenick commented on it during last night’s postgame coverage – this has turned into a pretty damn good Stanley Cup Final. But, who would’ve thought that would be the case after those first two games in Pittsburgh? It couldn’t have gone much worse – the Nashville Predators outplayed the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1, but lost. Then, Game 2 was a complete meltdown with the Pens rattling off three goals in three minutes. Pekka Rinne was pulled and the media started talking about Juuse Saros!
I’m guilty of letting my emotions getting the best of me – I thought they were done…cooked…maybe next year, etc..
But, then, this series came to Nashville, and it took a dramatic turn. It’s in large part due to Rinne steadying his hand. The Preds won 5-1 on Saturday night, and 4-1 last night. Now, the Stanley Cup is up for grabs in a best-of-three series. Amazing.
More amazing was the game Rinne played last night. Some may call it hyperbole, but I can’t recall ever seeing a better performance in net than #35’s last night. He was even better than his Game 7 in Anaheim last year. Of course, when we’re looking at Twitter reactions, it’s going to start with Rinne’s play – one of the many great stories to come out of this game.
The Finnish call of Rinne’s INSANE save sequence is one of the best sports calls you’ll ever hear:
The Finnish broadcast call of Pekka Rinne's diving save in Game 4 is awesome pic.twitter.com/VqN8ZMdNkD
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) June 6, 2017
We Finns are passionate about hockey.☺️ ❤ Here's a translation: pic.twitter.com/405QrE8BPG
— Suvianna Tuomisto (@sutu88) June 6, 2017
This announcer: pic.twitter.com/MvjGbnNtdg
— Tyler Casson (@CassonTyler) June 6, 2017
All in all, people were aghast in amazement at Rinne’s game:
If a war was to break out on American soil at least we know Nashville will be protected by Pekka Rinne
— Chip Dot Kelly (@JohnnySmiley33) June 6, 2017
Rinne stoned Crosby twice and then did what I can only call a Watermelon Crawl to protect his net afterward. #Preds
— Jason Martin (@JMartOutkick) June 6, 2017
INCREDIBLE SEQUENCE. #Preds #PITvsNSH pic.twitter.com/kYxipZeQNF
— Thomas Willis (@TomAWillis) June 6, 2017
Rinne with the most impressive 10 seconds of goaltending I've ever seen. #Preds #StanleyCup
— Holden Walter-Warner (@hwalterwarner) June 6, 2017
Watching Pekka Rinne right now with this expression…. pic.twitter.com/M6zYrulkLi
— BarDown (@BarDown) June 6, 2017
The King of New Nashville, Rusev, chiming in:
Pekka The wall Rinne
— Rusev The Ruler (@RusevBUL) June 6, 2017
That was Tim Thomas in 2011 stuff from Pekka Rinne.
— Mike Cole (@MikeColeNESN) June 6, 2017
Live look at Pekka Rinne to start off this second period… #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/NmFKaHKGhC
— ArmchairAllAmericans (@ACAllAmericans) June 6, 2017
Pekka Rinne turning shots away like pic.twitter.com/xlO0CDkD8z
— Dave Foster (@DaveFoster17) June 6, 2017
Pekka on THAT save: "I don't really know what happened." Us either. @PredsNHL pic.twitter.com/GHqiW5v2QQ
— Jason Martin (@JMartOutkick) June 6, 2017
Rinne on his relationship with the city of Nashville: "This is my home."
— On The Forecheck (@OnTheForecheck) June 6, 2017
But, there are plenty of other storylines coming out of last night’s game….how about Charles Barkley being drunk af on television? How about the fact that Charles Barkley is there at all?!?!
Barkley is LIT!!!! LMAOOOOOO
— Rick Merritt (@R1ckterScale) June 6, 2017
Charles Barkley on why he loves Hockey… #Agreed pic.twitter.com/SmkK4vOQVB
— Bar South N Celly™ (@BarSouthNCelly) June 6, 2017
Charles Barkley is waving a rally towel at a Nashville Predators hockey game. What a time to be alive.
— Robby Stanley (@RStanleyNHL) June 6, 2017
Charles Barkley #HockeyGuy pic.twitter.com/hPxc1AC9cD
— Spittin' Chiclets (@StoolChiclets) June 6, 2017
Charles Barkley holding court with the @PredsNHL. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uHdCC5Kxz9
— NHL (@NHL) June 6, 2017
Charles Barkley wants to see Jeremy Roenick get his ass eaten. I'm not giving you the context on that.
— Dumb Bozo (@davelozo) June 6, 2017
And how about young Frederick Gaudreau!?! Three career goals – all in the Stanley Cup Final. And, he’s got back-to-back game-winning goals…
Per @KennyAlbert, Frederick Gaudreau is one of two players in NHL history to score the first three goals of his career in the Cup Final.
— Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) June 6, 2017
Yes, Freddie Gaudreau has his second consecutive game-winner in the #StanleyCup Final – just as we all predicted. #Preds #PITvsNSH pic.twitter.com/WrDi6xqG1D
— Thomas Willis (@TomAWillis) June 6, 2017
And…..he doesn’t even have his own locker yet…
Poor Freddy Gaudreau. Two goals in the #StanleyCup Final, still can't get a stall in the #Preds dressing room. pic.twitter.com/qWBgMiwD5X
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 4, 2017
Viktor Arvidsson’s goal was a thing of beauty…
Viktor Arvidsson snipes and then salutes the electric Nashville crowd pic.twitter.com/HG40XdvPT5
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) June 6, 2017
Mike Fisher chips to Viktor Arvidsson who snipes it home 3-1 #Preds pic.twitter.com/pNCJKofC9E
— Marina Molnar (@mkmolnar) June 6, 2017
That pass from Mike Fisher was incredible – laying out, flipping the puck out to Arvy. That’s identifying a play and making the sacrifice required to make it happen. Unbelievable – also, props to James Neal for wrestling the puck off the boards and getting that puck to Fisher. Big boy hockey.
This is incredible. Seriously the best pass of the playoffs. What an effort by Mike Fisher. cc: @carrieunderwood pic.twitter.com/86JrqaiKLU
— Arda Ocal (@ArdaOcalTV) June 6, 2017
And, if you didn’t know….when the Preds hang 4 at home, we get free ice cream.
It’s Frosty time! The #Preds have scored 4 goals! Visit your local Wendy’s and present the coupon below to redeem 1 FREE 12 oz. Frosty. pic.twitter.com/9F9R35nvq7
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 6, 2017
How’s the mood in the city?
.@ChrisHarrisWSMV You'd better officiate their wedding. pic.twitter.com/Cea8mwZoar
— Paul Heggen (@PaulHeggenWSMV) June 6, 2017
— Chest Rockwell (@jcamps35) June 6, 2017
PRAISE JESUS Ryan Johansen CAN NOT ONLY WALK again BUT DANCE AGAIN amen pic.twitter.com/V6l5VXxQn2
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) June 6, 2017
In case you missed it: Nashville is abuzz with excitement. The Preds head to Pittsburgh for a pivotal Game 5 on Thursday at 7:00PM (CST) on NBC.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. A strong advocate of GSD (get shit done) and #BeBetter, he’s down to talk Tennessee Titans and Alabama Crimson Tide football over a beer any day. Check him out covering the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley, @WrestlingNewsCo
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