Pittsburgh and Nashville meet in the Stanley Cup Finals starting Monday night. Before we get to the predictions lets break down who has the advantage at each position.
Forwards: Pittsburgh, this is not a hard question to answer the amount of talent and depth in the front 12 for this team is hard to argue with. Crosby, Kessel and Malkin are hard enough to defend against already. Add in the likes of veterans like Chris Kunitz and Patrick Hornqvuist and the young guns of Jake Guentzel and Connor Sheary. That is a high power team.
Defense: Nashville, where Pittsburgh has fire power from the front Nashville is built from the back. PK Subban and Joe Ellis are the hard hitting hard shooting combo that lead this Nashville defense and Quarterback the offense.
Goalie: This is where the series will be won or lost. Both Pekka Rinne and Matt Murray are Superb goalies. Murray has been here before but Rinne has been on a whole different level this Post Season. Perhaps Pittsburgh has a slight advantage because of the availability of Marc Andre Fleury but not much. Its a toss up and it will decide who wins the series.
Now game by game this is going to be a blast.
Game 1: Pittsburgh comes out of the gates tired but have a third period surge to force overtime on what will be the highest scoring game of the series. Pittsburgh wins 4-3 in OT.
Game 2: Finals legs under them the Preds flex their offensive muscles a little and beat Pittsburgh 4-1.
Game 3: The loudest building in the NHL gets the Preds off to a fast start. However a more experienced Pens team wins 3-1.
Game 4: Pekka Rinnes masterpiece comes in game 4 as Nashville wins 2-0 to even the series going back to Pittsburgh.
Game 5: Two tired teams get going in the third and this game which becomes a goalie battle. OT is not enough and so in 5 periods the Penguins win 2-1 in 2OT.
Game 6: In what is the longest game of the series and most heart stopping fun to watch. Nashville wins 3-2 in more than 2 overtimes.
Game 7: Nashville starts hot and then survies a penguins second period serge but things fall apart in the third and after allowing three straight goals the Preds even it at 3 for overtime. Pittsburgh is a team on a mission and although the Cinderella story is the Preds the elite come out on top. Pittsburgh wins 4-3 OT.
Penguins in 7
