Around the NHL: Predators Advance to 1st Stanley Cup Final

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

One team has punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. Nashville has a conference championship.

It didn't come easy for the Predators, who were largely outplayed in Game 6 by the Anaheim Ducks, but responded late in the third to claim a 6-3 win to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final in franchise history.

Nashville wasted no time getting on the board. Just 1:21 into the game, Nashville's first shot, a sharp-angle attempt thrown toward the net by Austin Watson, went in to get the scoring started.

Colton Sissons added a goal at 8:47 off a neutral-zone turnover by the Ducks, making it 2-0. Despite finishing the first period with only four shots, being outshot 12-4, the Predators were in control where it counted.

The Ducks cut the lead to one with another dominant period in the second. The Ducks outshot the Predators, 13-4, in the second period, and got a goal from Ondrej Kase at 4:45 to make it a one-goal game.

The third period started the same way for Anaheim, but it was a great play by Filip Forsberg that set up another Nashville gal at the three-minute mark of the third. Forsberg won a puck battle behind the Anaheim net, allowing Pontus Aberg to get the puck and attempt two shots from the side of the net. The rebound went out to Sissons, who scored his second of the game.

But Anaheim kept the pressure on and cut the lead back to one just two minutes later with Chris Wagner getting the goal. Cam Fowler tied the game on a long-range slap shot at 8:52, setting the stage for a charge to the finish.

The Ducks had all the momentum and had a chance to take the lead when Roman Josi took a delay of game penalty with just over eight minutes to play. The Predators not only killed off the penalty, but used a rush as the penalty expired to take the lead back.

Sissons led the rush as the five Ducks players converged on the puck. Calle Jarnkrok ended up with the puck on his stick and with all eyes on him, threaded a pass to Sissons. The one-timer went top shelf and Sissons had a hat trick. More importantly, the Predators had a 4-3 lead with six minutes to play.

The Ducks pulled the goalie with over 2:30 left to play and quickly paid for it, as a long clearing attempt by Forsberg took a friendly bounce and rolled into the net for an empty-net goal. Watson added an empty-net goal to seal the win.

For all of the goals — six on 18 shots — and Sissons' hat trick, the player of the game again was goalie Pekka Rinne. The Ducks had 12 shots in the first, 13 in the second and 16 in the third. Rinne stopped 38 of the 41 attempts.

The Predators now await the winner of the Eastern Conference Final. The Pittsburgh Penguins have a 3-2 series lead with Game 6 coming up on Tuesday night in Ottawa.