The Stanley Cup Final begins Monday when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Nashville Predators at 8 p.m. ET (NBC).
USA TODAY Sports hockey columnist Kevin Allen and Adam Vingan, Predators reporter for The Tennessean, explain why each team will be the last one standing.
Kevin Allen: Five reasons why the Penguins are going to win the Stanley Cup:
1. The Penguins have the NHL’s best one-two center combination in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. With Ryan Johansen out with an injury, the Predators don’t have a true No. 1 center.
2. This is essentially the same Penguins team that won in 2016. The Penguins just scaled this championship mountain a year ago. This team is experienced, and they gained that experience together. Mike Fisher is the only Nashville player who has been in a Stanley Cup Final.
3. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne doesn’t worry them. The Penguins just beat Craig Anderson, who played brilliantly, particularly in that Game 7. They believe they can beat any goalie.
4. Pittsburgh’s defense is underrated. Even without injured No. 1 defenseman Kris Letang, these Penguins have been impressive in the postseason. They are gritty, mentally tough competitors who can get the job done is a tight-checking game. Justin Schultz and Trevor Daley can get the puck to the forwards.
5. Matt Murray is Mr. Composure. Everyone is talking about Rinne, but Murray is the one who owns the Stanley Cup ring. He’s 18-7 as a playoff goalie with a 1.94 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. His GAA is 1.35 in these playoffs.
Adam Vingan: Five reasons why the Predators are going to win the Stanley Cup:
1. Nashville’s defense is superior to Pittsburgh’s. No top four in the NHL is more skilled offensively, but it doesn’t sacrifice defense to produce points. Several top Western Conference players (Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan Getzlaf) have been shut down this postseason.
2. Pekka Rinne has reasserted himself as a top-tier goaltender in the playoffs. He has a 1.70 goals-against average and .941 save percentage in 16 starts. He has yet to be fazed and is a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe Trophy if the Predators win the series.
3. Sixteen Predators players have scored a goal this postseason, including 10 different game-winning goal scorers. There has been a new hero every night, which reflects the Predators’ strong depth.
4. The Predators haven’t lost consecutive games during the playoffs. There’s a resiliency that could counteract the Penguins’ significant advantage in overall experience.
5. Filip Forsberg already has set franchise postseason records with eight goals and 15 points. Without Johansen, Forsberg will have to be the offensive catalyst.
