Home / Game Recap / Penguins take Game One of Stanley Cup Final after three-goal first period

Penguins take Game One of Stanley Cup Final after three-goal first period

By Ian Oland

 0 Comment

May 29, 2017 11:22 pm

Nashville Predators defenseman and joy of the National Hockey League, PK Subban, scored the first goal of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, rifling a shot past Matt Murray’s seven hole 7:13 into the first period.

It would not count. The Predators struggled thereafter, watching the Penguins score three unanswered first period goals. The Penguins would hold on to win 5-3. Pittsburgh now leads Nashville in the Stanley Cup Final one game to none.

Subban’s no-goal came after Filip Forsberg found the defenseman at the point, skating into the Penguins defensive zone. Subban took advantage of the Pens sagging defense, finding the back of the net.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan would challenge the ruling on the ice, believing Forsberg was offside. After a lengthy review, officials voided the goal. Forsberg’s skate was up off the ice by an inch before the puck completely entered the zone.

Earlier in the day, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told the media that the controversial goal review for offside was “working as we hoped it would.”

The Penguins would respond several minutes later with a flurry of tallies. Evgeni Malkin, Conor Sherry, and Nick Bonino all scored goals four minutes and 11 seconds apart.

Bonino scored after his centering pass went off Mattias Ekholm and past Pekka Rinne.

The Penguins were held without a shot in the second period and Nashville finally found it’s groove, scoring three unanswered goals themselves.

Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis scored the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup Final tally, nailing a shot past Matt Murray from the left circle to make it 3-1.

Three minutes and twenty-three seconds later, Frederick Gaudreau tied the game, sending Carrie Underwood into a very fabulous celebration.

But just like they’ve done throughout the entire 2017 postseason, the Penguins owned the big moments, despite struggling to generate any real sustained offense. After going 37 minutes and nine seconds without a shot, the Penguins scored with under four minutes remaining. Jake Guentzel scored his tenth goal of the postseason to give the Penguins back the lead.

Nick Bonino would add an empty-netter.

Special notes: The Pittsburgh Penguins asked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to pump up the crowd prior to the game.

Headline photo: Bruce Bennett

, ,