Penguins pull away late to take Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins rarely tested the playoffs’ hottest goaltender in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against Nashville.
They beat Pekka Rinne anyway.
Rookie Jake Guentzel fired the puck past Rinne with 3 minutes, 17 seconds left in regulation to put the Penguins ahead to stay in a 5-3 victory on Monday.
Guentzel snapped an eight-game goalless drought to help the defending champions escape after blowing a three-goal lead.
Nick Bonino scored twice for the Penguins. Conor Sheary scored his first of the playoffs, Evgeni Malkin scored his eighth, and Pittsburgh won despite putting just 12 shots on goal.
Matt Murray finished with 23 saves for the Penguins, who used the first coach’s challenge in Final history to wipe out an early Nashville goal and held on despite going 37 minutes at one point without a shot.
“I think at the end of the day we’re up 1-0,” Bonino said. “We had a good first, we had a terrible second and we were terrible in the third. I don’t think it’s Xs and Os. We’ve got to work harder, compete a little harder, but we got some timely goals.”
Game 2 is Wednesday.
Ryan Ellis, Colton Sissons and Frederick Gaudreau scored for the Predators. Rinne stopped just seven shots.
The Penguins had all of three days to get ready for the finals following a draining slog through the Eastern Conference that included a pair of Game 7 victories.
Yet Pittsburgh managed to build a quick 3-0 lead thanks to a fortunate bounce and some quick thinking by Penguins video coordinator Andy Saucier. Part of his job is to alert coach Mike Sullivan when to challenge a call. The moment came 12:47 into the first when P.K. Subban sent a slap shot by Murray that appeared to give the Predators the lead.
Sullivan used his coach’s challenge, arguing Nashville forward Filip Forsberg was offside. A lengthy review indicated Forsberg’s right skate was in the air as he brought the puck into a zone.
“The impact of that moment and then the chain of events that happened after that with the penalty kills I think changed the course of the game,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said.
Stanley Cup Final
Monday’s Result
Pittsburgh 5, Nashville 3, Pittsburgh leads series 1-0
Wednesday’s Game
Nashville at Pittsburgh, 2 p.m. (NBCSN)
Saturday’s Game
Pittsburgh at Nashville, 2 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monday, June 5
Pittsburgh at Nashville, 2 p.m. (NBC)
Thursday, June 8
Nashville at Pittsburgh, 2 p.m. (NBC), if necessary
Sunday, June 11
Pittsburgh at Nashville, 2 p.m. (NBC), if necessary
Wednesday, June 14
Nashville at Pittsburgh, 2 p.m. (NBC), if necessary