NHL Peachy: Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 1, 2017
WEDNESDAY’S RESULT
Home Team in Caps
PITTSBURGH 4, Nashville 1 – PIT leads 2-0
GUENTZEL AGAIN PLAYS THE HERO AS PENGUINS TAKE 2-0 SERIES LEAD
Knotted at 1-1 after 40 minutes, the Penguins scored three times in the opening 3:28 of the third period – including the go-ahead goal by Jake Guentzel (2-0—2) 10 seconds into the frame – to take a 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
* Guentzel, who registered the decisive tally with 3:17 remaining in Game 1, scored his League-leading fifth game-winning goal of the postseason (21 GP) to set an NHL rookie record for a single playoff year. Montreal’s Claude Lemieux and Colorado’s Chris Drury previously shared the record, with four each in 1986 and 1999, respectively.
* Guentzel became just the second rookie to collect consecutive game-winning goals in the Stanley Cup Final since the NHL took sole possession of the trophy in 1926-27 – and the first to do so in 78 years. The other: Roy Conacher, who potted the winner for the Bruins in Games 3, 4 and 5 in 1939 vs. TOR.
* Guentzel scored his League-leading 11th and 12th total goals of the postseason, the second-most by a rookie in one playoff year behind Minnesota’s Dino Ciccarelli in 1981 (14 in 19 GP). No rookie has led the NHL outright in playoff goal-scoring since the League took control of the Stanley Cup in 1926-27.
* Guentzel, a native of Omaha, Neb., also set records for goals (12) and points (19) by a U.S.-born rookie in one playoff year, surpassing the marks shared by Chicago’s Jeremy Roenick (11-7—18 in 20 GP in 1990) and St. Louis’ Joe Mullen (7-11—18 in 10 GP in 1982).
* Guentzel ranks fourth overall with 12-7—19 this postseason, two points shy of matching the NHL record for a rookie in a single playoff year – set by Ciccarelli in 1981 (14-7—21 in 19 GP) and equaled by Philadelphia’s Ville Leino in 2010 (7-14—21 in 19 GP).
DID YOU KNOW?
Jake Guentzel’s goal 10 seconds into the third frame was one second shy of the fastest to begin any period in Stanley Cup Final history. The record of 0:09 was set by Montreal’s Brian Skrudland in overtime of Game 2 in 1986 at CGY.
Guentzel’s second goal also stood as the fastest to begin any period in Penguins playoff history. The previous record of 12 seconds was set by Sidney Crosby on April 14, 2008 at OTT (3rd period) and matched by Crosby in Game 1 of this year’s Second Round at WSH (2nd period).
MURRAY JOINS RARE COMPANY
Matt Murray made 37 saves to improve to 20-7 in his first 28 career playoff appearances (1.95 GAA, .928 SV%, 2 SO). Via Elias, only two goaltenders in NHL history have required fewer games to reach 20 career postseason wins: Montreal’s Bill Durnan (26 GP, 1944-47) and Patrick Roy (27 GP, 1986-88).
GAME 2 TRENDS
* Since the Final went to the best-of-seven format in 1939, teams that have taken a 2-0 series lead have gone on to capture the Stanley Cup 90.0% of the time (45 of 50 series) – including each of the past three instances (2012 LAK, 2014 LAK and 2016 PIT).
* Home teams have swept the opening two games of the Stanley Cup Final 37 times in that span, ultimately winning the championship 34 times (91.9%). Two of those losses, however, have come in the last eight years: 2009 (PIT @ DET) and 2011 (BOS @ VAN).
LOOSE PUCKS
The Predators suffered consecutive losses for the first time since April 2-4 . . . Penguins forward Chris Kunitz (0-2—2) posted his third straight multi-point performance (2-5—7) . . . Teammate Evgeni Malkin (1-0—1) collected his League-leading 26th point of the postseason (9-17—26 in 21 GP) . . . The Penguins picked up their fifth consecutive home win and ninth of the playoffs, equaling a single-year franchise record . . . ICYMI: Fans voted the 1986-87 Oilers, 1997-98 Red Wings and 1982-83 Islanders as Nos. 5, 6 and 7, respectively, on the list of Greatest NHL Teams . . . The Predators announced that Grammy- and CMA-winning singer/songwriter Alan Jackson will play a free concert on Lower Broadway prior to Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final in Nashville.
NHL SCOUTING COMBINE CONTINUES IN BUFFALO
The 2017 NHL Scouting Combine presented by adidas, featuring 104 of the top-ranked players eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft, is underway this week at KeyBank Center and HarborCenter in Buffalo. The annual event consists of player interviews, medical assessments and a series of fitness tests.
SNEAK PEEK AT SATURDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Pittsburgh @ Nashville, PIT leads 2-0, 8 p.m., NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS
