The 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Stanley Cup Finals predictions

STANLEY CUP FINALS

Pittsburgh Penguins (2nd in Metropolitan Division) vs. Nashville Predators (2nd wild card, Western Conference)
The Pittsburgh Penguins, the defending Stanley Cup Champions, are in the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive season. Just like last year, when they faced the San Jose Sharks in the Stanley Cup Finals (the Penguins won the series four games to two), the Penguins face a team making their first ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance. The Nashville Predators have shocked the hockey world with their run, which started off with a shocking sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round; the Predators were the first ever bottom seed to sweep the top seeded team in the conference in the modern NHL playoff format. The Penguins hope to become the first team to win back to back Stanley Cups since the Detroit Red Wings did it back in 1997 and 1998.

Prediction:  Pittsburgh in five games.

An entire week off hurts the Predators and they come out rusty and lose tonight.

I think they've got the better defense for sure, but they lack star quality forwards especially now that RyJo is out and Fisher is probably at 50%.

I also trust Murray more than Rinne. Penguins win both home games, but the Predators are a good home team and might win both at home. My guess is the Penguins steal one of the two road games (possibly in OT) to effectively decide the series, and the teams come back to Pittsburgh and it's handshakes and ceremony time after game 5.

Crosby wins Conn Smythe. Guentzel scores the cup winning goal.

Pens in 6.

I'm going with the Pens in 7. Nashville is a really tough team and this should be a great series.

What a great first game. The Pens jump out to a 3-0 first period lead then let the Predators claw their way back to tie it up. The Penguins were then ultimately able to pull it out with the final 2 goals. Jake Guentzal scored the game winning goal in his first Cup final.

I hope the Pens win in four because their home games are totally screwing up my bus route.

Witchfinder wrote:

I hope the Pens win in four because their home games are totally screwing up my bus route.  

I also said the Pens in 4 but not for your commute.

But now that is another reason for it.

An interesting bit of trivia concerning the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals...

Pittsburgh set a record for the fewest shots on net for a winning team in a Stanley Cup Finals game.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2712532-pittsburgh-penguins-post-historically-low-shot-total-in-game-1-win

martinsane wrote:

Witchfinder wrote:

I hope the Pens win in four because their home games are totally screwing up my bus route.  

I also said the Pens in 4 but not for your commute.

But now that is another reason for it.

Thanks!

The Predators were the better team, but Rinne lost them the game.

Required Fields wrote:

An interesting bit of trivia concerning the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals...

Pittsburgh set a record for the fewest shots on net for a winning team in a Stanley Cup Finals game.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2712532-pittsburgh-penguins-post-historically-low-shot-total-in-game-1-win

Wow that is impressive, 12 shots for 5 goals.

This series is starting to worry me...

This has been a wild series. Both goalies have looked practically unbeatable at home and pathetic on the road. It certainly has made it interesting.

007 wrote:

This has been a wild series. Both goalies have looked practically unbeatable at home and pathetic on the road. It certainly has made it interesting.

What have you thought of the Crosby and Subban tussles?

akeldama wrote:

007 wrote:

This has been a wild series. Both goalies have looked practically unbeatable at home and pathetic on the road. It certainly has made it interesting.

What have you thought of the Crosby and Subban tussles?

Eh, it's part of hockey, I guess. Subban's been hounding Crosby all series and I guess Crosby just lost his mind there. He should have had a 5 minute major but they both got 2 minute minors. I'm certainly not going to go overboard and bitch and moan about it, like I've been seeing on social media.

Crosby wins back to back Conn Smythe Trophies and the Penguins are champions once again.

They got a break with referee Kevin Pollock being a little too quick with his whistle early in the second period. That definitely should have been a goal, but obviously you can't allow it after the play was blown dead already.

The Predators had their chances, a 5-on-3 powerplay among others, but they couldn't get the job done. Especially Colton Sissons must wake up to a pretty bad hangover - a disallowed goal, a missed breakaway and a shot that hit the post.

But that's what separates champions from runners up. That Cup winning goal was awesome and beautiful. Rinne, instead of making the save, slashes Ellis in the beard with his stick. I should make a Windows wallpaper out of that.

Happy with the outcome of the playoffs for sure.

akeldama wrote:

Happy with the outcome of the playoffs for sure.

For sure. That's my home town team. Been a fan for a long time.

Not my hometown team but I've liked the Pens and Hawks since I was a kid. I never change teams and never like CO teams but the Avs changed that for me and that's the only team I like better than the Pens and Hawks.

Great outcome! My bus route will be back to normal now. Thanks Pens!

Not what I predicted but hey a cup in 6 is alright and it is 2 in a row so hello dynasty...

martinsane wrote:

Not what I predicted but hey a cup in 6 is alright and it is 2 in a row so hello dynasty...