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.
PITTSBURGH 4, Nashville 1 – PIT leads 2-0
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKxkwpdZBAs” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]
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. 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).
He now 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).
[pb_vidembed title=”” caption=”” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGiQsfBWIrg” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]
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).
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.
* Information provided via NHL Press Release
National Hockey League Press Release. Information provided from the NHL that describes various news releases that describe current events in the league.