Nashville Beats Anaheim and Advances to First Stanley Cup Final in Team History

Colton Sissons had a hat trick and goalie Pekka Rinne had a huge night with 38 saves as the Nashville Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-3 in Game 6 of the NHL Western Conference Final on May 22nd in Nashville, winning the series 4-2 and sending the Predators to their first ever Stanley Cup Finals in the 18 year history of the franchise.

Anaheim came out firing—the Ducks outshot the Predators 41-18—but Rinne was up to the task in the nets. Nashville pulled out to a 2-0 lead in the first period, and had a 3-1 lead in the third after Sisson’s second goal of the game at the three minute mark, but the Ducks fought back to tie it at 3 on a Cam Fowler goal at 8:52 of the period. Sisson’s third goal of the game at 14 minutes gave Nashville the lead for good, and the Predators scored two empty net goals late to make the final 6-3.

It was another disappointing end to a season for Anaheim. It was the second year in a row that the Ducks were eliminated by Nashville. Anaheim has won five straight Pacific Division crowns, but has yet to make it to the Finals during this stretch.

The surprising Predators will meet the winner of the Ottawa Senators—Pittsburgh Penguins Eastern Conference Final in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on May
29th. Pittsburgh leads that series 3-2 , with Game 6 in Ottawa on May23rd.