NHL's Penguins take 2-0 Stanley Cup lead

Jun 1, 2017 - 4:02 AM Red-hot rookie Jake Guentzel scored twice and the Pittsburgh Penguins erupted for three goals early in the third period to ease to a 4-1 win over the Nashville Predators in Wednesday's game two of the Stanley Cup finals.

The defending NHL champions moved to a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, which shifts to Nashville on Saturday for game three.

The game at PPG Paints Arena was tied at 1-1 through two tight periods after goals by Pontus Aberg and Guentzel, but it took just 10 seconds of the third for Guentzel - who scored the winner in game one - to get his second of the night and 12th of the playoffs.

He benefited from a long rebound off a shot by Bryan Rust and took advantage of an open quarter of the net to make it 2-1 and establish a Pittsburgh record for their fastest playoff goal at the start of a period.

That was not the end of the Penguins' quick start in the period, however.

Phil Kessel sent a shot towards the net from the right wing, and it glanced off teammate Scott Wilson, then hit Nashville's Vern Fiddler's skate and went under goaltender Pekka Rinne's pads at 3:13 to make it 3-1.

Just 15 seconds later, Evgeni Malkin scored off a two-on-one, firing a perfect shot over Rinne's glove for a 4-1 lead. That gave Pittsburgh three goals in the first 3:28 of the third.

It was enough for Nashville coach Peter Laviolette to send in back-up goalie Juuse Saros to replace Rinne, who had stopped 21 of 25 shots.

Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray stopped 37 of 38 Nashville shots and Chris Kunitz had two assists for the Penguins for a second game in a row.

Source: AAP