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Laviolette won’t say it, but let’s face it, Rinne’s starting Game 3

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Game 2 was a tale of two goalies as Matt Murray shined for the Penguins while Pekka Rinne stumbled mightily in the third period for the Predators.

NASHVILLE -- Let’s end the charade here. Pekka Rinne is going to start Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. It won’t be Juuse Saros. And if PHT is wrong about that, we’ll eat a catfish eye*.

Friday morning, Predators head coach Peter Laviolette once again refused to say whether Rinne would start Saturday. The media can pester him all they want, but Laviolette doesn’t share his lineups ahead of games.

“To be polite and answer your question again, we don’t talk about lineup decisions,” said Laviolette.

Rinne, meanwhile, told reporters that he knew who was starting, but wouldn’t say who it was.

It’s going to be him.

Again, a catfish eye will be eaten if we’re wrong**.

“Pekka’s been terrific through these entire playoffs,” Laviolette said after Game 2, which admittedly did not go well for Rinne.

“All three goals in the third period, we could’ve done something better,” Laviolette added, putting the onus on the players in front of his goalie. “I believe all of them were odd-man rushes.”

As for Saros, Game 2 was his first appearance in these playoffs. Because Rinne’s been so good, that’s why.

Rinne is going to start Game 3.

*Unless catfish eyes are like poisonous or something

**Not valid if it’s an injury, only a coach’s decision