Remarkably, the Nashville Predators face elimination for the first time in this entire postseason as they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. You can probably expect some fight from the Preds, particularly after a nasty finish to Game 5.
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Predators captain Mike Fisher acknowledged the growing disdain, even if he didn’t bask in it with Sunday’s big game looming.
“Our focus is on winning games, but I don’t think they like us and we don’t like them,” Fisher said. “That’s playoff hockey. That’s what happens in a seven-game series.”
As much as discussing “focus” and staying out of scrums might feel like spewing cliches, the Predators really do need to stay disciplined. The Penguins have received more power-play opportunities during the series, sometimes glaringly so; if Nashville players lose their cool, it could put the Preds at a serious disadvantage.
And, hey, living well - not to mention winning - is often the best revenge.