Colton Sissons' modest hockey goals appear to have finally become reality.

The Nashville Predators center recorded a hat trick and the game-winning goal in Game 6 against the Anaheim Ducks on Monday, helping propel the team to its first Stanley Cup Final appearance.

"It was a wild ride so far this year, a lot of challenges for me personally, obviously being out of the lineup," Sissons told reporters after the biggest game of his career. "I just wanted to be a regular guy playing every single night to now arguably (the No.) 1 or 2 center for us with (Ryan Johansen and Mike Fisher) out."

Often scratched during the regular season, Sissons had recently been bumped up the depth chart as a result of the key injuries he mentioned. Many assumed losing Johansen and Fisher would be a deal breaker for the Predators, but those worries have been waylaid for the time being.

"It's been a wild ride," Sissons reiterated, "but it feels good and I'm just enjoying it."

Drafted 50th overall, Sissons has now scored five goals and added five assists in 16 playoff games; those 10 points represent half of his career point total through 109 regular-season games.

After his Game 6 heroics, there's no way he'll be seen as just a regular guy in Nashville anymore - at least not among the fans.

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