Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne had by far his worst game of the postseason in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, allowing four goals on just 11 shots. His team played well in front of him, but he didn't make the big saves when they needed him to. Don't expect that to happen again in Game 2.
The Preds have now lost five games in the playoffs. After each of the previous four losses, Rinne bounced back with a sensational performance.
| Game | Result | SV/SA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game 2 @ STL | L | 17/20 | .850 |
| Game 3 vs. STL | W | 22/23 | .957 |
| Game 5 @. STL | L | 30/32 | .938 |
| Game 6 vs. STL | W | 23/24 | .958 |
| Game 2 @ ANA | L | 22/26 | .846 |
| Game 3 vs. ANA | W | 19/20 | .950 |
| Game 4 vs. ANA | OTL | 34/37 | .919 |
| Game 5 @ ANA | W | 32/33 | .970 |
Every time fans begin to doubt Rinne, he responds with a spectacular outing. Overall, he has stopped 96-of-100 shots after a loss this postseason for a save percentage of .960.
Unsurprisingly, head coach Peter Laviolette didn't express any sort of doubt in his veteran netminder after his shaky performance.
"We have no question about Peks in net ..." Laviolette told Predators communications and content coordinator Brooks Bratten. "He'll be the backbone of this team."
Rinne will get a chance to bounce back in Game 2 on Wednesday night.
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