Nashville Mayor Megan Barry continues to prove that her city is where the party's at this Stanley Cup Final.
Following the Predators' 4-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night, Barry tweeted out a letter excusing all Preds fans for turning up late to work Tuesday morning.
Nashville evened the series at 2-2 with a statement victory that had Bridgestone Arena rocking from puck drop to the final whistle, so it's understandable that a few fans were feeling a little rough around the edges this morning.
— Steph A Chambers (@StephChambers76) June 6, 2017
Charles Barkley made it known prior to Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final that he wanted to meet P.K. Subban, and he got his wish, sharing a postgame chat and posing for a picture with the victorious Nashville Predators defenseman Monday night.
Predators captain Mike Fisher is on the verge of making history - but probably not in the way he hoped to.
If Nashville wins two of the next three games and Fisher doesn't find twine, he will become the first player to captain his team to the Stanley Cup without scoring a goal in the playoffs (while playing at least one playoff game) since Maurice Richard went goalless in four games (while missing seven) during the 1959 playoffs for the Montreal Canadiens.
Fisher scored 18 goals during the regular season, so it's not like he's offensively inept. Regardless, Predators head coach Peter Laviolette isn't concerned with his captain's offensive production.
"Again, I've taken on questions about Mike," Laviolette told reporters following the Predators' 4-1 victory in Game 4 on Monday. "People will say it's time to produce. He's been unbelievable. He's an unbelievable captain. He's been great in the locker room. He lives his life and lives his hockey life every day in a manner that you would want to follow."
Fisher finished third among Predators forwards with 18:11 of ice time in Game 4, spending the bulk of it matched up with Sidney Crosby. Crosby managed one breakaway goal, but was otherwise contained by the 37-year-old Fisher.
"Mike has skill. I think the second part more than anything, it's will. He's got will. Tremendous will, tremendous heart, tremendous character. He's the heartbeat of our team," said Laviolette.
There was one play in particular during Game 4 where both Fisher's skill and will were on display in the very same moment.
During the second period, Fisher dove and poked the puck forward in the neutral zone to send speedster Viktor Arvidsson in on a breakaway. Arvidsson made no mistake, giving the Preds a 3-1 lead.
Laviolette said Fisher's poke to move the puck forward was "typical" of his captain.
Fisher likely doesn't care at all whether he scores in the postseason, as long as his team is able to win two of the next three games and take home the Stanley Cup.
As Chris Harris of WSMV-TV discussed the Game 4 highlights live outside Bridgestone Arena, the pair engaged in a passionate make-out session behind him that went on for the full two-minute segment.
Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne's diving save in the second period of Game 4 on Monday night was sensational, but the call from the broadcast in his native Finland might be even better.
His acrobatics kept the Pittsburgh Penguins from evening the score, and a few minutes later, Nashville went up 3-1 en route to a series-tying 4-1 win.
Justin Bieber defended his apparent bandwagon fandom in a Twitter rant Monday.
The Canadian pop star caught flak for posting an Instagram photo of himself in a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey prior to Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final after cheering on the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier in the playoffs. But as Bieber explained, he considers himself more of a casual sports fan, and will rock any team's jersey "that looks cool."
I support all sports I'll put ANY jersey from ANY pro team if I'm whack for wearing jerseys they give me out of love then I'm Whack
Nashville's Cup Final hero is fine not having a stall of his own in the Predators' dressing room.
Rookie Frederick Gaudreau has scored his first three goals of his career in the Cup Final - with two serving as game-winners in Games 3 and 4 - but still he remains without a proper stall in the Predators' dressing room.
However, the 24-year-old is not discouraged and is just happy to be with the team for their Cup run.
"As far as the stall, I could be sitting on the floor and I'd take it," Gaudreau said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "I'm just happy to be here."
Gaudreau 3 goals(2gwg's) in 4 games in the Cup Final and this is his stall. Never drafted, from humble beginnings... pic.twitter.com/0299W5LF0x
The Predators are also quite happy he is here, but after his heroics in Games 3 and 4 maybe Gaudreau shouldn't be so eager to move from his obviously good luck seating arrangement.
Home appears to be both where the heart is and where goalies play their best hockey in the Stanley Cup Final.
After an abysmal opening two games of the series, Nashville Predators netminder Pekka Rinne has rebounded formidably, helping his team even things up with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Meanwhile, Matt Murray's numbers have taken a dip over the past two games, much to the delight of the heckling masses inside Bridgestone Arena.
Here's a look at how the two goalies have stacked up through four games, with each playing their best on home ice.
Rinne
Games 1 + 2
Games 3 + 4
Save %
.778
.961
Murray
Games 1 + 2
Games 3 + 4
Save %
.938
.873
The series is now a best-of-three affair, with Pittsburgh set to host Game 5 and a possible Game 7.
Murray's track record at home would seem to bode well for the Penguins, but if Rinne can steal one on the road, the Predators could be on their way to their first Cup win.