Breaking down the 5 keys to Game 5

The winner of Game 5 will have two opportunities to win the Stanley Cup, so yeah, Thursday's contest is a big deal.

The Penguins jumped out to an early 2-0 series advantage, but behind the rocking crowds in Nashville, the Predators knotted things up heading back to Pittsburgh.

Momentum has swung in the Predators' favor, but still, the home team has won each of the first four games. With that in mind, here are five keys to Thursday's Game 5.

That damned Pens power play

It's a dead horse that deserves beating once again - the Penguins' power play is struggling.

Those struggles are baffling, considering the firepower at their disposal and how potent the unit was early in the postseason.

The Penguins still have the fifth-ranked power play in these playoffs (20.8 percent success rate), but it's been awful in this series.

They have one power-play goal in 16 opportunities, which came in Game 1 on a two-man advantage. Taking things even further, Pittsburgh has only seven shots with the man advantage all series.

Goals don't come easy in the postseason, so the Penguins need to start taking advantage of their opportunities.

Rinne needs road improvement

Pekka Rinne remains in the thick of the Conn Smythe race, and if he can just tighten up his game on the road, he'll be on his way to guaranteeing himself the award ... and a Stanley Cup.

Overall, Rinne has been spectacular all postseason, but a quick look at the numbers shows he's been less sharp away from Bridgestone Arena.

Home Stat Away
9 Wins 5
1 Losses 5
1.44 GAA 2.36
.949 SV% .913

In fact, Rinne's numbers in Games 1 and 2 in Pittsburgh were even worse. The 34-year-old posted a .778 save percentage and a 4.69 goals-against average across the first two road games, allowing eight goals on 36 shots.

Rinne must be better in Game 5 if the Predators want to avoid falling behind in the series again.

Can Crosby, Malkin dominate the same game?

They're the two most talented players in this series - that's a fact.

But for whatever reason, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have had trouble finding the back of the net on the same night.

The Penguins have played 23 games this postseason - Crosby missed one - and while the duo has combined for 17 goals in those games, only once have they both scored in the same contest - in Game 2 of the opening round against Columbus.

Crosby and Malkin are arguably the most dangerous duo in the game today, and both of them breaking through Nashville's defense on the same night could be the key to the Cup.

Murray's glove hand

The word is out on Matt Murray's weakness.

Through four games, the Predators have seemingly found Murray's kryptonite - his glove hand. Over the course of the series, the goalie has allowed 12 goals with seven of those coming on shots to his mitt.

You can give him a pass on Pontus Aberg's beauty in Game 2, James Neal's tally in Game 3, and even Calle Jarnkrok's opening goal in Game 4, but that still leaves five others.

The Predators have caught on, and if Murray doesn't tighten that up, Nashville should continue to exploit it.

Nashville's balanced attack

What often makes the Predators' offense so hard to shut down - besides the fact that a ton of their offense begins with their defense - is that there isn't one dangerous superstar to focus on.

Ryan Johansen was forced from the playoffs last round, and while Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson remain the club's deadliest options up front, the Predators are winning games by committee.

Through four games this series, rookie sensation Frederick Gaudreau is the only Predator to have found the back of the net more than once. In fact, the Predators have goals from 11 different players in the final.

To put that into perspective, the Penguins have goals from just six different skaters.

It's hard to game plan against such a balanced attack, so if the Predators continue to get contributions from everyone, they might have a chance to win the Cup on Bridgestone ice in Game 6.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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