Pittsburgh Penguins: Three Keys to Clinching the Stanley Cup

Jun 8, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Pontus Aberg (46) moves the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Conor Sheary (43) during the third period in game five of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 8, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Pontus Aberg (46) moves the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Conor Sheary (43) during the third period in game five of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Penguins are just one win away from their fifth Stanley Cup Championship.

With a 6-0 win over the Nashville Predators in game five on Thursday, the Pittsburgh Penguins took a 3-2 series lead in the Stanley Cup Final.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins

They should be looking to get it all done in game six on Sunday, rather than having the need to go back to Pittsburgh for game seven. With that said, let’s look at three keys to getting the final victory needed in these playoffs.

1) Keep the Offence Up

The Penguins were able to solve their offence issues from games three and four on Thursday night. Scoring six goals in the entire game, the Penguins surely found a solution to Pekka Rinne and the pesky Predators defence.

Now that we have it figured out, we need to execute one more time. Our lines are working out great, let’s just stick with what works.

2) Defensive Measures

The Penguins also played excellently on the defensive end. Getting Matt Murray the shutout on 24 shots on goal was spectacular. We need another performance like this going forward.

The Predators offence is missing a few joints. Our offensive core is better, so we should be able to shut them down effectively.

3) Forget About Home Ice Advantage

So far in this series, the home team has won every game. If we were to continue following this trend, the Predators would force a game seven. We have to learn to block out all the noise of Nashville’s rambunctious fans and focus on getting the win.

Our away record is not that bad. We should be able to get the win against Nashville in Nashville. If we continue playing our game and treat it as if it is our home ice, we should be in a good spot.