Some pre-game notes heading into Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday:
• The score was tied, 1-1, entering the third period of Game 2 on Wednesday in Pittsburgh, but the Penguins scored three goals in the first 3:28 of the final frame to take a 4-1 lead (they eventually won the game by that score). Pittsburgh now holds a 2-0 series lead; the Penguins have won 16 of the 18 playoff series they've led 2-0 all-time, and each of their last 10 such series.
• The Predators find themselves in an 0-2 playoff series hole for the fifth time in franchise history. Nashville lost the four previous playoff series that they trailed 2-0, but won Game 3 each time (winning each Game 3 by multiple goals).
• The Penguins had seven power-play opportunities in Game 2, their most in a playoff game since Game 2 of their 2014 first round series versus the Blue Jackets (eight) and the most the Predators have allowed in a playoff game since Game 5 of their 2016 first round series versus the Ducks (seven).
• Jake Guentzel scored two goals in Game 2, giving him 12 goals this postseason -- the second most by a rookie in a single postseason all-time (the Minnesota North Stars' Dino Ciccarelli lit the lamp 14 times in the 1981 postseason).
• Matt Murray has gotten the start and the win in each game this series, and now has a 20-7 career postseason record (the best playoff record by any goalie with at least 25 postseason starts all-time). His 1.95 career postseason goals against average is the second lowest all-time among goalies with 25 career playoff starts (Patrick Lalime -- 1.77).
• Pontus Aberg scored the Predators' only goal on Wednesday, his second goal this postseason after lighting the lamp just once in the regular season. Aberg has four points in Nashville's last four playoff games, totaling two goals and two assists over that span.
• Pekka Rinne has allowed exactly four goals in each game this series, after allowing four goals in just one of Nashville's first 16 games this postseason. Rinne is looking to get back on track at home, where he has won 11 of his last 12 playoff starts dating back to last postseason, recording a 1.58 goals against average and .942 save percentage at home over that span.
Nashville Predators coach Peter Laviolette on Thursday declined to specify whether franchise goaltender Pekka Rinne will start in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
That doesn't mean that backup Juuse Saros will start Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena after he replaced Rinne in the third period of Wednesday's Game 2 for his first career playoff appearance. That seems unlikely.
It does, however, illustrate the hard times the Predators face as they trail Pittsburgh 2-0 with their top goalie struggling.
Rinne has been described by his teammates throughout the postseason as Nashville's best player and MVP, but the Penguins have scored eight goals on 36 shots against him.
--Shawn Thornton has a new job title as the Florida Panthers named the recently retired forward as their vice president of business operations.
A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Thornton collected 102 points (42 goals, 60 assists) in 705 career games with the Chicago Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins and Panthers. He had two goals and two assists in 50 games with Florida this past season.
--The Panthers signed forwards Henrik Haapala and Maxim Mamin to two-year entry-level contracts.
Haapala, 23, appeared in 51 games with Tampere Tappara of Finland's Liiga, recording a league-leading 45 assists to go along with 15 goals. He was awarded the Veli-Pekka Ketola Trophy as Liiga's points leader.
Mamin, 22, appeared in 42 games with CSKA Moscow of the KHL, scoring 12 goals and adding 13 assists before producing three points in nine playoff games.
--A day after acquiring his rights from the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Los Angeles Kings signed 20-year-old forward Bokondji Imama to a three-year entry-level contract on Thursday.
Imama, a 6-foot-1, 221-pound forward, played in 66 regular-season games with the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this past season, recording 41 goals and 55 points to go along with 105 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating.
--The San Jose Sharks will retain the rights to 2016 draft picks forward Noah Gregor and defenseman Mark Shoemaker after issuing them offers.
Gregor, 18, scored 27 goals and added 34 assists to go along with a plus-5 rating in 52 WHL games with Moose Jaw in 2016-17.
Shoemaker, 19, recorded 16 assists and 22 penalty minutes in 68 games with North Bay of the Ontario Hockey League in 2016-17. He was selected by San Jose in the sixth round.
Defenseman Adam Parsells, a 2015 draft pick, was not signed to a contract by the June 1 deadline and will re-enter the draft.
--The Washington Capitals re-signed left winger Nathan Walker to a two-year, two-way contract.
Walker, 23, scored 11 goals with 12 assists and a plus-11 rating in 58 games with AHL Hershey during the 2016-17 season.
--The Vegas Golden Knights signed Czech Republic free agent forward Tomas Hyka to an entry-level contract on Thursday.
The 24-year-old most recently played for his hometown club of Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Extraliga. Last season, Hyka skated in 48 regular-season games and led his team with 17 goals and 21 assists.
In 130 career regular-season games with Mlada Boleslav, he scored 37 goals with 42 assists while adding nine goals and three assists in 24 postseason contests.
