Pekka Rinne, Predators Cruise to Game 4 Win vs. Penguins in Stanley Cup Final

The Nashville Predators evened the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at 2-2 with a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 4 Monday night in Bridgestone Arena.

After getting pulled during the third period of Nashville's Game 2 defeat and allowing eight goals in the first two games, Pekka Rinne put together another strong performance to help lead the Predators to victory. He made 23 saves on 24 shots.

In a frenzy in front of the net during the second period, the veteran goaltender was especially important in preserving Nashville's 2-1 lead. First, he saved a shot from Sidney Crosby and blocked the rebound. Then he sprawled out to deny Jake Guentzel an open goal.

NHL on NBC shared a replay of the nerve-racking sequence:

Naturally, Rinne's heroics had people buzzing on social media:

A little over four minutes after Rinne's double save, Viktor Arvidsson put the Predators ahead 3-1. Mike Fisher's assist was arguably better than the goal. Fisher delivered a perfect pass ahead to Arvidsson as he was falling down to the ice.

The NHL showed multiple looks at the goal:

Fox Sports Tennessee's Kristopher Martel praised Fisher's effort on the play:

While Rinne's save was the biggest moment of the game, things may have transpired much differently if officials hadn't stopped play to determine whether Frederick Gaudreau's shot crossed the goal line with 3:45 elapsed in the second period.

Referees initially allowed the game to continue after it appeared Matt Murray saved Gaudreau's wraparound effort. Upon review, it became clear Gaudreau had scored.

NHL on NBC showed the slim margin separating a tie game from a 2-1 Predators advantage:

Given how well they played, the Predators may have prevailed even without Gaudreau's goal. The replay review highlighted how just about everything went right for them Monday night.

As the series shifted to Nashville, things weren't looking great for the Predators. While they may have been the better team on balance in the first game, they were thoroughly outmatched in the second, with big questions hovering over whether the team could trust Rinne between the pipes.

But after four games, the Stanley Cup Final is tied, and Rinne's struggles have quickly been pushed to the back of fans' minds.

A big defeat at the hands of the Penguins in Game 5 would dampen much of the optimism surrounding the Predators, but Nashville did exactly what it needed to in Games 3 and 4.

How the Penguins respond when the series heads back to PPG Paints Arena on Thursday night is the big question. They won't want to create a must-win situation for themselves in Game 6, with a raucous Bridgestone Arena crowd cheering on the Predators.