Stanley Cup Final 2017: Schedule, Top Players to Watch in Predators vs. Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a moment to breathe after their thrilling double-overtime victory in the seventh game of their Eastern Conference Final against the Ottawa Senators.

That 3-2 triumph came as a result of a Chris Kunitz goal in the second extra session. When the puck fluttered past Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson, it sent the Pens to the Stanley Cup Final for a second consecutive year against the Nashville Predators.

Head coach Mike Sullivan's team will try to become the first team to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles since the Detroit Red Wings accomplished the feat in 1997 and '98.

The Predators have been resting since closing out a six-game victory over the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Final Monday night. The Preds were the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and had the worst regular-season record of the 16 teams that qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Nevertheless, the Preds have played remarkably well in the postseason. They shocked the NHL by sweeping the heavily favored Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, and they followed that up with six-game victories over the St. Louis Blues and Ducks.

The Penguins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games in the first round, followed by a memorable seven-game victory over the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals in the second round. That victory preceded their seven-game triumph over the Sens.

The Stanley Cup Final will start Monday night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The first game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start, and it will be televised by NBC.

Stanley Cup Final Schedule

Game 1, Nashville at Pittsburgh, May 29, 8 p.m., NBC

Game 2, Nashville at Pittsburgh, May 31, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Game 3, Pittsburgh at Nashville, June 3, 8 p.m., NBCSN

Game 4, Pittsburgh at Nashville, June 5, 8 p.m., NBC

Game 5, Nashville at Pittsburgh, June 8, 8 p.m., NBC (if necessary)

Game 6, Pittsburgh at Nashville, June 11, 8 p.m., NBC (if necessary)

Game 7, Nashville at Pittsburgh, June 14, 8 p.m., NBC (if necessary)

While the Pens have two of the greatest players in the NHL in Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Predators should not be counted out in this confrontation.

Head coach Peter Laviolette has a fast-paced and gritty team that has gotten tremendous production from its blueliners, clutch scoring from the forwards and a spectacular showing from goaltender Pekka Rinne.

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Defensemen Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm have combined to score 39 points in 12 playoff games. Ellis and Ekholm have raised their game quite a bit in the playoffs, while Josi and Subban have played up to their star status—and perhaps a little higher.

Center Filip Forsberg is the Predators' leading postseason scorer with eight goals and 15 points. He is joined by Colton Sissons, who had a hat trick in the Western Conference clincher against the Ducks and has scored 10 postseason points. Viktor Arvidsson has scored 10 points while James Neal has five goals and seven points.

Rinne has been sharp throughout the playoffs with a 12-4 record, a 1.70 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage.

The Penguins will look to their dynamic duo of Crosby and Malkin to trigger their offense. Crosby is the Penguins' captain and is often regarded as the best player in the sport. He has tallied 20 points in the postseason, while Malkin has been even more productive with 24 points.

Phil Kessel, the hard-shooting winger, has added 19 points and Jake Guentzel has contributed 16 points.

Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Penguins throughout their series victories over Columbus and Washington. He also played the first three games against the Senators, but when the Pens fell behind 2-1 and dropped Game 3 by a 5-1 score, Sullivan replaced Fleury with Matt Murray.

That move proved crucial for the Penguins as Murray won three of four starts with a 1.35 GAA and a .946 save percentage. Fleury had a 9-6 record with a 2.56 GAA and a .924 save percentage.

Crosby expressed his respect for the Predators after his team's draining series against the Senators. 

"You watch a lot of games in the playoffs and you see the way [the Predators] play," Crosby said, per Wes Crosby of NHL.com. "They're playing with a ton of energy. They're a quick team. They play well as a five-man unit out there.

"Their [defensemen] join the play and they play a really quick-paced game, so it should be some exciting hockey as far as back-and-forth and fast and physical. I think both teams like to play a pretty similar style."

The Penguins are playing for their fifth Stanley Cup in franchise history, while the Preds are making a run at their first title in their only appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.