By @MichaelCaples –
Thanks to Ferris State alum Chris Kunitz’s goal in double-overtime last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins are returning to the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight season. Standing in their way of accomplishing back-to-back Stanley Cup championships – they would be the first team to accomplish the feat since the Red Wings did so in the 1990s – are the Western Conference champion Nashville Predators. It’s the first time in Music City history that ‘Smashville’ will be hosting Stanley Cup Final contests.
Here are the Michigan names still standing in the NHL postseason:
Pittsburgh
Bryan Rust – Pontiac native, NTDP alum
Ian Cole – Ann Arbor native, NTDP alum
Kevin Porter – Northville native, NTDP and Michigan alum
Carl Hagelin – Michigan alum
Chris Kunitz – Ferris State alum
Ron Hainsey – NTDP alum
Phil Kessel – NTDP alum
Tom Sestito – Plymouth Whalers alum
David Warsofsky – NTDP alum
Nashville
Austin Watson – Ann Arbor native
James Neal – Plymouth Whalers alum
Here is the Stanley Cup Final schedule, too:
Monday, May 29, 8pm: Predators @ Penguins | NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Wednesday, May 31, 8pm: Predators @ Penguins | NBCSN, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Saturday, June 3, 8pm: Penguins @ Predators | NBCSN, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Monday, June 5, 8pm: Penguins @ Predators | NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Thursday, June 8, 8pm: Predators @ Penguins | NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Sunday, June 11, 8pm: Penguins @ Predators | NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Wednesday, June 14, 8pm: Predators @ Penguins | NBC, CBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
* – if necessary