A Hat Trick Sends the Nashville Predators to the Stanley Cup Final
May 22nd, 2017- Game 6 Western Conference Finals vs. Anaheim Ducks
This is one of those moments that Predators fans will never forget where they were while watching this game back in 2017. The Western Conference Finals, Game 6 at home in Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators and Ducks were fierce rivals. The Ducks played a rugged game, and the Predators were looking to continue their magical run through the postseason as a No.8 seed. They had already swept the Blackhawks and taken out the Blues in six.
Colton Sissons came into this game with valuable postseason experience the year before, but didn’t register a point in those two playoff series that ended with the Predators being eliminated by the San Jose Sharks.
The 2016-17 season was Sissons’ third year in the NHL. He had just 10 points, eight goals, during that season. For him to put it together for a hat trick in a series-clinching Game 6 to go to the Stanley Cup Final will forever be one of the most special moments in franchise history.
Sissons would tally his first goal of the game in the opening period to put the Predators up 2-0 on the Ducks. The Ducks would make a furious comeback to tie it at 3-3 with two goals in a span of less than four minutes.
No one wanted to think about going back to Anaheim for a Game 7. Sissons already had two goals in the game, and would score the go-ahead goal 14 minutes into the third period for an eruption at Bridgestone Arena.
The pass across the slot from Calle Jarnkrok deserves all the praise in this as well. That’s what you call a hockey team fully engaged and in sync with each other. I’ll always get chills when I watch this clip.
Of course, the goal Sissons had taken back in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final will always haunt us as a fanbase. Who knows what would’ve happened if that goes to Game 7. Maybe the Predators have their first Stanley Cup. We’ll never know. #SissonsScored