Nashville Predators Playoff History: The Five Best Individual Performances

Pekka Puts Up a Brick Wall to Deny San Jose Sharks

May 5th, 2016, Game 4 Second Round vs. San Jose Sharks

I told you I was going to come back to this Game 6 triple overtime game against the San Jose Sharks. Yes, I know the Predators would eventually lose in Game 7. But this is about single games and the best individual performances in those clutch games.

Pekka Rinne faced 47 shots over the course of nearly two full games. It was over halfway through the 20-minute third overtime frame when Mike Fisher finally ended it.

Rinne would make 44 saves for a .936 save percentage. His counterpart for San Jose, would respectfully put up 41 saves on 45 shots faced. An unprecedented goalie duel in the postseason.

It was about which goalie would finally blink first. Trading clutch save after clutch save. Rinne was already starting to climb the NHL ranks as one of the rising goalies of the NHL, but this kind of put the hockey world on notice that he’s becoming one of the most elite.

Rinne logged just shy of 111 minutes of ice time. I can’t imagine the amount of laser focus and determination it took to stay locked in and not give up a single goal or it would be an instant loss and a 3-1 series deficit.

This is also a special game to remember because the Sharks were heavy favorites, much like virtually every playoff series the Predators entered. For Rinne to put up this kind of effort to stand on his head and not let the Predators go down quietly was something all-time special.

Unfortunately, Rinne would struggle the rest of the series as the Sharks would win in seven games. However, it still doesn’t take away from this triple overtime performance as one of the best in Nashville Predators playoff history.