Rinne's struggles in Pittsburgh are staggering
A win in Game 6 for the Nashville Predators will be a bittersweet for Pekka Rinne. On one hand, he will get to play for the Stanley Cup. On the other, he will have to return to PPG Paints Arena.
The veteran netminder has had a strong postseason for the most part, but there isn't an arena he despises more than the one the Penguins call home.
For the second time this series, the Predators starter was pulled, further inflating his already poor numbers in Pittsburgh. Whether it be during the regular season or the postseason, the Penguins have not been kind hosts to Rinne.
Career regular season in Pittsburgh
| GP | W | L | SA | GA | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 90 | 13 | .856 | 4.96 |
Career playoffs in Pittsburgh
| GP | W | L | SA | GA | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 11 | .756 | 5.41 |
In all, Rinne has a career save percentage of .822 in Pittsburgh while allowing 24 goals on 135 shots.
If the Predators and Rinne can be confident about one thing, it's that Rinne has been stellar at home in these playoffs, holding a 9-1 record with a 1.44 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage, so there should be no short of confidence heading into Game 6.
But if they return to Pittsburgh for a Game 7, that might be another story.