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Posted at 11:00 AM EST.

8:00 PM EST. Regulation only. The general consensus is that Game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals may have been one of the worst games ever played. That's saying a lot considering there were eight goals and one team came back from three down to tie it up late before Pittsburgh would go on to luckily win it. Much has been made about the Predators having an early goal reversed on an offsides call. If you thought instant replay was going to make sure “they get it right” you haven't seen this system instituted in other sports where the calls on the field are also subject to human error. How many times have you heard the network's officiating “expert” get the call wrong? There is no league-wide conspiracy to ensure the Penguins win but a perceived bad call can bring the worst out in gamblers. It's important not to react with emotion and understand that over time the calls will even out.

To the naked eye, there is no question who the better team was in Game 1. The Preds dominated puck possession and shots on goal but Jim Rome said it best, “Scoreboard”. That's a fact Preds coach Pierre Laviolette knows all too well, “We hate the result. Right now we are 100 percent in a results-oriented business.” He's right and while he added his team played “great”, there are some big red flags in the Nashville camp. First, despite totally dominating the play for nearly 60-minutes, the Preds could only manage 26 shots on net. That’s a problem. Second, Pekka Rinne has taken his lumps in this space over the years and it was only a matter of time before the clock struck midnight on this rat disguised as a prized pony. Rinne let in four goals on 12 shots. While the game winner came after 37-minutes of inactivity, it was a routine glove save that Rinne had to make. What happened in Game 1 to Rinne and the Preds has been happening for two years now. Dude is prone to allowing soft goals, which makes him weak. Great goaltenders only allow a handful of softies all year and that is what separates the great from the weak. Rinne is the latter because he gives up far too many soft goals.

Did ya hear? The Penguins went 37-minutes Monday night without a shot. This news was obviously not lost on anyone who watched Game 1 or any of its fallout. We are not going to reflect too much on the Pens performance in Game 1 because it's not likely to be seen again. The fact the Penguins were able to play arguably their worst game of the season and still walk away with the win has to be a huge boost. Sidney Crosby and company are not used to taking much heat from the local media and national hockey press but they’ve been criticized harshly for their pathetic performance on the league's biggest stage. This team already knows what it takes to reach the mountain top but this extra fuel may be all they need to finish the climb. It was almost like the Pens were embarrassed that they won Game 1. You could hear it in their tone during post-game interviews.

The Penguins were a -165 favorite in Game 1 and were totally dominated for the world to see but they got the victory. There is an obvious overreaction to Pittsburgh’s pitiful performance in Game,1 butt we’re are going to completely ignore that effort here. The Penguins are a proud and determined bunch that have never been so embarrassed by a win or a performance like that before and we can almost guarantee a massive response to the good. Nashville got their free shot at the champs and they not only swung and missed but the Preds hit the mat with the force of their failure. Don't be surprised if the Penguins don't let them off the canvas.

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