Nashville rookie center Frederick Gaudreau has taken a long route to the Final, but
his parents' trip has been even longer
. LNH.com Senior Managing Editor Arpon Basu spoke to Jean-Pierre Gaudreau and France Desrosiers, who drove from Bromont, Quebec, about 50 miles from Montreal, to Pittsburgh for Games 1 and 2, then on to Nashville for Games 3 and 4. Their reward: Seeing their son score his first three NHL goals.
On the other side, the Penguins say they aren't letting themselves think about the thrill of winning the Cup for the second straight year, only about the effort they'll need to win Game 6. But as NHL.com Senior Writer Dan Rosen reports, that's often easier said than done, and that they need to focus on the process while
keeping their eye on the prize
.
If it seems like the Penguins have been here before, it's because they have. They went into Game 6 of the Final last year with a 3-2 lead, needing a win at the San Jose Sharks to avoid having to play Game 7. But as NHL.com Correspondent Wes Crosby writes, aside from being in the same position as last season,
the 2016 and 2017 Penguins have few similarities
; they are missing star defenseman Kris Letang, who scored the Cup-winning goal, and have spent much of the spring battling injuries.
One year ago today, with the Penguins two days away from a championship, the NHL lost one of its icons when Gordie Howe died at the age of 88.
NHL.com Columnist Dave Stubbs remembers Mr. Hockey a year after his death
, noting that Gordie's son, Marty Howe, still gets emails and calls from people eager to share their stories about his father.