In a breakout season like the one Pekka Rinne just completed, there were any number of instances where he put the Predators on his back and carried them to victory, but none was more spectacular, nor critical, than late in the March 22 game against Edmonton. With the Preds needing every possible point in the standings, and having stumbled against the lowly Oilers before, Nashville held a 3-1 lead late in the 3rd period. A tripping penalty to Mike Fisher put Edmonton on the power play, however, and it would take a strong penalty killing effort to close out the game.
A shot from the right point led to a bit of a scramble for the loose puck, and when the Oilers’ Tom Gilbert corralled it for a shot, he looked to have all the room in the world – but that legendary glove hand of Pekka Rinne snatched away the scoring chance and helped preserve a big win for the Preds: