Predators beat Penguins 4-1 to even Stanley Cup Final

By Teresa M. Walker

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Rookie Frederick Gaudreau sure is doing his best to earn his own locker with the Nashville Predators with a Stanley Cup Final debut for the ages.

Gaudreau, an undrafted free agent playing in only his sixth postseason game, scored the go-ahead goal 3:45 into the second period, Pekka Rinne made 23 often-spectacular saves and the Predators beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Monday in Game 4 to even the series at 2-2.

It’s now a best-of-three sprint to the Cup, and the Predators are riding a wave of momentum after outscoring the defending champion Penguins 9-2 in Games 3 and 4. Game 5 is Thursday in Pittsburgh.

Gaudreau has only a chair in the locker room, but he is the second player in NHL history to score his first three career goals in a Final, joining Johnny Harms with the 1944 Blackhawks.

‘‘He’s been unbelievable for us,’’ Penguins captain Mike Fisher said. ‘‘He’s just been so good, timely goals and composed. He definitely belongs, and he’s been a huge part of our success.’’

Calle Jarnkrok, Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg (empty net) also scored for the Predators, who improved to 9-1 at home in the playoffs and roared back after dropping the first two games of the series on the road.

‘‘We were in a tough hole against a really good team, came home and took care of the home games with the help of all our great fans,’’ Rinne said. ‘‘It’s a great feeling. We played two really good games.”

Penguins star Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the series after not getting a shot on goal in Game 3. The goal was his first in the Final since June 4, 2009, but it wasn’t enough as the Penguins lost back-to-back games for only the second time in the postseason.

‘‘It’s hard to win when you score one goal,’’ Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. ‘‘I thought tonight we generated the most chances of the highest quality.’’

The Predators opened the scoring when Craig Smith ricocheted a puck off Penguins goalie Matt Murray’s pads that Jarnkrok tapped in with 5:09 left in the first period.

A little more than a minute later, Crosby tied the score for the Penguins on a dazzling breakaway. He skated in on Rinne and faked a slap shot before slipping the puck past him for his eighth goal and 24th point of the playoffs.

But the Predators clamped down after that. Rinne kept it tied in the early minutes of the second by making a stop on Jake Guentzel, then making a big save on Chris Kunitz on a breakaway.

And then came Gaudreau’s goal, which was confirmed only after the horn sounded and officials reviewed the play. They ruled his wraparound attempt got the puck just over the line, giving the Predators a 2-1 lead they didn’t relinquish.

‘‘I heard it on the bench that it was possibly in the net,’’ Gaudreau said. ‘‘I wasn’t certain. When I heard the horn, I sort of thought it was in.’’

Crosby had another breakaway midway through the second, and Rinne stopped him not once but twice. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin finished with six shots but only the lone goal.

‘‘It’s a game of execution,’’ Crosby said. ‘‘They capitalized on our mistakes, and we have to do the same.’’