Predators score weird goal to go up 2-1 in Game 4 (Video)

He didn’t know it at the time, but Frederick Gaudreau put Nashville up with this wraparound.

It took a late video review decision to award it, but the NHL ensured the Nashville Predators were credited with this goal early in the second period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Preds went up 2-1 on the Pittsburgh Penguins when Frederick Gaudreau slid the puck just barely over the line, despite goalie Matt Murray’s commendable stick work.

Play continued for a few seconds after the goal, with fans and players thinking Murray had made an incredible save on Gaudreau’s wraparound. It wasn’t until on-ice officials received word from the league’s video review office that the puck had gone into the net that they stopped the game.

Nashville’s goal came on the back of an excellent save by their own goalie Pekka Rinne, who stoned Chris Kunitz on a breakaway to keep the game tied at one. Had the NHL not noticed Gaudreau’s wraparound crossing the line, that shift would’ve had arguably the two best saves of the game.

The rookie Gaudreau’s goal is not only his third of the Stanley Cup Final, but the third of his NHL career. The undrafted 24-year-old played in just nine regular season games for the Preds this year, but he now finds himself leading them in goals in this series against the Pens.

Gaudreau is playing in his sixth NHL playoff game on Monday, as he’s become an important part of the lineup with so many key Preds forwards (like Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala) out injured.

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Nashville is looking to tie this series up 2-2 after losing the first two games in Pittsburgh and winning Game 3 at home on Saturday. They’ll be hoping that the Bridgestone Arena fans will give them the energy needed to take down the reigning Stanley Cup champions in their first-ever Final appearance in franchise history.