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Predators in the Wild: Stanley Cup Final Edition

From last team in the playoffs to the Stanley Cup Final. A moment 19 years in the making.

By Hayley Alexandra
2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Three Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images

The Recap

How The West Was Won

The Stanley Cup Final. How did we get here?

The last time we checked in the Predators had swept the Chicago Blackhawks.

Then they sent the Blues back to St. Louis...

...and had just been dealt the Anaheim Ducks for the Western Conference Final.

You can catch-up on the Preds full journey to the Western Conference here.

For the first time in franchise history the Nashville Predators were playing for a conference championship against a ruthless Anaheim Ducks team.

After ousting the Ducks in Round 1 last year, there was some leftover animosity...

...and a newfound player rivalry we never knew we wanted.

“The Battle of the Ryans”

Ryjo was not having any of Ryan Kesler’s garbage.

Unfortunately, things took a dark turn for Johansen after Game 4.

On the surface it looked like the Preds run for the Cup was coming to a close, but if we learned anything in the first two rounds it’s that you can never underestimate this team and what they’re capable of. With the support of their fallen teammates...

The Preds soldiered on, in glorious fashion...

...and again.

Johansen might have been out of the series but Kesler checked out too...

And then in Game 6 the Nashville Predators made history led by a hat-trick from Colton Sissons.

The Nashville Predators became Western Conference Champions.

Elsewhere...

The Ducks packed up to head back to hell... I mean Anaheim.

Mike Yeo still doesn’t know where he is...

...and the Blackhawks are all enjoying their vacations.

What a trip! Tough to leave this place behind but ready to go home and get back to work.

A post shared by Jonathan Toews (@jonathantoews) on

Meanwhile...

The Stanley Cup Final

The Nashville Predators are currently tied 2-2 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in a bout for the Stanley Cup.

The Preds are only two wins away from being Stanley Cup Champions.

Fun would be an understatement.

This team, and this city are having the time of their lives.

The First two games in Pittsburgh might not have gone the Predators’ way, but once they returned to Nashville, they did not disappoint.

There have been “instruments of crime”...

...hateful goals...

... and catfish.

There have been cellies...

...some really, really loud goalie taunting...

...and more cellies.

Ryan Johansen became the Mayor of Nashville...

...and they renamed the streets.

This happened...

...followed by this...

... followed by more cellies, this time with more Arvy.

More instruments of crime, dressed to kill...

...Pekka doing totally normal things...

... and, of course, parties.

Win or lose, one thing is certain, the Nashville Predators have changed the look of the Stanley Cup Finals. With Games 3 and 4 looking like warm-up parties for Game 6, one can only imagine what the party will look like if they win the whole thing.

#WTWFT