The Nashville Predators' success this postseason could not have come at a better time for the NHL and the Vegas Golden Knights. This run to the Stanley Cup Final has put Nashville on the map as a legitimate hockey market, even though attendance has never been a major issue - with the exception of a few seasons - in the Predators' existence.

Though they're by no means the same city, Nashville and Las Vegas have some striking similarities that should ease some of the concerns people have about Sin City's ability to support an NHL team.

Untapped market

Just like the Predators in 1998, the Golden Knights will be entering an untapped professional sports market. There's no NBA or MLB team in either city, and while the NFL's Tennessee Titans also moved to Nashville full time in 1998, the Golden Knights won't have to worry about the Raiders moving to Vegas until 2019 or 2020.

The Golden Knights will therefore have a nice head start on their local NFL counterpart when it comes to building a fan base in the city - something the Predators didn't have the luxury of when they started out.

Downtown arena

This is perhaps the most important similarity between the two. If Nashville's Bridgestone Arena wasn't located in the city's downtown core, there's a chance "Smashville" doesn't even exist. Lacking a downtown arena is a major reason teams such as Ottawa, Arizona, and Florida struggle to sell out.

In addition to increased attendance, having a downtown arena can affect a city's culture. Crowds pile outside of the building to take part in festivities and watch the game on the big screen during the playoffs, and you can bet Vegas will have something similar if the Golden Knights ever make noise in the postseason.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Desirable tourist destination

After seeing the ongoing party in the streets during the Stanley Cup Final - and the atmosphere in the arena - it's safe to say that seeing an NHL game in Nashville is on just about every hockey fan's bucket list.

If Vegas can follow suit, even with half the crowd energy, it will be a desirable tourist destination for hockey fans, especially given the abundance of other entertainment the city has to offer.

Just win, baby

Party atmosphere aside, Music City's continent-wide surge in popularity is because of one thing: winning.

Like almost all expansion teams, the Predators struggled in the early going, failing to make the playoffs in each of their first five seasons. However, they kept the fan base interested by eventually reeling off a run of seven playoff appearances in eight seasons. Sustained success after the "new-team shine" wears off is crucial for any young franchise.

However, perhaps the biggest takeaway from Nashville's success for Golden Knights owner Bill Foley is the importance of stability within an organization. David Poile has been the Predators' only general manager, and Peter Laviolette is just the second head coach in the club's history. George McPhee and Gerard Gallant are in it for the long haul in Vegas, and they need to receive the proper amount of slack to figure it out - just like Poile and Barry Trotz did.

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This Stanley Cup Final certainly hasn't lacked drama, and there's no shortage of compelling plot lines heading into Sunday's Game 6.

The Pittsburgh Penguins can repeat as champions with a victory, but the fans at Bridgestone Arena will be hell-bent on throwing the visitors off their game in the Nashville Predators' final home date of the season.

It's nail-biting time for supporters of the two clubs, but it's a win-win for hockey fans who don't have a horse in the race, as they'll either witness a back-to-back title victory or be gifted with a Game 7 in the Cup Final for the first time since 2011.

Here are three interesting storylines to ponder in Game 6:

Will Subban regret irking Crosby?

P.K. Subban has done his best to get under the skin of Sidney Crosby, but the Predators defenseman's efforts may continue to bring out the best in the Penguins' leader.

Subban has gone at Crosby all series, most notably getting in his grill near the end of Game 3, joking that the Penguins' leader said he had bad breath, and pinning his foot with what Crosby called "some UFC move" during their Game 5 tussle.

The Nashville blueliner would probably say he has no regrets about repeatedly egging on arguably the NHL's best player, but Crosby responded to their Game 3 confrontation with his only goal of the series in Game 4, so a similar on-ice answer could be coming on the heels of their Game 5 wrestling match.

The 'rookie' might do it again

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

The fact the NHL still considers Matt Murray a rookie is a bit ridiculous, but what he's doing at his age needs to be acknowledged.

He could hoist the Stanley Cup for the second time in as many seasons, and given that the Penguins goaltender turned 23 less than three weeks ago, that's pretty remarkable.

Murray has been much better at home this postseason, but earning a championship-clinching victory in hostile territory would help to quiet that narrative and make his early-career accomplishments even more impressive.

Malkin, Crosby can ascend to new heights

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

The legacies of Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will be just fine regardless of the outcome of this game, thank you very much, but the two superstars can take their status as a dynamic duo to a new level with a win Sunday.

They'll have two cracks at it, but a victory in Game 6 would ensure them of membership in the rather exclusive club of legendary teammates who've won three championships together, joining the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay, and other greats including Mike Bossy and Bryan Trottier.

Strong performances in Game 6 from the two stars would also further state their case to share the Conn Smythe Trophy for their contributions this spring.

They've carried a Penguins squad that was once again decimated by injuries, combining for 18 goals and 55 points in this playoff run.

No sensible person is questioning Crosby and Malkin's place in history, but another victory would put them in rarefied air.

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June is an incredibly busy month for the NHL, but that doesn't mean we can't look ahead to what's coming. Free agency begins at 12 p.m. ET on July 1, and we're ranking the top 80 unrestricted free agents in a seven-post series ahead of the madness.

We're working our way from blue-collar players at the bottom to top-dollar names who headline the list. Here are the UFAs ranked 50-41:

50. Deryk Engelland (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 35
2016-17 Cap Hit: $2,916,667

Engelland played a career-high 18:20 minutes per game this season, but he probably shouldn't have. He took 85 penalty minutes, gave the puck away 49 times, and had an abysmal Corsi For percentage of 46.6. He's best suited to be a seventh defenseman, capable of stepping into the lineup and providing a physical presence.

49. David Desharnais (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 31
2016-17 Cap Hit: $3.5M

At 5-foot-7, 176 pounds, Desharnais is vastly undersized, but he doesn't make up for it with any speed or skill whatsoever. If he isn't winning faceoffs, he's quite a liability as a fourth-line center.

48. Johnny Oduya (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 36
2016-17 Cap Hit: $3.75M

Oduya's possession numbers have now been atrocious in back-to-back seasons. He's a fifth or sixth defenseman at best at this point in his career, but he has a winning pedigree as a two-time Stanley Cup champ and won't cost much.

47. Mark Streit (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 39
2016-17 Cap Hit: $5.25M

Streit is still capable of quarterbacking a power play, but that can be tough to do when you're not getting into the game much at five-on-five. Nonetheless, he is still a good enough skater and an above average puck-mover, so he will surely find a bottom pairing job. Yet, this team better have some insurance given his age.

46. Dwight King (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 28
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.95M

King brings a rare combination of a winning pedigree (two Stanley Cups), great size (6-foot-4, 229 pounds), and relative youth (compared to most UFAs) to a bottom-six forward group. He's best-suited in a fourth-line role, but has scored 15 goals in the past and is capable of jumping up to the third line.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

45. Roman Polak (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 31
2016-17 Cap Hit: $2.25M

When Polak goes into a corner with an opposing forward, he has no regard for human life. He's as mean and physical as they come. If he's paired with an adequate puck-mover on the bottom pairing, he can be a very useful player. He's an excellent penalty-killer.

44. Brian Gionta (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 38
2016-17 Cap Hit: $4.25M

Gionta still managed to pot 15 goals last year, but he has registered horrendous possession numbers in four consecutive seasons. He's likely looking for his best chance to win another Cup at this stage of his career, but he'll have to accept a bottom-six role in order to make it happen. Retirement shouldn't be ruled out, either.

43. Chris Kunitz (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 38
2016-17 Cap Hit: $3.85M

It's hard to imagine Kunitz suiting up in anything other than Pittsburgh's black and gold at this point. If the Pens end up prevailing in the Stanley Cup Final, it's possible he could hang 'em up.

42. Tom Pyatt (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 30
2016-17 Cap Hit: 800K

Pyatt returned to the NHL this past season after a two-year hiatus in Switzerland. He served as a very valuable bottom-six forward for the Senators, recording 35 takeaways but only 20 giveaways, just 16 penalty minutes, and a plus-9 rating. He isn't a threat offensively, but he is a very good penalty-killer.

41. Dennis Wideman (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 34
2016-17 Cap Hit: $5.25M

Wideman is now most remembered for his incident with lineman Don Henderson, but many forget that he is just two seasons removed from scoring 15 goals and totaling 56 points. He hasn't come close to those totals in the past two seasons, but he's still capable of playing on a bottom pairing and anchoring a second power-play unit.

Free Agent Rankings

• 80-66
• 65-51

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The only thing better than Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final is Game 7.

If "Winner gets the Cup" is played, it will be contested Wednesday in Pittsburgh. Whether it happens is up to the Nashville Predators. And the Penguins, too, we suppose.

Here's the tale of the tape after five games, each won by the home team:

Game 6 is at 8 p.m. ET in Nashville.

Is the Stanley Cup Final going the distance?

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Do or die. Win or go home. Leave it all on the line.

Pick your cliche, because they all apply to the Nashville Predators in advance of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Bridgestone Arena will no doubt be rocking Sunday, partly due to excitement and partly due to the nausea-inducing anxiety that comes when a team is facing elimination in a championship series.

In order to push the series to a decisive Game 7 back in Pittsburgh, the Predators will need to provide the right answers to the following questions:

Will Ryan Ellis play?

After being forced out of Game 5 with an unspecified injury, Ellis' availiability for Game 6 is up in the air, and that could spell big trouble for Nashville.

"He's obviously a huge part of our defense," Ellis' defense partner Roman Josi said Saturday, per Robby Stanley of NHL.com. "He's been unbelievable all season. He's been great in the playoffs.

"His hockey sense is really good. He makes the right plays, he always makes the right decision and he's a great leader on our team."

While Ellis averages the fewest minutes among Nashville's formidable defensive foursome - which also includes Josi, P.K. Subban, and Mattias Ekholm - he ranks second to Josi in goals (five) and points (13). He's also played a huge role in keeping the opposition at bay with solid play in his own zone.

Ellis didn't skate Saturday, and Matt Irwin is expected to see an uptick in minutes if Ellis can't go. That drop off may be too big to overcome.

Which Pekka Rinne will show up?

It's been a tale of two Rinne's so far during the Cup Final.

In Pittsburgh, he's been, in a word, bad. But on home ice, he's given his team a fighting chance, and he'll need to post similar numbers in order to push the series to seven games.

Here's a look at Rinne's roller coaster ride over the past five games.

At this point, Nashville's best hope is to hold serve at home and hope Rinne can pretend Game 7 is being played at Bridgestone. Recent history suggests the former is entirely possible, if not probable.

Can Filip Forsberg beat Matt Murray?

Game 6 would be the perfect time for Forsberg to break out.

After having shared the regular-season team lead in goals with Viktor Arvidsson (31), Forsberg leads Nasvhille once again with nine in the postseason. Only one of those, however, has come against the Penguins, and that was into an empty net to boot.

So far, Forsberg has fired 13 shots on Murray, with nothing to show for it.

This is where the loss of center Ryan Johansen is being felt, and hopefully someone, anyone, can get Forsberg the puck with some regularity on Sunday.

Arvidsson, by the way, has one goal on seven shots against Murray, and he too would do well to find the back of the net before it's too late.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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Braden Holtby is walking the walk.

For the second year in a row, the Washington Capitals goalie showed his support for the LGBTQ community by participating in the Capital Pride Parade along with his wife Brandy.

Fans and fellow parade participants were certainly fired up to see Holtby at the event.

Back in February, Holtby was named the Capitals' You Can Play club ambassador, thereby taking on the role of leader in the locker room and in the community on diversity, equality, and inclusion, as well as agreeing to lead the way in the fight against homophobia in sports.

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Matt Cullen would love nothing more than to go out on top.

The Pittsburgh Penguins center has admitted it's probable he'll retire at season's end and head home to Minnesota with his family. Ideally, that'll happen on a winning note.

"It’s pretty likely that this will be the end, and if it is, I’d love it to be holding that sucker again," Cullen said of the Cup, per Michael Russo of the Star-Tribune. "That would be pretty unreal. We’re so close."

Related: Penguins' Sullivan views Cullen as 'extension of our coaching staff'

A series win over the Nashville Predators would make the 40-year-old a three-time Cup champion, previously hoisting "that sucker" as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes (2006) and last year with the Penguins.

Just don't expect Cullen to pull a Mark Recchi and make an announcement amid a Cup celebration.

"I know enough just to give myself time," the 19-year NHL veteran said. "It’s a decision that deserves a little time. It carries a lot of weight, for me at least. I’ll get away from it, and then decide."

The Penguins are one win away from another Cup, with Game 6 set for Sunday in Nashville. Cullen has contributed two goals and seven assists in 24 games this postseason.

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