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)

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shayne Gostisbehere and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed on a six-year, $27-million extension Friday (with a $4.5-million cap hit), locking up the 24-year-old defenseman through the 2022-23 season.

After Gostisbehere racked up 17 goals and 29 assists in an enthralling 64-game rookie campaign, the Flyers' dynamic rearguard dipped to seven goals and 39 points in 76 contests in 2016-17, a regression that likely saved Philadelphia's brass a pretty penny.

Gostisbehere's new deal is great for the Flyers' books, but since he's the first of numerous defensemen needing fresh contracts to sign this offseason, it also sets a precedent for what comparable players will request - and ultimately earn - in negotiations this summer.

For reference, here are the contract figures and stats of four notable would-be restricted free-agent defensemen that signed extensions in 2016.

Let's look at three prominent RFA blue-liners and how Gostisbehere's pact might affect them.

RFAs

Colton Parayko
Team: St. Louis Blues
Age: 24
2016-17 Points: 35
'16-'17 Cap Hit: $858,750

Parayko is the Blues' main priority this offseason, and using Gostisbehere's deal as a reference point should earn him some extra dough.

Though Gostisbehere's offensive numbers look better on paper, Parayko was incredibly snakebitten this season, firing 206 shot attempts before finding the back of the net for the first time in January. Parayko holds a significant size advantage over Gostisbehere and is superior at both shot generation and suppression while commanding more ice time. A deal worth $5 million-$6 million annually could very well be in the works.

Justin Schultz

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Age: 26
2016-17 Points: 51
'16-'17 Cap Hit: $1.4M

Schultz presents an interesting case. After arriving in Pittsburgh to help aid the Penguins' 2016 Cup run, the Oilers castoff earned a one-year deal and finished seventh among all defensemen in scoring with 51 points. He's also played a significant role in leading Pittsburgh back to the final, where the team sits one win away from a second consecutive championship.

Schultz has proven himself more than capable of filling a top-four role during his Penguins tenure, and if decent offensive numbers can fetch Gostisbehere $4.5 million, it's easy to imagine Schultz might be after a similar number.

Dmitry Orlov

Team: Capitals
Age: 25
2016-17 Points: 33
'16-'17 Cap Hit: $2.57M

Change is on the horizon in Washington, and Orlov has a chance to parlay his career season into a significant raise.

Orlov's offensive totals don't rival Gostisbehere's, but with Kevin Shattenkirk and Karl Alzner bound to test the free-agent market, the Russian's role is destined to grow within the Capitals' scheme. He was second among Washington defensemen with 24 points at five-on-five this season, and owned the group's highest Corsi For rating per 60 minutes at 59.01.

With underlying numbers worthy of top-pairing deployment and a prospering offensive game, Orlov's new contract is a top priority for general manager Brian MacLellan. The Capitals might be wise to write him a cheque similar to Gostisbehere's now, rather than risk forking over even more money down the road.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan had some high praise for his veteran forward following Saturday's practice.

"I look at (Matt Cullen) as an extension of our coaching staff," Sullivan told Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "That's how highly we think of him."

Cullen has played 19 seasons in the NHL, so this amount of respect comes with good measure. Having such a veteran leader is crucial on a team with several young players, such as Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary, in their first or second year in the league.

Though he's certainly a valuable asset off the ice, Cullen has proven to be just as valuable on the ice.

Without the injured Nick Bonino in the lineup the past three games, he has stepped into a third-line role, averaging more than 17 minutes per night. That's a lot when you consider he's 40 years old, making him the third-oldest active player behind Shane Doan (40 years, 243 days) and Jaromir Jagr (44).

His biggest contributions have come in the faceoff circle, where he's won 60 percent of his draws in the last three games and 56.5 percent overall in the postseason.

The grizzled veteran is seeking his third Stanley Cup ring. Given his winning pedigree and his proven leadership qualities, it wouldn't be surprising if Cullen got into coaching after he hangs 'em up.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Phil Housley will reportedly sit down with the Buffalo Sabres when the Stanley Cup Final is over.

The Buffalo Sabres are waiting for the championship round to conclude before interviewing the Nashville Predators assistant coach for their head coaching vacancy, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.

Housley joined the Predators' coaching staff in the spring of 2013, about five months after guiding the United States to a gold-medal victory in the World Junior Championship.

He has a long history of experience with USA Hockey as a coach and a player, and ranks fourth all time in points by a defenseman in NHL history.

The Stanley Cup Final resumes with Game 6 on Sunday night, and if necessary, Game 7 will be played Wednesday.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

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 up from No. 80 to No. 1, with that, here are the 65-51 ranked UFAs heading into July 1:

65. Jay McClement (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 34
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.2M

Jay McClement played an average of 11:23 a night and managed just eight points in 65 games with the Carolina Hurricanes this season.

He might provide great intangibles, but he'll fill out a fourth line and that's about it.

64. Tommy Wingels (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 29
2016-17 Cap Hit: $2.475M

Tommy Wingels has seen his point totals drop in each of the past three seasons and he was a healthy scratch a number of times following his deal to the Ottawa Senators in January.

He's likely heading into free agency just hoping to find work.

63. Lauri Korpikoski (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 30
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1M

There aren't a ton of things that Lauri Korpikoski does well, if we can be honest.

He posted 10 goals or more just twice since the 2011-12 season and collected 20 points in 69 games this past campaign while averaging just 12:24 of ice time. Like a lot of players on this list, he might help to fill out a bottom trio, but don't expect much outside of that.

62. Dominic Moore (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 36
2016-17 Cap Hit: $900K

Dominic Moore is entering the final years of his career.

However, he's a player that still gives his all every shift. He will slot in on a fourth line somewhere with the ability to play up and down the lineup.

61. Matt Cullen (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 40
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1M

His age is the biggest knock against him, but Matt Cullen posted a solid 13 goals and 31 points during the regular season, which is great value at $1 million.

He might hang them up at the end of the year or he might give it another go. If he re-ups for another season he might be able to give you 10 goals, and if you're OK with that for a third or fourth liner then he might be a nice depth addition.

60. P.A. Parenteau (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 34
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.25M

P.A. Parenteau's production took a hit last season after posting 20 goals on a dismal Toronto Maple Leafs team in 2015-16. He still managed 13 goals, but was a non-factor after being acquired by the Nashville Predators.

He can still put the puck in the net here and there, but don't expect another 20-goal season, those days are dead and gone.

59. Matt Hunwick (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 31
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.2M

His play during the regular season was forgettable, but during the postseason following Roman Polak's freak injury, Matt Hunwick appeared to really step up for the Maple Leafs.

He could slot in on a third pairing, but don't expect too much from the aging rear guard.

58. Nate Thompson (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 32
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.6M

He's not going to give you much offensively, but on the other side of the puck Nate Thompson provides some value.

He kills penalties, throws the body, and blocks shots. He's a defensive forward who won't break the bank. Expect him to put pen to paper somewhere.

57. Kyle Quincey (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 31
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.25M

Kyle Quincey is a steady, reliable defender. He might fly under the radar, which, for a defenseman, can be as much of a compliment as it is a criticism.

He blocks a lot of shots, can contribute occasionally on the scoreboard, and over his career has averaged over 20 minutes of ice time per game. He's a decent depth option for a strong defense corps.

56. Darcy Kuemper (G)

Age on Oct. 1: 27
2016-17 Cap Hit: $1.55M

Darcy Kuemper hasn't received much attention in terms of backup options ever since Devan Dubnyk came to Minnesota.

For a time he looked to be on track to be the next great backup turned starter, but he stumbled along the way. That being said, he's still young, has something to prove, and can be nabbed at a good price.

55. Chad Ruhwedel (D)

Age on Oct. 1: 26
2016-17 Cap Hit: $575K

You probably wouldn't know Chad Ruhwedel's name if Kris Letang was healthy.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defender has helped his club stay afloat on the back end and has been a steady contributor, collecting a solid 10 points in 34 games during the regular season.

Helping his club reach the Stanley Cup Final - despite only playing six games - might help boost his notoriety and give him some pull in the market.

54. Derek Ryan (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 30
2016-17 Cap Hit: $600K

Despite being 30-years-old, Derek Ryan just got his first real taste of the NHL this season.

He fared admirably, tallying 29 points in 67 games and was a positive possession player. He won 55.5 percent of the faceoffs he took and also contributed on the power play.

He might not have a lot of NHL experience, but with a little more ice time Ryan could prove to be a great bargain pickup.

53. Ales Hemsky (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 33
2016-17 Cap Hit: $4M

To put it lightly, Ales Hemsky's time in Dallas was not great.

He failed to exceed the 40-point mark in any of his three seasons, with injuries playing a big part. Nevertheless, there is still some skill there and if healthy he has the ability to tally 40 or more points.

He will make less than his $4 million per season - that's for sure - so as a depth third line option Hemsky could add value.

52. Jordan Weal (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 25
2016-17 Cap Hit: $650K

The Philadelphia Flyers and Jordan Weal are negotiating a potential extension. And while he played a career-high of just 23 games, Weal tore up the AHL.

He could try to test the free agent market, but even with his high AHL stats, he's unlikely to command much more than his previous $650,00 deal.

51. Shane Doan (F)

Age on Oct. 1: 40
2016-17 Cap Hit: $3,876,134

Shane Doan is driving the bus here.

He might hang them up, he might return to the Coyotes, he might try to join a contender for one last chance at a Cup. Only he knows.

Whatever he chooses, he shouldn't break the bank.

Free Agent Rankings

• 80-66

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers are closing in on a deal that would make San Jose Sharks assistant Bob Boughner the club's new head coach, TSN's Bob McKenzie reports.

It will mark Boughner's first NHL head coaching position, and he'll become the 15th bench boss in Panthers history.

Boughner has been with the Sharks since 2015, and previously served as an assistant with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010-11. However, the 46-year-old spent eight seasons as head coach of the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, winning back-to-back Memorial Cups in 2009 and 2010. He also suited up in 630 NHL games, recording 72 points and 1,382 penalty minutes as a defenseman.

The Panthers reportedly also considered former Canadiens coach Michel Therrien, Capitals assistant Todd Reirden and University of Denver's Jim Montgomery as candidates for the position.

Pending confirmation, with Boughner in the fold, Florida will seek some consistency behind the bench after a tumultuous 2016-17 campaign that endured the controversial firing of Gerard Gallant - who has since been hired to coach in Vegas - in November.

With Boughner appearing bound for Sunrise, the Buffalo Sabres are the lone NHL team with a head coaching vacancy.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story/video contains coarse language.

Maybe they should wash their mouths out with soap instead of Listerine.

The back-and-forth between P.K. Subban and Sidney Crosby near the end of Game 3 provided days of subsequent gamesmanship between the two stars and some skepticism among fans and media as to what was actually uttered, but now we can put it all to rest.

Thanks to Showtime's "All Access: Quest for the Stanley Cup" series, we can hear the actual exchange in a brief clip from Friday's episode that circulated around social media and later landed on YouTube.

Here's a transcript:

Subban: Hey, fuck you.
Crosby: Get the fuck out of here.
Subban: Hey, fuck you.
Crosby: Hey, get the fuck out of here, you fucking idiot.

It confirms what many fans already assumed: Yes, Subban was joking when he said Crosby told him he had bad breath, and yes, hockey players drop F-bombs on the ice.

Now let's all gargle, spit, and move on.

Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.