No professional athlete looks back fondly at a championship-deciding loss. Some are able to shrug off the disappointment of falling short of a life-long dream, concentrating on the hope of getting a shot at redemption someday, but second chances are rarely guaranteed.

Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final between the Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins will replay in the head of Predators forward Colton Sissons and dictate his dreams for years to come. While he's unlikely to need any reminders of what happened Sunday, here's a recap of the 23-year-old's nightmare on ice.

Chapter 1: The goal that wasn't

While the score was tied 0-0 early in the second period of Nashville's final home game of the season, Sissons suffered his first misfortune of the evening.

With the puck lying loose in the crease beside Penguins goaltender Matt Murray after a Filip Forsberg shot from the near faceoff circle, Sissons sprawled out and poked it into the net. Referee Kevin Pollock was quick to wave off the goal, as he'd clearly blown the whistle immediately after the puck made contact with Murray, not giving it the split second it needed to squeak through Murray's arm.

Even under the NHL's new review rules guidelines, a play blown dead is not subject to a second look.

Human error is a known and accepted risk with officiating in any pro sport - it's evenly widely accepted that a league's top stars will be awarded the benefit of the doubt more often than a lesser-known or more widely disliked player.

Murray, on a quest to win the second Stanley Cup of his "rookie" season, received the type of treatment referees usually reserve for veteran netminders such as Henrik Lundqvist and Carey Price. That's an accomplishment in itself.

Chapter 2: Stolen dignity

Sissons received his first shot at redeeming himself - and Pollock - in the third period.

Sissons broke in on Murray all on his own, but couldn't lift the puck up and over the outstretched glove hand of Pittsburgh's goalie. The loose puck wasn't blown dead, but this time, Sissons wasn't in a position to finish off the play, nor was Forsberg available to return the favor.

Chapter 3: Not what you want to hear

Sissons' third strike came later in the period, and the sound it made echoed through a Bridgestone Arena crowd that established itself as one of the best in the league during the Predators' playoff run.

Nashville's best, last chance to tie the game and have an opportunity to extend the greatest season in franchise history clanked off the post beside a beaten Murray.

In a city known for its music, the wrong note of Sissons' wayward shot was obvious to even an untrained ear.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Those who believe in karma probably won't shed a tear for Sissons, instead considering Sunday night's result an appropriate punishment for a cross-check to Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta in Game 5. Sissons received a match penalty, but after a league review, he wasn't suspended for Game 6.

"I'm here to play hockey and now I can," he said after the decision was announced - and apparently just before his luck ran out.

Since bad things come in threes, at least Sissons heads into the summer without needing to constantly look over his shoulder.

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Remember Erik Karlsson's otherworldly postseason performance? The Professional Hockey Writers Association sure does.

The collective group of Conn Smythe voters - or at least one of them - deemed the Ottawa Senators captain worthy of playoff MVP recognition despite not reaching the Stanley Cup Final.

Here's the breakdown:

Crosby, like always, won overwhelmingly, while Karlsson's single third-place vote matched that of all Nashville Predators players - who actually freakin' competed for the Cup.

Karlsson's Senators ultimately fell to Pittsburgh in double overtime of Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final, and the Norris nominee concluded his playoffs with 18 points in 19 games, in which he averaged 28:08 of ice time.

Oh, and he did all this while playing with two hairline fractures in his heel.

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Andrew Ladd and Johnny Boychuk appear to be staying in Brooklyn.

The New York Islanders skaters were not approached prior to Monday's deadline about waiving their no-movement clauses, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. Had they done so, both players would have been made available to the incoming Vegas Golden Knights.

Boychuk has five years remaining on his contract, which carries a $6-million annual cap hit. The 33-year-old defenseman compiled 23 points in 66 games last season.

As for Ladd, who joined the Islanders last offseason, his contract does not expire until the 2023 offseason. The 31-year-old winger carries a $5.5-million cap hit and scored 31 points in 78 games in his debut season in New York.

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Don't think for a second that the Pittsburgh Penguins ever thought twice about adding Phil Kessel to the mix.

If we've learned anything over this team's back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, it's not only that Kessel can contribute to a winning team, it's that he's downright essential.

The Numbers

Case in point: Kessel's respective goal and point totals are greater than or just (and we mean just) shy of those of cornerstone and sure Hall of Fame centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin over the past two playoff runs.

In fact, no player in that span scored more goals than Kessel's 18, and his 166 shots on goal put him 34 ahead of second-place Crosby. In terms of overall points, this threesome is in a class of its own, with Kessel leading the way on the man advantage.

Next on that list, by the way, is San Jose's Logan Couture, who was good for 33 points in 30 games in that span.

The Trade

As a refresher, here's the deal that landed the star winger from the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2015; the Penguins acquired Kessel, Tim Erixon, Tyler Biggs, and a conditional second-round pick in 2016 (used to select forward Kasper Bjorkqvist) and sent Kasperi Kapanen, Scott Harrington, Nick Spaling, a conditional first-round pick in 2016 (flipped by Toronto to Anaheim), and a third-round pick in 2016 (used on defenseman James Greenway).

Toronto also agreed to retain $1.2 million of Kessel’s salary, and that will continue for five more seasons.

The Maple Leafs had their reasons for dealing Kessel, and that's fine. Their rebuild is working out, and shedding his salary while being intentionally bad for a season has served Toronto well.

From Pittsburgh's point of view, this move was one of many pulled off by general manager Jim Rutherford in a significant retooling of the roster since taking over in 2014, not to mention the key decision to name Mike Sullivan as head coach in the middle of last season.

But make no mistake - Kessel's acquisition was essential to these latest Cups, and without his contributions over the past 49 playoff games, Pittsburgh's chances of winning would have been greatly diminished, if not erased altogether.

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Scott Hartnell will not be exposed to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Columbus Blue Jackets veteran forward was not approached about waiving his no-movement clause prior to Monday's 5 p.m. ET deadline, according to Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch

Hartnell has two years remaining on his contract, carrying a $4.75-million cap hit.

The 35-year-old appeared in 78 games this season, tallying 13 goals and 24 assists.

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Nashville's sensational Stanley Cup effort came up just short, but there were an abundance of special moments that Predators fans will savor for a long time. The wounds are still fresh, but these three moments in particular can force a mourning to fan to crack a smile, or even shed a tear in remembrance of their team's Cinderella run. Hold your head high, Smashville.

Fiala's OT winner

Not only did Kevin Fiala's OT winner in the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks give the Preds a 3-0 lead, all but clinching the series, but it gave the rest of the team a "Hey, we can do this" mindset for the rest of the postseason.

Unfortunately, Fiala suffered a fractured femur in Game 1 against the Blues, ending his playoffs. With two goals in five games, he was on the verge of having his own coming-out party.

Sissons' hat-trick

In Nashville's second straight game without their top two centers, Ryan Johansen and Mike Fisher, they needed someone to step up to avoid going to a Game 7 in Anaheim. In stepped Colton Sissons.

The 23-year-old notched three goals, including the game winner, en route to a 6-3 win to move on to the Stanley Cup Final.

Rinne's diving save

Goaltender Pekka Rinne was amazing during Nashville's postseason run, but this series of saves may have been his best. With Nashville clinging to a 2-1 lead midway through the game, Rinne stopped Sidney Crosby on a breakaway, then dove across to rob Jake Guentzel's wide open rebound attempt.

Trailing 2-1 in the series, it was a no doubt a must-win game, and the Preds did just that, edging the Penguins 4-1.

The Finnish commentary is without a doubt the best way to enjoy this highlight.

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Defense wins championships.

That adage proved true again with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who on Sunday captured their second-straight Stanley Cup, doing so on the backs of a mishmash of a blue line.

The group logging time for the Penguins in Game 6 included Olli Maatta, Justin Schultz, Trevor Daley, Ian Cole, Ron Hainsey, and Brian Dumoulin, who led the way with more than 26 minutes.

While there is no top-notch defender among them, collectively they pushed the Penguins to a second consecutive championship.

"We call them the Motley Crue," said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon. "They are our unsung heroes ... We couldn't be more proud of them back there."

Among them is the 36-year-old Hainsey, who arrived in Pittsburgh at the deadline following a trade from the Carolina Hurricanes having never skated in the postseason. In the eight weeks that followed, he went from playoff rookie to Stanley Cup champion.

The Penguins' defensive core is reminiscent of the rearguards who guided the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup in 2006, a group of wily veterans and strong defenders, but one that wouldn't be confused for a collection of Norris Trophy nominees.

That Hurricanes team was the most recent outfit to win it all without a No. 1 defenseman, and was a squad assembled by Jim Rutherford, now the general manager of the Penguins who has laid a similar blueprint in Pittsburgh.

"You can do it without a No. 1 guy," Rutherford told Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "You've got to manage their minutes, those guys have got to play within themselves and that's what our six defensemen did. They played at the highest level they could and got it done."

With the injured Kris Letang on the sidelines, the Penguins' blue-liners who hoisted the Stanley Cup on Sunday were the first group to do so without a Norris vote among the pact.

Winning back-to-back Stanley Cups is one thing, especially in the salary cap era, but doing so without Letang, the team's top defenseman, spoke volumes about Pittsburgh's accomplishment.

Letang, of course, has been out of the lineup since February, but that didn't stop him from being a part of the team's playoff run, sticking around the locker room to share his insights with his fellow defensemen.

But with Letang only left to watch, many had written off the Penguins. It was that perception led the rest of the defensive core to step up, and their play was not lost on captain Sidney Crosby.

"They know the pressure that comes with losing a guy who plays 25 to 30 minutes. They weren't intimidated by it and they took it on. They proved what they're capable of," Crosby told reporters following the victory. "I can't say enough about that group. It was pretty difficult what they were able to do night in and night out."

That feeling across the Penguins' blue line stirred the belief the team could once again claim the Stanley Cup.

"Not too shabby for a 'D' corps that wasn't very good," Cole quipped to Werner. "I think everyone kind of wrote us off when (Letang got hurt). He was such a big part of our run last year, but everyone stuck together, everyone probably assumed a little larger role and elevated their game."

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Keith Yandle is not going anywhere.

That's because the Florida Panthers will not be asking the defenseman to waive his no-movement clause, and haven't asked him to in the past, the team said on Monday, according to George Richards of the Miami Herald.

Yandle is coming off his first season with the Panthers after signing a seven-year, $44.45-million deal last June. He represents a cap hit of $6.35 million for each of the next six seasons.

While that is a lot of money, Yandle led all Panthers defensemen in scoring with 41 points while playing in all 82 games this past season. The 30-year-old also averaged the most ice time on the team, logging 22:02 a night.

Yandle also shared the team lead in power-play points with forward Jonathan Marchessault, posting 18 with the man advantage.

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Matt Murray's girlfriend had a good reason for looking grossed out after sharing a celebratory kiss with the Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Sunday night.

After video of the kiss went viral following the Penguins' Stanley Cup victory, Christina Sirignano explained on Instagram that she was reacting to the smell of Murray's sweaty beard.

Beckham is the couple's Newfoundland puppy, who has his own Instagram account:

- With h/t to Larry Brown Sports

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Marc-Andre Fleury's past graciousness is well-documented, but what he did this spring was instrumental in the Pittsburgh Penguins' second consecutive championship.

The veteran goaltender deserves to be acknowledged for again respectfully ceding the crease to Matt Murray, and for not complaining about reverting to a backup despite playing fairly well in these playoffs.

By now, most are familiar with what happened last season, but for Fleury to continue saying all the right things after what unfolded this time is truly commendable.

Murray was the Penguins' unquestioned starter for the balance of this season after supplanting Fleury as the No. 1 goalie in 2015-16, and the plan was for Murray to carry Pittsburgh in another playoff run, but the rookie's injury in the warmup for the postseason opener thrust Fleury back into the fold.

The 32-year-old went 9-6 with a .924 save percentage in 15 playoff games during this run, but was pulled in favor of Murray in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final and never saw the net again.

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

And yet, just as before, there was no griping, nor any questioning of head coach Mike Sullivan's decision. Just Fleury's typical support of his less experienced teammate.

"Fleury is probably the best team player in all of sports," Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford told NBC Pro Hockey Talk's Mike Halford after Sunday's Stanley Cup-clinching win in Game 6.

"We can debate whoever you want to throw at me, but what he went through last year and stuck with it, as a team guy, then carried us at different times during (this) season, carried us through two rounds of the playoffs, turned it over to (Matt) Murray ... I talked at the start of the season about keeping two goalies, and these guys did exactly what I'd hoped they'd do, and got us the Cup."

As if that weren't enough, Fleury made sure his protege got his hands on the Stanley Cup immediately after he did Sunday night in one of the celebration's most indelible moments.

Watch: Fleury hands Stanley Cup to Murray

Murray got a bit choked up talking about Fleury amid the postgame celebration Sunday night.

"It almost gets me emotional," the 23-year-old told the NHL Network after taking a moment to gather himself. "When he handed me the Cup there, that meant a lot to me. He's been such a mentor for me, last year and this year, so that was huge."

Murray said he's indebted to Fleury for how the older goalie handled their situation once again.

"Having a young guy come in and take his playing time away, who knows how someone will react to something like that, but he welcomed me with open arms and helped me every time I needed help, and he was just huge for me," Murray said. "I owe him a great deal, for sure."

Fleury's acceptance of his fate clearly rubbed off on Murray, but it also undoubtedly set an example for the Penguins' young forwards, Jake Guentzel and Conor Sheary, not to mention young players and fans everywhere.

As his days in Pittsburgh appear numbered, he can take satisfaction in knowing he not only contributed to three Stanley Cup championships, but also repeatedly handled difficult situations with a level of class that the next generation of Penguins greats will no doubt strive to emulate.

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