Colton Sissons helped Nashville make history Monday by completing a hat trick with the game-winning goal in a 6-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks that sent the Predators to their first ever Stanley Cup Final.
Sissons, who hails from North Vancouver, British Columbia, was simply outstanding all night as he converted three goals from three shots on net over the course of the game. The forward tallied his first goal of the night in the opening period to make the score 2-0 for Nashville. He scored early in the third period to extend his team's lead to 3-1, but Anaheim would not back down. Facing Game 6 elimination, Chris Wagner and Cam Fowler scored back-to-back goals to help the Ducks tie the game at 3-3.
Cue Sissons at 14:00 of the final frame to complete his hat trick with a beautiful one-timer off a pass from Calle Jarnkrok to give the Predators a 4-3 lead.
The Predators tacked on two empty-netters for a 6-3 final in a thrilling game that matched the tone of the entire Western Conference Final.
The hat trick was the second of Sissons' NHL career (first in the postseason) and just the second in Predators playoff history (Filip Forsberg, 2015).
With the victory, Nashville earned their first conference championship banner since the team was introduced to the NHL in the 1998-99 season.
The Predators await the result of the Eastern Conference Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators to determine who they will play in the Stanley Cup Final. Pittsburgh leads the series 3-2 as puck drops on Game 6 Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centre with the Senators looking to avoid elimination.
For a complete listing of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff Performer of the Night, click here.