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Defending champion Penguins appear to have playoff experience advantage

PITTSBURGH -- With the minutes counting down before the puck is dropped Monday night at PPG Paint Arena to kick off the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators continued to size up one another. Just four wins short of hoisting the most cherished trophy in hockey, each team continued to gauge where they matched up best in the final series of the 2016-17 NHL season.

On paper at least, there was one area the defending champion Penguins appeared to have an indisputable advantage: playoff experience.

"Anytime you won it before there are some good memories you can think back on," said Pittsburgh winger Carl Hagelin, who is appearing in his third Final in the past four seasons.