Pekka Rinne leader for Conn Smythe Trophy

Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne is the leader in the Conn Smythe Trophy race as the Stanley Cup Playoffs reach the final round, according to a panel of NHL.com writers
Rinne, who received 32 voting points and eight of 12 first-place votes, leads goalies who have played more than seven games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a .941 save percentage and a 1.70 goals-against average. He also has two shutouts.

Nashville, which defeated the Chicago Blackhawks in four games, the St. Louis Blues in six games and the Anaheim Ducks in six games, is in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time.
The Predators play the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Final with Game 1 on Monday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, SN, CBC, TVA Sports).
Penguins center Evgeni Malkin finished second in the voting, receiving three first-place votes and 24 voting points. Malkin leads the playoffs with 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) in 19 games.
Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson was third with one first-place vote and six voting points. The Senators were eliminated by the Penguins in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final on Thursday.
The panel is comprised of 12 NHL.com staffers. Each voter selected three players, with the No. 1 player receiving three points.

Vote totals

Pekka Rinne, goalie, Nashville Predators -- 32 points (8 first-place votes)
Evgeni Malkin, center, Pittsburgh Penguins -- 24 points (3 first-place votes)
Erik Karlsson, defenseman, Ottawa Senators -- 6 (1 first-place vote)
Sidney Crosby, center, Penguins -- 4
Ryan Ellis, defenseman, Predators -- 3
Filip Forsberg, right wing, Predators -- 2
P.K. Subban, defenseman, Predators -- 1

Voters

Arpon Basu, LNH.com Senior Managing Editor
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
Amalie Benjamin, NHL.com Staff Writer
1. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
2. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
3. Ryan Ellis, Nashville Predators
Tim Campbell, NHL.com Staff Writer
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Ryan Ellis, Nashville Predators
Brian Compton, NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
1. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
3. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Nick Cotsonika, NHL.com Columnist
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
Matt Cubeta, Director of NHL.com International
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Lisa Dillman, NHL.com Staff Writer
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators
Tom Gulitti, NHL.com Staff Writer
1. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
3. Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators
Mike Morreale, NHL.com Staff Writer
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Ryan Ellis, Nashville Predators
Bill Price, NHL.com Editor-in-Chief
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
Dan Rosen, NHL.com Senior Writer
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
2. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
3. P.K Subban, Nashville Predators
Shawn Roarke, NHL.com Director of Editorial
1. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
2. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
3. Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators