Classic Pens , livre ebook

Classic Pens
CLASSIC SPORTS
J ONATHAN K NIGHT , Series Editor
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D AVID F INOLI
Classic Pens
THE 50 GREATEST GAMES IN PITTSBURGH PENGUINS HISTORY
Second Edition, Revised and Updated
David Finoli
To my father Domenic: Thank you for the joy of sport and life that you have instilled in me: you are truly missed.
© 2017 by The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio 44242
All rights reserved

Frisky, industrious black squirrels are a familiar sight on the Kent State University campus and the inspiration for Black Squirrel Books™, a trade imprint of The Kent State University Press. www.KentStateUniversityPress.com .
ISBN 978-1-60635-307-3 Manufactured in the United States of America
Cataloging information for this title is available at the Library of Congress. 21  20  19  18  17       5  4  3  2  1
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction #50: Yes, We Belong Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, March 19, 2016 #49: The Glorious Steam Bath Penguins vs. Minnesota North Stars, May 23, 1991 #48: The Perfect Month Penguins vs. New York Islanders, March 30, 2013 #47: It’s a Great Day for Hockey Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils, November 27, 1991 #46: The Win Column Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues, October 13, 1967 #45: Contenders Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues, April 10, 1975 #44: The Greatest Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues, October 15, 1988 #43: The Postseason Waters Penguins vs. Oakland Seals, April 8, 1970 #42: Backs Against the Wall Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, May 14, 1995 #41: The Concussion Penguins vs. New York Islanders, November 21, 2011 #40: Le Magnifique Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens, January 26, 1997 #39: Goalie Number 3 Penguins vs. New York Rangers, April 13, 2016 #38: Wales Squared Penguins vs. Boston Bruins, May 23, 1992 #37: Long Odds Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues, April 2, 1972 #36: The ’62 Mets Revisited Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, March 15, 1975 #35: Breaking the Islanders’ Jinx Penguins vs. New York Islanders, May 11, 2013 #34: No Comparison Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, May 13, 2009 #33: Bonino, Bonino, Bonino Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, May 10, 2016 #32: Cowher Karma Penguins vs. Carolina Hurricanes, May 26, 2009 #31: The Igloo Penguins vs. New York Islanders, April 8, 2010 #30: Shhhhh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, April 25, 2009 #29: First Game, First Shift Penguins vs. Boston Bruins, October 11, 1984 #28: Banners Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings, March 27, 1991 #27: Where No Team Has Gone Before Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils, April 22, 1993 #26: Two Minutes to Remember Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues, November 22, 1972 #25: The Keystone Champions Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, May 18, 2008 #24: Put Stanley Back in the Case Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings, June 2, 2008 #23: The Great Outdoors Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres, January 1, 2008 #22: Mario 2.0 Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, December 27, 2000 #21: What Could Have Been Penguins vs. Oakland Seals, April 12, 1970 #20: Survival of the Fittest Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, April 24, 1996 #19: The Goal That Saved Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils, May 2, 1999 #18: The Streak Penguins vs. New York Rangers, April 9, 1993 #17: Cancel the Parade Penguins vs. Minnesota North Stars, May 21, 1991 #16: The Called Shot Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks, June 1, 2016 #15: The Pride of Notre Dame Penguins vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, May 26, 2016 #14: The 15-Year Nightmare Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, February 2, 1989 #13: Never Say Die Penguins vs. Washington Capitals, May 1, 1992 #12: The Rented Mule Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers, April 25, 1989 #11: The Fergie Flyer Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres, April 14, 1979 #10: The Kasparaitis Slide Penguins vs. Buffalo Sabres, May 10, 2001   #9: The Save Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils, April 13, 1991   #8: When It Seems All Hope Is Gone Penguins vs. New York Rangers, May 9, 1992   #7: Never Let Him Out of Your Sight Penguins vs. Chicago Black Hawks, May 26, 1992   #6: Five Goals, Five Ways Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils, December 31, 1988   #5: Sweeter the Second Time Around Penguins vs. Chicago Black Hawks, June 1, 1992   #4: Spit Shine Your Shoes Penguins vs. Boston Bruins, May 11, 1991   #3: On the Road Again Penguins vs. San Jose Sharks, June 12, 2016   #2: A Dream Come True Penguins vs. Minnesota North Stars, May 25, 1991   #1: Max Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings, June 12, 2009
Notes
Special Bonus Chapter: The Penguins’ 2017 Stanley Cup Playoff Run
Acknowledgments
I’ve had a fine career writing about the wonderful teams that Western Pennsylvania has produced, but the excitement and joy that the 2015–16 Pittsburgh Penguins gave the great fans of the Steel City on their way to the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup was truly a site to behold, the memories of which are a perfect addition to my book Classic Pens .
Projects such as this are never complete without the incredible support of many, most importantly my wonderful family that includes my wife, Vivian, as well as my children, Matthew, Tony, and Cara.
My extended family has always been a source of support over the years, no matter where I’ve been and what I’ve accomplished. My brother, Jamie; his wife, Cindy; my nieces, Brianna and Marissa; my sister, Mary; her husband, Matthew; my aunts, Maryanne and Betty; my cousins, Fran, Luci, Flo, Beth, Tom, Gary, Linda, Amy, Amanda, Claudia, Ginny Lynn, Pam, Debbie, Diane, Vince, and Richard; as well as the memories of my mother, Eleanor; my father, Domenic; my cousins, Tom Aikens and Eddie DiLello; my Uncle Vince; my grandparents; and my aunts Louise, Norma, Jeannie, Libby, Mary, and Evie have all been essential in any success I’ve enjoyed in my life. A thank-you also has to go to my in-laws, Vivian and Salvatore Pansino, for their continual support.
At my alma mater, Duquesne University, I had the pleasure of witnessing my first Penguin games in person and developed a love of Penguin hockey that continues to this day. Luckily, I had a great core of friends who accompanied me to those memorable contests. I continue to discuss the team’s exploits to this day with such distinguished alumni as Chris Fletcher, Bill Ranier, Dan Russell, Gary Kinn, Rich Boyer, Matt O’Brotka, Shawn Christen, Gary Degnan, and Bob O’Brien.
Finally, a thank-you goes to the great people of The Kent State University Press, such as Will Underwood, Mary Young, and Classic Sports editor Jonathan Knight, who have been wonderful partners on four of my books in the past as well as this one.
Introduction
Sitting in my seat at the Consol Center before Game Two of the Stanley Cup finals next to my good friend Rich Boyer, I just kept thinking what a surreal feeling it had been seeing this club get to this point. Only a few months before it appeared that the window for winning a Stanley Cup had been closed shut. It was only nine short years ago in 2007 when a young team led by Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marc-Andre Fleury turned the Penguins from losers into contenders. Two years later they captured the franchise’s third Stanley Cup, as the word dynasty was constantly mentioned as the ultimate potential for this squad.
With a window for more championships wide open, injuries began to mount, especially to their core of stars, and playoff disappointments became commonplace. As late in 2015 approached, Crosby looked as if his career was coming to a screeching halt, coach Mike Johnston had lost control of the team, and they were out of a playoff spot.
Discussions went from titles to serious thoughts that the team should rebuild ASAP. It had been this way so many times in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins, especially before the emergence of Mario Lemieux. Just as the window was being locked shut, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford made a couple astute deals adding Carl Hagelin and Trevor Daley in exchange for the slower David Perron and Rob Scuderi. He also looked toward his AHL affiliate and brought up the likes of Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust, and Tom Kuhnhackl. Add to the mix other former Wilkes-Barre Penguins in goaltender Matt Murray, who took over for an injured Fleury, and the Baby Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, who replaced the Johnston, and remarkably the rebuilding of the Pens took literally weeks rather than years—perhaps the quickest rebuilding job in the history of professional sports.
This team surprisingly went from the biggest disappointment in the Steel City to the darlings of this wonderful city. They played many exciting contests on their way to the Stanley Cup championship that deservingly sit next to the best games this franchise had played from days gone by; the Lemieux era, the first Stanley Cup runs, and the days when the team wore blue as their primary colors.
As Game Two came to a dramatic end with Sheary scoring a magnificent overtime goal, Rich, myself, and over 18,000 of the Penguin nation erupted in the Consol Center, louder than anytime I had ever heard it. They had just witnessed what is now one of the 50 greatest games the Penguins have ever played. As the franchise enters its fiftieth season, that game, along with a few more from this remarkable campaign, are proudly added to the second edition of Classic Pens . May many more great moments and games follow.
#50
PENGUINS 4, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 1 MARCH 19, 2016
Yes, We Belong
It was only a few months before that the local and national media were lamenting about the fall of what used to be the perennial Stanl