Had A Bad Day #3

3. 1992-93 Patrick Division Finals Game 7 - Islanders shock the Pens in OT - What does 56 wins, 119 points, the President's Trophy, 4 players with 100 points, 5 players with 30 goals, and a 17 game winning streak (which by the way, has never been bested) get you?

NOTHING!!!

This was the year that Super Mario was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease and he missed a ton of games (24 to be exact). If he played all year at the pace he set, he would have easily broke The Great One's scoring records for both points and goals. Not that it mattered that much, but it was also the year they traded one of my all time favorite Pens, Bob Errey to the Sabres for Mike Ramsey (third from the left in the top row of the picture.  He had 6 assists in the playoffs, but contributed little else to the team beyond that).  I'm not bitter about it though.  He is back with the team now, as a color commentator and analyst.

The Pens easily handed the Devils a 4-1 loss in their best of 7 series to open the playoffs and things looked great for Pittsburgh's chance to 3-Peat. The Islanders were the 3 seed in the Patrick going into the playoffs and in round one they took it to Washington, winning the series 4 games to 1.  The pending matchup looked to be a good one for the Pens against the Isles.  The Penguins had the regular season record over NY 4-3.  But as we all know, this is the playoffs and regular season records mean nothing.  The stars apparently aligned in a backwards, out of sync test pattern, pigs took flight, Satan (the real one, not Miro) strapped on his skates and the Isles took this to 7 games.

The game was a hard fought, back and forth battle that saw the Pens, as usual, outshoot the Islanders 45-20.  I still remember watching Kevin Stevens collide full speed with Rich Pilon, only to fall face first in a heap on the ice.  I thought he was dead.  So did half his Pens teammates on the ice, including Mario who quickly motioned for the trainers to get out there.  There was blood everywhere.  He was taken to the hospital right after that with a broken face.



Down 3-2, the Penguins pulled Tom Barrasso with about 1:00 left in the 3rd period.  In a frantic press in the Islanders zone, Larry Murphy stretched out to save the puck from going out of the zone.  He shot it toward the net and the mass of humanity in front.  It went through Rick Tocchet and was deflected off of Ron Francis' stick and went into the net behind Glen Healey.  3-3 with almost no time left on the clock.  These were the Cardiac Pens I had come to know and love.

But it all quickly came to an end.  With 5 minutes ticked off the clock in OT, David Volek took a shot from the corner and became the unlikely hero, stunning arguably one of the greatest teams in hockey history to not win a cup.  I think this was actually the last time the Isles won a playoff series that I can remember. Forgive me if I'm wrong.  Or don't.  This also ruined the "dream" matchup in the finals of Lemieux vs. Gretzky.  The Pens would have knocked of the Kings for sure but we will never know.  Montreal beat L.A. instead and won their 23rd Stanley Cup.

Mario Lemieux went on to win the Art Ross (Points Leader), Bill Masterson (Sportsmanship), Lester Pearson (NHLPA Outstanding Player), and the Hart (League MVP) trophies that year.  He also won the Sportsman of the Year Award at the ESPY's but I don't think anyone cares about those.  He would never hoist the cup again as a player which is why it made it that much sweeter when he was able to hold the cup (and have it at the bottom of his pool [rumor and innuendo, not really]) again in 2009 as an owner.

The End Of An Era

(The Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium/Arena shortly after/during construction in 1961.)

The Pens play host to the NY Islanders for their season finale at home tonight.  Looking back on this now, it would have seemed more appropriate for the league to schedule this as a "throwback" jersey game against the Canadians but that is why I do what I do and don't work for the NHL.  Why?  This isn't just any "last game" of the year scenario.  If you have paid any attention around here at all, you know that this is the last season for Mellon Arena.  Next year the Pens move to their new digs across the street at the Consol Energy Center.  In celebration of the team and this great building they have played in since 1967, More than 50 former Penguins players and coaches will be on hand. 

One of the featured guests will most certainly be HOFer Andy Bathgate, who scored the first goal in Penguins history in thier inaugural 2-1 loss to Montreal on Oct. 11, 1967.  It was called the Civic Auditorium/Arena back then, named for Pittsburghs Civic Light Opera.  In fact, it was the Civic Arena up until December 1999 when the city entered into a contract to rename the stadium.  I still call it the Igloo and probably always will...just like I sometimes call Heinz Field, Three Rivers; Cellular Field in Chicago is still Comisky; etc., etc. 

Other Pens greats in attendance include: current owner Mario Lemiux, All Star MVP's Syl Apps and Greg Polis, HOFers Paul Coffey, Bryan Trottier, Craig Patrick and Larry Murphy, fan favorites Jean Pronovost, Dave Burrows, Pierre Larouche and Bryan Watson, player/coaches Eddie Olczyk, Rick Kehoe, Ken Schinkel and Gene Ubriaco.  I'm sure there will also be quite a few surprises in store for the fans.

The alums will attend the Penguins’ morning skate on Thursday, then take a tour of the Consol Energy Center construction site in the afternoon.  Thursday also will be Fan Appreciation Night, and current Penguins players will give 20 lucky fans the “Shirts Off Our Backs’ following the game.

My brother scored tickets for this game a few months ago and I have been jealous ever since.  Considering his luck all the time in giveaways and contest, he will probably be one of the 20.  Either way, it is going to be a memorable moment that those in attendance won't soon forget.

Ice Time: Isles vs. Pens

Another night of hockey!! Only this time it is a game I actually care to watch. The Pens are at home against the Islanders who haven't won in Mellon Arena in 9 games. I have yet to watch the great and powerful Tavares play live yet. This is going to be interesting.

Some random thoughts about the game.,..

--Tavares looks hungry most of the time. He follows through with all his plays and seems like he is all over the ice when he is out there. This kid will be real good if they get him a supporting cast.

--How good is Geno? Who paddleballs the puck over a defender, gets dragged down to the ice in the process, and still somehow gets a shot off? Evgeni Malkin, that's who.

--The Penguins have shootout drills and whoever loses has to grow a mustache for a month. This month's loser...Ruslan Fedotenko. My five year olds mustache is grown in more than Ruslan's.

--Guerin had a beautiful set up by Crosby and got robbed by Dwayne Roloson. If he would have scored it would have been highlight reel for sure. Instead, he got an awesome pass to Kunitz who froze Roloson for the third goal of the game.

--I think there have been more fights and hard hitting in this game than in the last game against the Capitals or the one a couple weeks ago vs. the Flyers. Surprising to me since the Isles have been somewhat of a non factor for the last few years.

--The Isles had 38 shots on goal and couldn't score on a 5 on 3. You can't expect to win that way.

Pens win 3-1!!!