Tomorrow night.  In the words of the great Mike Lange: "Oh, Lord Stanley, Lord Stanley, bring me the brandy!" 

Hopefully, we will hunt moose on a harley, beat Osgood like a rented mule, and have plenty of reasons to call Joe Slick.  If all of those things fall into place, you could scratch my back with a hacksaw, and you still couldn't dampen my spirits.  Let's Go Pens!  Elvis has been way too comfortable at Joe Louis Arena; time to give him a reason to leave the building.

Any Penguins fan can agree that no matter the outcome of tomorrow night's game at Joe Louis Arena, this season has been nothing short of a success.

Ignore the cursed (and aesthetically caustic) Winter Classic (disguised as an alternate jersey) garments.

Ignore the slow start, which was easily eradicated when Dan Blysma brought vigor and, most importantly, aggressive motivation.

Even ignore the fair-weather enthusiasts.   The people who only follow the Penguins because of their recent success.  We real fans see them with a scornful eye, but it's still important that we accept that this is the nature of sports.  Most fans of any team are fake.   Fret not, true fans.  Your reward is a deeper satisfaction and true bragging rights. Sports followers come in three categories:
1) Fan (fanatics):  myself included
2) Enthusiasts:  not fanatics, but not disloyal.  They enjoy the team's success.
3)* Fair-weather fans (a.k.a. bandwagoners):  VAN CORNISH, that is you.  My ex-roommate and those who, like him, are here for the ride now, but will never truly be able to celebrate or brag to those who know them as fakes.  It's honestly annoying, though.  Before they became phenoms, I asked Van to watch a game with me.  He said, to paraphrase but be accurate to his point: "Hockey is a waste of time.  Who are the Penguins?" 

Now, that's a fan!!!!!


This blog is an appreciation of the truest Penguins fans, and a celebration of the deep joy we hope to feel Friday night!

This blog is a celebration of an immaculate turnaround season, a memorable playoff run, and- hopefully- a Stanley Cup engraved with the names of stars like Crosby and Malkin, and key role players (I hate that term; let's call them difference-makers) such as Ty Kennedy and Rob Scuderi. 

As a countdown to tomorrow's "Super Bowl of Hockey," I have created a top ten countdown of my ten BEST Penguins games (or moments) since their first Cup run in 1991. There were a number of memorable moments, so if your favorite didn't make the list, don't sweat.  In the frankest terms, I'm sure the game kicked ass.  Here are the qualifications for the list:

1) quality of gameplay
2) game intensity
3) THE PENGUINS HAD TO WIN. After all, this is a countdown of the best games from a Pens fan's perspective.  So, clearly, there's a little bias.  (And, like I'd ever include a 2-1 loss in 5 overtimes to Philthy-delphia!!  Or the 1993 debacle against the Isles.)

SIDENOTE:  I tried NOT to include multiple games from the same series unless it was clearly necessary. As an example, the Penguins' 4-2 win in New Jersey to knock off the top-seeded Devils as an eighth seed was an amazing game seven experience; however, the top ten nod went to game 6, where an injured Jaromir Jagr tied the game at 2 in the final minutes before finally sending the Mellon Arena top off with his overtime game winner.

Here are the top 10:

10)  RANGER DANGER?  NAH....

PENGUINS 5, RANGERS 4 (OT) 1993   GAME 4
Adam Graves could slash Mario's wrist, but the Penguins weren't giving in, winning pivotal game 4 on the strength of a Ron Francis hat trick. 
Francis owns the Rangers


HONORABLE MENTIONS:  2008 playoffs- Game 1 Comeback and Game 5 OT winner.


9) STICKIN' A SABRE TO BUFFA-BLOW
Hasek called it luck, but in the playoffs, you have to have some luck.  I'll agree with the tying goal in game 6 as a lucky break.  But, when Kasper shoots from the blue line, the blame has to fall on Hasek.

PENGUINS 3, SABRES 2  (OT) 2002   GAME 6
Why the Dominator Cried
PENGUINS 3, SABRES 2 (OT) 2002    GAME 7
Why the Dominator Cried


8) DISHEVELED DEVILS
The Devils were the top seed in the East and a clear favorite to reach the finals.  Jaromir Jagr was injured, and the Penguins were a meer .500 squad in the regular season, narrowly taking the Eastern Conference's eight seed.

That's why they play the games.  Or, in this case, the series...

PENGUINS 3, DEVILS 2 (OT) 1999    GAME 6
Jagr's Heroics
PENGUINS 4, DEVILS 2          1999   GAME 7
The Upset. (I almost forgot Kevin Constantine!)


7) THE SAVE
As an honorable mention, Fleury's stunning save against the Flyers in game 2 of this year's first round set up the Penguins with an opportunity to win in overtime.

However, any true Penguins fan and historian knows the original "save!"  This was a great, intense game that showcased the will of two goaltenders, one of whom set up his team to win the Stanley Cup.  It was game 6, the Pens trailed in the series to the Devils 3-2, and clearly they had to win.  It would be fair to say that "the save" potentially changed hockey history. 

PENGUINS 1, DEVILS 0     1991  GAME 6
"The save" that kept the Penguins alive in their quest for Lord Stanley.
THE SAVE!   Sorry about the video quality.


6) PHUN AGAINST THE PHILTH-ADELPHIA CRYERS
After losing all of their first three playoff series against the Flyers, this generation of the Penguins has put the Flyers away in grand fashion in consecutive years, both in blowout and comeback fashion.

PENGUINS 6, FLYERS 0  2008 GAME 5
Destruction.
PENGUINS 5, FLYERS 3  2009 GAME 6
Meltdown.


5) SUPER MARIO WORLD
Before his return in 2000, and well before the antics of Favre and Jordan, there was a day that when athletes like Mario Lemiuex retired, they tended to stay retired.  Lemieux's comeback was so successful that nobody can fault him.  However, when he first left hockey in 1997, fans knew a legend was leaving the game forever. 

And what a sendoff Lemiuex gave the fans in Pittsburgh during perhaps the most emotional moment in Penguins playoff history, aside from winning the Cup.

PENGUINS 4, FLYERS 1  1997 GAME 4
Simply the Best.




4) CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

91,'92,'95,'96, '00,'01, '09.

Nobody has been better at giving away series and games to the Penguins than the Crapitals.  Located in D.C., they replace District of Columbia with Definitive Choking.  On six different occassions since the 90's, the Capitals have led the Penguins in a series, and they lost five.  Three of those five series losses came after having a 2-0 or 3-1 series lead, the most recent in 2009. Here's some of their best.



PENGUINS 3, CAPITALS 2 (4 OT)   1996  GAME 4
Four Overtimes.

PENGUINS vs. CAPITALS 2009   VARIOUS
Aberation.
Avoiding a 3-0 hole.
Taking the series lead.
Crapital Crime: Game 7 Whitewash.



3) FLAT TIRE: RED WINGS FALL IN TRIPLE OVERTIME
Nobody can deny this Stanley Cup Finals classic it's rightful spot on the list.  Granted, the Penguins lost the series, but the game was timeless.

I am not sure my heart can handle this type of drama in game 7, but 2008's final outcome in game 5 gives me hope for what I want to see in about 14 hours.

And, for the record, Sykora did not call his shot.  Every decent player thinks about the game winner, occassionally saying "I'm going to get this done."  Sykora just happened to say it to the press. 

PENGUINS 4, RED WINGS 3 (3 OT) 2008
Sykora's Game Winner.


2) THE COMEBACK
Not A comeback.  THE comeback.

Trailing 4-1 in the first game of the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals, the Penguins came back and tied the game at 4 in the third period.  Then, Mario Lemieux did what Mario is known for doing: being the man.

All accounts from journalists, fans at the game, and players indicate that this was the most electric moment in the history of Mellon (Civic) Arena. 

PENGUINS 5, BLACKHAWKS 4   1992
Dominik Hasek: Meet Mario Lemieux


1) "LORD STANLEY, LORD STANLEY, BRING ME THE BRANDY!"
Forget the final score.  8-0.  2-1.  21-10.  Doesn't matter.  The Penguins hoisted Lord Stanley in this memorable drubbing.

The Stanley Cup.  The hardest trophy to win in all of American Sports (fact).  And, in 1991, the Penguins won it. 

Hopefully, the Penguins hoist is again soon.

Very soon.

(cough)  Very, very soon.

PENGUINS 8, NORTH STARS 0
Let's Go Pens!