Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins are an ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). They began in 1967. They have won the Stanley Cup championship five times; in 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017.

History

Early history 
The Penguins had many poor seasons in their first 20 years.  They had a good team in the mid-1970s, with players such as Peter Mahovlich, Pierre Larouche, and Jean Pronovost.  They missed the semi-finals in 1975 because they lost four games to three to the New York Islanders after being ahead three games to none.

Comeback 
Mario Lemieux helped turn the Penguins into a strong team.  He won the Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring champion six times, in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997; the Hart Trophy as most valuable player in 1988, 1993, and 1996; the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP in the playoffs in 1991 and 1992; and the goal scoring title in 1988, 1989, and 1996.  Lemieux did all this even though he had many injuries.

After their two Stanley Cups (which included a record-tying 11 wins in a row in the playoffs in 1992), the Penguins set the NHL record for most wins in a row, with 17 in 1992-93.  They won the President's Trophy that year as the top team in the regular season.

Today 
In 2005, the Penguins were one of the worst teams in the league, but they were able to draft Sidney Crosby.  Crosby was 6th in NHL scoring in his rookie (first) season in 2005-06, at the age of 18. In 2007, the Penguins made the playoffs, but were eliminated in five games by the Ottawa Senators in the first round. The next year, the Penguins advanced to the Stanley Cup final. However, the Detroit Red Wings beat them in six games.
Returning the next season with new players such as Matt Cooke, Ruslan Fedotenko, Chris Kunitz, Craig Adams, Pascal Dupuis, Bill Guerin, Miroslav Satan, Hal Gill and more.  The Pittsburgh Penguins finished the 2008-2009 season in 2nd place in the Atlantic Division behind the New Jersey Devils with 99 points (( 45 wins, 28 loses, and 9 overtime loses)).  Pittsbugh went into the NHL Playoffs with the forth seed.  Playing rival Philadelphia Flyers in the first round, the Pens went up on the Flyers two games to none winning in OT in game 2. The Flyers won game 3 in Philadelphia, but lost game 4 at home to send it back to Pittsburgh where the Flyers shut the Pens out 3-0 in game 5, but in game 6 the Pens rolled over the Flyers to win game 6 to advance to the 2nd round of the NHL Playoffs facing the Washington Capitals.  Losing the first two games in Washington  by a goal a piece in each game Pittsburgh had to change up there game to get back into the series.  Behind 2-0 going into game three in Pittsburgh Mellon Arena would see another OT Thriller win by the Pens.  To keep the series alive Pittsburgh won games 4 and 5 but losing in game 6 in OT to force a game 7 back in Washington.  Pittsburgh came out strong to win the game to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes.   With Players Stepping up in the series Pittsburgh sweeps the Cains in 4 straight games to send them back into the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in a row.  With the Detroit Red Wings winning the Western Conference Final series against the Blackhawks there would be another face off in Detroit with the same two teams.  Last season Detroit won the first 3 games and losing games 4 and 5 (game 5 in triple over time) but to win the Stanley Cup in game 6 at Pittsburgh.  Pittsburgh already knowing how it feels to lose in the Stanley Cup Finals, Pittsburgh knew what could happen.  With a repeat of Detroit, the Red Wings won the first 2-game, making it look like it the Penguins would lose again. Pittsburgh came back to tie up the series 2-2. Pittsburgh lost 5-0 to make the series 3-2, giving Detroit a chance to win it in Pittsburgh for the second time.  Pittsburgh scoring the first two goals, which were by Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy. With 11:59 left, Chris Draper of Detroit scored on a rebound to put the game at 2-1.  With 1:43, Detroit player   Dan Cleary had a huge break away but was stopped by goaltender Marc-André Fleury.  Also, with 13 seconds left in regulation, Detroit crashed the net to attempt to send it into OT but Fleury and Rob Scuderi making big stops in front of the net to force a game 7 in Detroit.  With no Scoring in the first period someone had to score soon.  Scoring the Penguins only two goals, Max Talbot scored early in the second and also in the middle of the 2nd period.  With Detroit getting shut out, the Red Wings made the game interesting with 6:07 left in the 2009 NHL season John Ericson scored to make the game 2-1.   Pulling Osgood giving Detroit the extra skater, Detroit had a chance to put the puck in the back of the net with just seconds left, but Fleury with an amazing "Martin Brodeur roll" like save the Pittsburgh Penguins would become the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

Members 
Jaromír Jágr was also a big star on the Penguins.  He won the Art Ross Trophy five times, in 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001; and the Hart Trophy in 1999.  Tom Barasso, Paul Coffey, Ron Francis, and Kevin Stevens have also been strong players over the years.

The Penguins almost moved to Portland, Oregon in the late 1990s, but Lemieux (along with some investors) bought the team.  Lemieux then came back to play in late 2000 (he had retired in 1997), and continued until 2006.

References

Other websites
 Official website

 
1967 establishments in the United States
1960s establishments in Pennsylvania