10 years after 1st Cup, expectations change for Crosby, Malkin

By Tim Benz
https://triblive.com/sports/tim-benz-10-years-after-1st-cup-expectations-change-for-crosby-malkin/
June 12. 2019


(AP)

Penguins fans have had a lot of fun anniversaries to celebrate lately.

• The 35th anniversary of drafting Mario Lemieux was Sunday.

• The end of this season marked the 30th anniversary of Lemieux’s 199-pointcampaign in 1989.

• Today is the 10th anniversary of the 2009 Stanley Cup championship victory in Detroit.

Fair warning. Your heart may jump at roughly the 8:27 mark of that video. Relax, though. Marc-Andre Fleury still makes the save.

I remember walking down from the press box to ice level that night and having a sense of relief for the franchise.

Because whatever was going to happen over the next 10, or 15, or 20 years of the Crosby-Malkin era, at least it reached its ultimate goal.

And fast, too. It took just three years of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin playing together in Pittsburgh before hoisting a banner. The eventual championship we all assumed when the duo first hit the ice together in October 2006 was quickly fulfilled.

These Penguins wouldn’t have to wait until Detroit’s dynasty was dismantled. Crosby and Malkin wouldn’t be like John Stockton and Karl Malone in Utah — a legendary pair that simply couldn’t get over the top.

The team wouldn’t be the Bills of the ’90s — or the Pirates or the Steelers of the ’90s, for that matter.

They ended a 17-year Stanley Cup drought in Pittsburgh. Whatever happened next, the Crosby-Malkin era was going to be worth it because they were champs.

At least once.

But, I mean, there were going to be more. Right? If the two-headed monster got one Stanley Cup before either player was older than 22, they were going to win at least three or four more together.

At least!

By the time I arrived on Joe Louis Arena’s ice surface that night, that idea was the exact thought in my mind. It took me all of three minutes to go from “What a payoff!” to “How many more can we expect?”

I wasn’t alone. A lot of Penguins fans assumed the same thing. That’s what made the next seven years so frustrating. Crosby and Malkin were surrounded by so many good players for so long, yet they kept losing to lesser teams in the playoffs.

They kept on getting injured. Melting down emotionally. Blowing playoff series leads.

Thankfully, though, there are now more anniversaries to add to that list. Like another one today for the 2016 Cup team, and the one yesterday for the 2017 championship.

Now the era truly has been fulfilled. Without a doubt. Wallow in those memories. Because technically, the Penguins are as far away from a Cup as they have ever been since No. 87 and No. 71 first began skating together. This is the first year in their partnership that the Penguins couldn’t boast at least one playoff victory.

Even when they got bounced in previous first rounds in 2007, 2011, 2012 and 2015, they at least won a game.

Not this year. And a team that the coach and general manager openly wanted to rearrange back in April may return nearly the same in October because of some onerous contracts that are too difficult to move.

Was it unfair to assume that Crosby and Malkin had multiple championships in them after 2009? I don’t think so. With those two phenomenal talents and the vast assembly of young skill surrounding them in that locker room, you could see it.

You could feel it. They’d get at least one more.

It was a more circuitous route to get back there than I expected. But they did it.

Twice.

And with very few of the complementary parts from the ‘09 team still around them. However, it would be unfair to assume a fourth title for the tandem.

Expecting two or three rings out of Malkin and Crosby when they were in their early 20s may have been greedy. Assuming a fourth now that they are both in their early 30s, like many other mainstays on the team, would be stupid.

Let’s avoid assuming, then. That’s different than doubting, mind you. Because I won’t rule out another championship.

The Penguins have six men on their roster for next season over 30. The Bruins have eight between 31 and 42 right now. They might win the Cup against St. Louis Wednesday in their Game 7.

So maybe these Penguins can reboot, retool and squeeze out another parade. Crosby and Malkin are still special. They are still coming off a 100-point season as a team.

But 10 years changes a lot of things. Perspective, for one.

Expectations, for another.

But not appreciation for what they’ve accomplished. That should always stay the same.

Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at tbenz@tribweb.com or viaTwitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.

Categories: Sports | Penguins | Tim Benz Breakfast With

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Talbot happy for his 'first love'

BY ROB ROSSI

http://triblive.com/sports/

May 27, 2016

Max Talbot, right, scored both goals for the Penguins in a 2-1 victory over Detroit in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup final. CreditJeff Kowalsky/European Pressphoto Agency

You had better believe he was watching. And when Bryan Rust poked in that second goal to give the Penguins a sliver of breathing room in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, you know what Max Talbot was doing.

Smiling.

“You know how it is, that's still my first love,” Talbot said Friday while driving around Montreal.

“I'm still a Pens fan.”

First loves are special. Talbot is among the luckiest among we whose first heartbreak didn't destroy our affection for our first love.

Had it been his call, Talbot would have been on the ice at Consol Energy Center when some of his best buddies grabbed the Prince of Wales Trophy. He would have hugged Sidney Crosby instead of sending the Penguins captain a text message.

“Sid got right back to me,” Talbot said.

Of course he did.

What, you thought the business of hockey had come between Sid and Max? No way.

Five years ago, when Talbot's Penguins tenure ended in the most unimaginable of ways (he signed with the Flyers!), Crosby was the first former teammate to call with congratulations. So it only seemed right that Talbot follow Crosby's lead after the Penguins' second-greatest Game 7 moment of the Crosby era.

Hey, it's nothing personal, Rusty.

It's just that Talbot's Game 7 heroics brought Stanley back to Pittsburgh. And bringing Stanley home is better than bringing the Penguins to his dance.

Still, Talbot knows what life in the Steel City will be like for the rest of Rust's life.

“They'll never forget you,” he said. “That's how it's been for me.”

In many ways, it feels like forever since Talbot scored twice at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena on June 12, 2009. It seems like a lifetime has passed since one of his best friends, Marc-Andre Fleury, made those goals stand up in the Penguins' 2-1 victory over the Red Wings.

Now, Fleury isn't even the Penguins' go-to goalie. Rookie Matt Murray has supplanted the “Flower,” who has turned to Talbot often during an unimaginably trying stretch.

Without betraying Fleury's confidence, Talbot said their discussions have come “between games … but we don't go too deep.”

“I could only guess how hard the games are for him,” Talbot said. “But ‘Flower' is the best guy. You see him on the bench, smiling, talking to Murray during breaks. I know he's happy for the guys in the room. I know he's trying to do whatever he can to help them win.

“It's different.”

The same can be said for the lives of Talbot and five current Penguins with whom he will be eternally bonded.

Like Fleury, Talbot has married a Canadian beauty and is raising two young children. Any day now, Evgeni Malkin's fiancée will deliver his first son. Even Crosby has settled into a routine with his girlfriend.

During the Cup run, only Chris Kunitz was a father among the five Penguins' holdovers to this season.

Before the Cup run, Talbot was a popular Penguin. After Game 7 of the 2009 Cup Final, he was a legendary Penguin. Then, Talbot said, he vacationed “somewhere warm” with Crosby and Malkin, and they talked openly about “doing it again next year.”

On Friday, Talbot agreed to play next season with Lokomotiv of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.

It helped that his wife was on board with spending a year in Yaroslavl. Made it easier that the Talbots' young boys aren't in school. Also, Talbot figured he would receive no better than a two-way offer when NHL free agency opened July 1.

Given the way he is chasing hockey, maybe the Penguins weren't Talbot's first love?

He has worked a few playoff games for TVA Sports in Canada. He is open to coaching. Only 32, however, Talbot still wants to play.

He also wants his Penguins pals to take a deep breath between now and a return to the Cup Final that nobody guessed would be seven years in the making.

“I would definitely tell those guys to know how lucky they are to play for the Penguins,” Talbot said. “The organization, the city, those fans — it's special, and if you've only played in Pittsburgh, you might not know that. I've been on three teams since I left, so I can appreciate what's there.”

Talbot better believe that no matter where he is, an organization, a city and its people appreciate the impact he made in Pittsburgh. After all, the one Cup win that so many folks have said wasn't enough for Crosby's Penguins — it happened because of Mighty Max.

But it isn't enough.

“Well, that's the other thing I'd tell those guys,” Talbot said. “Twice is better than once.”

Rob Rossi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rrossi@tribweb.com or via Twitter@RobRossi_Trib.

MORE ROB ROSSI COLUMNS

Rossi: Appreciate Penguins' long-awaited return to Stanley Cup Final 

Rossi: Game 7 is only fitting for these Penguins 

Rossi: Game 6 is 1 more chance for Penguins' Big 4 

Rossi: Penguins' biggest stars nowhere to be found 

Rossi: Fleury deserves to get nod in Game 5 

Today's rematch won't heal Red Wings' Stanley Cup wound

BY HELENE ST. JAMES
DETROIT FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
http://www.freep.com/section/SPORTS
Posted: Jan. 31, 2010

To this day, Dan Cleary has to tried to let go of what happened the last time the Red Wings met today's opponent, the Pittsburgh Penguins, because it resulted in the Wings being dethroned as Stanley Cup champions.

That was nearly eight months ago, and whatever happens today at Mellon Arena on national television, it won't change who owns the Cup. For the Wings, however, it is a significant game because they need points, and getting a pair from the defending champions would be a confidence booster.

"I think it's up to us to show something, especially the way things have gone lately with us not having played up to our potential," veteran forward Kirk Maltby said. "Any time we've won a championship, it's always been that you measure yourself against the team that won the Cup last year."

Detroit's Brian Rafalski, Johan Franzen, Kris Draper and captain Nicklas Lidstrom wait to shake hands with the Pittsburgh Penguins after the Penguins defeated the Red Wings 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals last June. (JULIAN H. GONZALEZ / DFP)

The Wings won the Cup in 2008 when they beat Pittsburgh in six games. A year later, they came so close, leading 2-0 and 3-2 in the series, only to lose Game 7 at home.

"I felt it pretty hard right away," Cleary said, "and still do. When I'm just sitting alone thinking, I think about it a lot and I keep telling myself to try to get it out of my mind. But it's something I'll never forget."

Stanley hero Talbot hobbled by injuries

Maxime Talbot is struggling -- but what good does that do the Red Wings now?

The Game 7 Penguins hero from last year's Stanley Cup finals has had shoulder surgery and groin problems and hasn't made much of an impact at all this season, with one goal in 28 games. But he'll always be the guy who scored twice June 12 at Joe Louis Arena, doing the seemingly inconceivable in rallying the Penguins to the Stanley Cup championship after the Wings had taken a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

It was an ending that first stunned and then stung.

"It didn't hurt as much at first as it did as time passed, when you really realized how close we were," said Chris Osgood, who finished the 23-game playoff run with a 2.01 goals-against average. "We were up 2-0 and 3-2. If you were to tell me again we'd be up in that series, I'd still say we're going to win. When we didn't ...

"I think the initial reaction right afterwards was that we'd played real hard and that we had a lot of injuries; that we'd given it all we had. Then time passed and it was more of a squandered opportunity. ... You play 82 games and then we fought so hard in the playoffs to get to that point, and to not finish it off -- it hurts now more than it did then. It was 0-0 after one period. We were 40 minutes away from repeating."

The Wings did have significant injuries last spring, ranging from Nicklas Lidstrom requiring emergency surgery after getting speared in the groin to Brian Rafalski suffering a herniated disk to Kris Draper dealing with torn cartilage after taking a stick to the throat to Pavel Datsyuk missing seven games with a charley horse to Dan Cleary playing through a significant groin injury.

"Guys weren't 100% and maybe that caught up with us," Brad Stuart said. "No point in analyzing it to death. A lot of it comes down to breaks and the year before we seemed to get all the breaks and last year, we had a lot of them go against us. We had some pretty significant injuries, and not just to third-and-fourth line players, and even when guys did come back, they were still a little bit banged up.

"Losing was very disappointing at the time, but we all had a long summer to think about it and I think at some point you just have to move on."

Today the Wings have bigger concerns: They need points, they need to string together victories; they need to develop a swagger. The Penguins are going through their own issues -- they're in the mid-bottom in the NHL in team defense, their power play is in the bottom five, and they're in a tight battle with New Jersey for the division lead -- which is why today figures to be a high-spirited game with a focus on the present.

"For us, it's more of a game that we need to measure ourselves and look at ourselves in the mirror and make sure we come ready to play," Kirk Maltby said. "As far as history, I personally won't be thinking of that little slash Sidney Crosby gave me at the end of Game 1 or 2, whatever it was."

There was that slash, and there was eventual Conn Smythe winner Evgeni Malkin grabbing Henrik Zetterberg from behind in the dying seconds of Game 2, goading him into a fight, and then escaping suspension. While the individual battles of a year ago may be brushed aside, having gone at each other for two straight springs will stoke today's event.

"Obviously the rivalry has been built," Dan Cleary said. "For us, we're battling for our lives and each game is critical, but this game is on NBC and so I'm sure it's going to be amped up. I look forward to playing it, that's for sure."

Cleary is one of many Wings who still rue what general manager Ken Holland last June called "a giant, wasted opportunity." For Cleary, the images flash when he's by himself, and don't stop even when he tries to force them from his mind. For Maltby, the memories intrude when he's catching up on the world of hockey.

"I have the NHL network at home and they show commercials and it stings a lot when you know what could have been," Maltby said. "People say, well, you've won four Cups -- but it doesn't make you feel any better. When you see Crosby lift the Cup on TV and you see the background and it's Joe Louis Arena, and you think about what could have been ... it's still tough to swallow."

Contact HELENE ST. JAMES: 313-222-2295 or hstjames@freepress.com.

Penguins have banner night

Champions salute Stanley Cup title

Saturday, October 03, 2009
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

Morgan Vrana and Kristen Gorman, both 15, would have been planted in front of the big television screen outside Mellon Arena all day if they had been allowed to skip school.

As it was, the girls left Seneca Valley High School yesterday and made a beeline for Uptown, arriving four hours before the Penguins' season opener.


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

The Penguins watch as the Stanley Cup championship banner is raised at the Mellon Arena last night.

That was plenty of time for them to set up their chairs at the front of the grassy area beneath the screen and, with faces painted in black-and-gold decorations and wearing hooded jackets to ward off some light rain, wait to watch the Stanley Cup pregame celebration and the game against the New York Rangers.

"We definitely wanted good seats, and I am almost obsessed -- OK, I am obsessed -- with the Penguins," Morgan said.

"I'm going to be going crazier out here than the people in there," Kristen said of the 17,132 in the sellout crowd who had tickets to watch the team bring out the Stanley Cup and raise the club's third championship banner toward the roof of the metal dome before the Penguins' 3-2 victory.

It was pretty loud inside the arena from the time a red carpet was rolled onto the ice until the ceremony ended 25 minutes later.

Highlights of the team's playoff run to the Cup -- series wins over Philadelphia, Washington, Carolina and Detroit, with all the big goals and big saves -- were projected onto sheeting that stretched from the top of the scoreboard to the ice. After the video, which was narrated by comedian Dennis Miller, the sheeting was lowered to reveal the Cup at center ice.

The Penguins' management, starting with majority co-owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, and players were introduced, with the largest roars going to star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who each scored goals last night, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and fan favorite Max Talbot, who scored both goals in the clinching, 2-1 Game 7 win against Detroit but is not ready to play after offseason shoulder surgery.

The players then gathered around the Cup and a long trunk, from which the new banner emerged and was raised -- not all the way to the metal roof of the dome but higher than the scoreboard.

The white banner trimmed in black had in black lettering:

2008-09

Stanley

Cup

Champions

The banner -- made by Signature Flags of Ambridge -- will take a permanent spot between two others commemorating the 1991 and 1992 championships high above one corner of the ice.

As he was June 12 when the Penguins won Game 7 of the final in Detroit, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was on hand

"It's a bit of a homecoming," Mr. Bettman said. "It was 112 days ago that I presented the Stanley Cup to Sidney Crosby, the youngest captain to get the Cup, in Detroit. So now, this is now the hometown celebration in the arena. It's a nice way to start the final season in this building."

The Penguins will move all their banners across the street next season and into the city's new arena, the Consol Energy Center.

Last night, the Penguins' 119th consecutive sellout at Mellon Arena, seats were a coveted commodity, even for the players.

Several had family members and friends in town -- including Mr. Crosby's two grandmothers -- although Mr. Malkin's parents, who became minor celebrities during the playoffs last spring, weren't able to make it.

For some of the Penguins, this wasn't their first front-row seat to a banner-raising celebration.

Winger Bill Guerin waited 14 years between titles and finds a finality in the ceremony that kicks off the new season for the champions.

"It's a nice night, but you're also reminded very quickly that it's a new season," he said. "You can't just sit on the bench and look up at the banner all night. You've got to get going and play some hockey."

The Penguins understand, though, how much of a thrill the continued celebration of their league championship is.

"I was a pretty big fan growing up, and those types of things are important for the fans," said forward Craig Adams, who won his first Stanley Cup with Carolina.

"It's nice, and everybody cheers and you get some goose bumps. But then you turn that off and start playing the game."

Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com

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First published on October 3, 2009 at 12:00 am

Penguins get Stanley Cup rings

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
By Robert Dvorchak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Peter Diana/Post-Gazette

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby displays his Stanley Cup ring.

The Penguins presented their championship rings in numerical order at a private dinner last night, which meant that captain Sidney Crosby had to wait and wait and wait for the serious bling that was to come. It was, of course, worth the time to place an ornament with the heft of a rock on his finger.

Crosby showed off the white and yellow gold band decorated with 167 diamonds, which was enough ice to replicate the surface at Mellon Arena.

"It's a pretty nice ring," Crosby said with classic understatement.

Rings were made for 52 players, coaches, staff and executives, and most were presented in person at a dinner at LeMont Restaurant on Mount Washington. The ceremony was held three days before the Penguins begin defense of their title, which team officials hoped would mark the end of the celebration and get the players in the proper frame of mind to begin another title journey.

"It's a good way to close it off," Crosby said. "Once you get a taste of that, that's a lot of motivation. We want to move on."

Each ring featured a player's name and number as well as a list of the four playoff victories. Tribute was also paid to the two other Stanley Cups won by the franchise. The jewelry, manufactured by Intergold, was designed in consultation with Penguins owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, general manager Ray Shero and coach Dan Bylsma.

Billy Guerin picked up the theme of the Penguins enjoying the moment before getting back to work against the New York Rangers. The Stanley Cup banner will be raised before the game Friday.

"The ring is the icing on the cake," he said. "It is hardware, but it's not hard to wear. Just like everything else with the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's first class. But now it's back to work. Everybody wants to beat us, and we want to win again."

Robert Dvorchak can be reached at bdvorchak@post-gazette.com.

Obama praises the Penguins

Friday, September 11, 2009
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

WASHINGTON -- Sidney Crosby got zinged. Evgeni Malkin got a mock reprimand. The Stanley Cup got pawed. The entire Penguins team got a compliment for how well everyone cleaned up without playoff beards.

Those were just a few of the memorable moments provided last night by Barack Obama, who showed that besides serving as the nation's 44th president, he can do a fair job delivering comedy and praise.

In a White House ceremony that lasted about 10 minutes, Mr. Obama feted the Penguins for winning the 2009 Stanley Cup.


Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby presents President Barack Obama with a jersey yesterday.

The event was moved indoors to the East Room because of a threat of rain and was conducted with the players and top team brass on bleachers behind the podium and several dozen family members, friends and invited guests -- including Pennsylvania's senators, Arlen Specter and Bob Casey Jr. -- watching from rows of chairs.

Also in attendance were nearly three dozen youngsters from Washington and Pittsburgh. Earlier in the day, they skated with five Penguins players at a clinic at the Fort Dupont Ice Arena, which has the nation's oldest minority youth hockey program. The clinic was part of the NHL's partnership with Mr. Obama's United We Serve initiative.

Those five players -- Mr. Crosby, Mr. Malkin, Bill Guerin, Marc-Andre Fleury and Jordan Staal, who turned 21 yesterday -- then joined the rest of the team for an extensive tour of the White House before the ceremony.

Although the mood was light, the ceremony left a strong impression on some of the team members.

"Seeing the White House, meeting the president of the United States and being this close away from the leader of the free world is pretty special, a pretty unique experience," said coach Dan Bylsma, one of just a handful of Americans being honored. Hockey is a global sport, and many countries are represented on NHL rosters.

"He seemed like a very personable guy," Mr. Guerin, a Massachusetts native, said of Mr. Obama. "I know they're busy guys, but he really did take the time to spend a few minutes with us, so it was really cool.

"Being able to shake hands and have him look you in the eye and say hello to you, it's a big deal."

Mr. Crosby said being Canadian didn't diminish the magnitude of the visit.

"It's just as special as it is for everybody else," he said. "I grew up watching teams go to the White House. The whole experience has been awesome."

Mr. Obama set the tone right away when he apologized for a 45-minute delay.

"I have all these things I've got to do as president," he said, prompting laughter. "This is by far the most fun thing that I'm doing today."

The first person Mr. Obama singled out was the Penguins' Hall of Fame co-owner.

"Having Mario Lemieux here is a pretty big deal," he said.

Mr. Lemieux, co-owner Ron Burkle, general manager Ray Shero, team president David Morehouse and CEO Ken Sawyer joined the players on the bleachers, while Mr. Bylsma stood near the president. Among the players were four who are no longer on the roster -- forwards Miroslav Satan and Mike Zigomanis, goaltender Mathieu Garon and retired defenseman Philippe Boucher.

Mr. Obama noted that Mr. Bylsma won the Cup in his first year as a head coach, then congratulated Mr. Crosby, the team captain, and Mr. Malkin, on their accomplishments at young ages. Mr. Malkin drew laughter when he pulled out a cell phone and took a picture of Mr. Obama, who seemed to know what was going on behind him and turned to stare at Mr. Malkin briefly, then smiled and continued.

Mr. Obama nodded at the trophy and said, "There is something special about the Stanley Cup, other than it just being really big," noting the long playoff series and sacrifice that go along with winning it.

Mr. Bylsma was motioned to the podium. He thanked Mr. Obama for the invitation and called on Mr. Crosby to present Mr. Obama with a No. 44 Penguins jersey with a captain's "C."

"This is what I'm talking about," Mr. Obama said, holding up the jersey.

Then, just before he took the cup and held it for a group picture with the team, he turned his attention back to Mr. Crosby.

"Can I just make one more point?" the president said. "Sidney must be really fast because there are some big hockey players -- and he's not one of them."

Mr. Crosby shrugged off the dig.

"I'll take it," he said. "The president 'beaked' me. What can I say?"


Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1721.
First published on September 11, 2009 at 12:00 am

President needles Crosby

By Rob Rossi, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Thursday, September 10, 2009

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama took a verbal jab at Penguins captain Sidney Crosby Thursday, and if footage of the good-natured knock finds it way onto the Internet, chances are the club's other star center, Evgeni Malkin, will be to blame.

Standing third from the left in the back row on a riser in the East Room of the White House, Malkin snapped pictures with and texted from his cell phone as Obama welcomed the Stanley Cup champion Penguins.


President Barack Obama welcomed the Pittsburgh Penguins to the White House on Thursday evening to congratulate them on winning the Stanley Cup.

Justin Merriman/Tribune-Review

"I'd say that's par for the course," Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said of Malkin's innocent actions after a brief, early-evening ceremony during which Obama posed with the Cup and received a black Penguins sweater containing his surname, defenseman Brooks Orpik's No. 44 and captain Sidney Crosby's "C" -- though not before a shot that even Crosby considered sweet.

"Sidney must be really fast," Obama said, "because there are some big hockey players, and he's not one of them."

The remark drew laughs from a room filled with members of the Penguins organization, including family, team officials, hockey operations staff, trainers and equipment managers. Local and state officials in attendance were Senators Arlen Specter and Robert Casey Jr. and Representatives Mike Doyle, Jason Altmire, Tim Murphy, Chris Carney and Glenn Thompson. Also attending was Agricultural Secretary Tom Vilsack, a Pennsylvania native.

Obama was not content to rib only Crosby.

"Where's Luke?" he asked of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who was not present. "Where's the mayor? I thought he was around here. Well, he should be."

Laughter followed that statement, as did Obama's comment about Crosby, who is listed at 5-foot-11.

Crosby, who presented Obama with his gift sweater, gleefully accepted Obama's slight.

"The President (jabbed) me," he said afterward. "I'll take it."

He joined teammates Orpik and veteran winger Bill Guerin in describing the club's White House experience as "pretty awesome" -- even though as a Canadian he was among 17 foreign-born players who shared a stage with a President they could not vote in the November election.

"It's just as special as it is for everybody else," Crosby said. "I never dreamed I'd have a chance to make it here."

Americans joining Obama on stage were Bylsma, Orpik, Guerin, defensemen Mark Eaton and Alex Goligoski; majority co-owner Ron Burkle; team president David Morehouse; and general manager Ray Shero.

Obama described sharing a stage with Penguins icon Mario Lemieux as "a pretty big deal."

So was visiting the White House, which the Penguins hadn't done since 1992.

Bylsma, who Sunday will conduct his first training camp practice as the club's head coach, stumbled as he left the stage to help Obama retrieve the Cup, which the Penguins won for a third time June 12 with a dramatic Game 7 victory at Detroit in the Final.

Players faux-jeered in unison after Bylsma's misstep and clapped with surprise astonishment as Malkin spent much of the ceremony either engaged with cell-phone shenanigans or waiving to familiar faces among the crowd.

Before their visit, the Penguins visited a local rink and joined youth players from Western Pennsylvania and the Washington metro area for a clinic.

Only months removed from welcoming the Super Bowl champion Steelers to the White House, Obama said he holds "a special place in his heart for Pittsburgh" -- though he wishes his adopted hometown of Chicago was the "City of Champions."

"I guess it's a good time to be a sports fan from Pittsburgh," he said. "I was complaining about this. It's been a while since Chicago won anything."

Obama, whom Bylsma said he would play at the left point on the power play, also mentioned the Penguins' previous visit to Washington in May. They won Game 7 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against Crosby's rival Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals.

At a Capitals players' workout earlier in the day, Capitals winger Matt Bradley admitted that hearing of the Penguins visit to his club's city with the Cup was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Yeah, it bothers me," he said. "They are big rivals of ours."


NOTES: Individual game tickets or the regular season will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday. ... Winger Ryan Bayda will attend training camp on a professional tryout.

Sidney Crosby takes time to unwind with Stanley Cup in tow

Sunday, August 09, 2009
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- On any summer day, this is a place where Sidney Crosby can't help but relax and recharge.

"It doesn't take long for that to happen," his mother, Trina, said.

Yesterday, the Penguins star center found new comfort in spending time at his picturesque offseason home. That's because set between the house and the gently lapping edge of Grand Lake, amid the custom decking and bright landscaping, was the Stanley Cup.

Reuters Pictures

Pittsburgh Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby waves to thousands of fans from the top of a vintage fire engine as he tours the Stanley Cup through his community of Cole Harbour , Nova Scotia. August 7, 2009. Crosby chose his 22nd birthday as his tour day for the Stanley Cup.

Crosby, who as team captain finagled two days with the trophy, ended his time with it with a private party that began early in the evening and was sure to stretch into the night -- if not until early this morning, when he had to relinquish the 35-pound silver symbol of excellence.

One of the first things he did, before guests arrived, was take it for a ride on the lake.

"Since I moved out here, I always thought to myself that if I ever win the Cup I want to bring it out here," Crosby said. "I spend a lot of quiet nights out here just relaxing and just trying to get away a bit. ... I figured why not?"

It figures that after a full day of mostly public adventures with the Cup on his 22nd birthday Friday and a more subdued day with family and friends yesterday, the Cup would end up at Crosby's house in a gated community about a half an hour away from his parents' home in suburban Cole Harbour but rural enough to slow the heart rate in one sweeping view.

"That's what it's for," he said. "During the season, there's a lot more pressure and focus on training and things like that. Here, I feel like I can get away and relax my mind. It's a big lake. It's easy to get lost out here."

He found the house, which sits on a cove, after his rookie NHL season in 2005-06 and has customized the site.

"We were talking about where I would spend my summers," he said. "I knew for sure I wanted to stay close to home. This place is close to home but it's also pretty secluded."

The home is surprisingly modest. On the main floor, light-colored walls brighten the rooms, especially the living room. Also on that floor are an entryway, dining room, kitchen with dark cabinets and pantry area.

Downstairs is a mancave. A section with a red-felted pool table opens to a courtyard with a waterfall amid lush plantings. Around the corner from the pool room is a media center and a few other rooms, including a utility area with a locker the exact replica of his stall in Mellon Arena and a stick rack that includes one-piece sticks he is trying out this summer after using wooden blades to this point in his career.

The grounds include a long dock, swimming deck, large grassy and woodsy areas, a paved hockey shooting area, a small sandy beach area and a separate building with a private gym.

The party last night -- a catered barbecue complete with temporary soundstage and a concert by popular Canadian band Great Big Sea -- topped off a couple of days that Crosby said was all he could have wanted and more.

The enormity of winning the Cup and bringing it home hit him during Friday's parade through Cole Harbour.

"I was fighting back tears," he said. "I grew up there. Those streets, I wasn't used to seeing crowds of people. That's where I rode my bike or I ran."

His parents, also in the parade, got a taste of that feeling, too.

"You're on the parade route and they're yelling things like, 'We love your son,' and 'Thank you,' " his father, Troy, said. "You feel that emotion from them. It's a really nice feeling."

Crosby began yesterday at an invitation-only breakfast at the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame downtown, which has a large display devoted to Crosby even though he won't be eligible for induction until after he retires.

He walked in with the Cup and, like Santa, set up in a corner as relatives and friends lined up to get a few minutes and a photo. Kids beamed. Parents gathered around. Crosby set infants in the bowl atop the trophy.

After some downtime at his parents' house, he took the Cup out for photos at places such as his elementary school before heading home to take the Cup to see neighbors around the lake before the barbecue.


NOTES -- Crosby offered this report on his left knee, which was injured in Game 7 of the Cup final: "It's really good. I've skated once and there were no issues. I've got to get on it more now that we're getting close to the Olympic camp" starting Aug. 24 in Calgary. ... Forward Max Talbot, who celebrate with Crosby in Nova Scotia, said a month after left shoulder surgery: "It's doing great. I'm ahead of schedule with the movement I can do. I'm not saying I'll be back in October. It's still four or five months [total time out]. There's no reason for pushing it."

Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com.

First published on August 9, 2009 at 12:00 am

Crosby celebrates birthday Stanley Cup style

By Kristen Lipscombe, FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Saturday, August 8, 2009

COLE HARBOUR, Nova Scotia — You've never seen a birthday party quite like this.

Tens of thousands of fans decked out in black and gold lined the sunny streets of Cole Harbour and filled the parking lot of the local arena Friday afternoon to welcome back their guest of honor, singing "happy birthday to Sidney" as hometown hero and Penguins star Sidney Crosby rode by in an antique fire truck, one hand resting on the best present he could ask for, the other waving to his adoring fans.


Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby(notes) displays the Stanley Cup on an army light armoured vehicle after a flight on a Sea King helicopter, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Friday Aug. 7, 2009. (AP)

"There he is, I see him!" 11-year-old Alexander Rhoddy of Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, said in excitement, clamoring up on a metal barrier to get a better view of the Stanley Cup champion.

As the parade came to an end and a video montage of some of Crosby's greatest moments on ice flashed across two giant screens, the crowd's cheers grew more intense, reaching an almost-deafening level as he climbed on the stage, kissed his sparkling 22nd birthday present and hoisted it high above his head, just as he did June 12 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

"We've got a few people that are Cup crazy here, it looks like," he noted with a chuckle, as he looked out through his sunglasses at the throng of people peering up at him, many holding up homemade signs or birthday cards of sorts.

"Thank you very much," he said. "I've ran through this in my mind so many times and as much ... support as I've gotten over the last few years here — it's been incredible — but this says it all right here."

Crosby went on to acknowledge all the people in the community "who have had such a positive influence on me," from his minor-league hockey coaches to his school teachers, telling them they've "allowed me to get to this point." He thanked his family, including his two grandmothers who rode into the celebration on a corvette, and his teammate Maxime Talbot, "the hero," who made a surprise showing in the parade carrying the Prince of Wales Trophy.

"I love Cole Harbour!" said Talbot, who scored both Game 7 goals told the crowd. "Thank you guys!"

Crosby also had a special message for all the starry-eyed youngsters who came to see him.

"I know there (are) a lot young kids here that are here watching, they're seeing the Stanley Cup up close, and I'm sure a lot of you dream of winning it yourself, and either you go through it when you're playing road hockey or when you're on the rink, and I just want to let you know I did the same thing."

"The proof is right here that you can do it," Crosby said. "So go for it!"

He ended by saying he planned "to soak up" every moment and encouraged everyone else to do the same. "Enjoy every second of it."


Crosby, who brought home the cup on his 22nd birthday, was joined by teammate Max Talbot.(The Canadian Press)

The Penguin captain's proud parents watched from a VIP tent as politicians praised their son, including Mayor Peter Kelly, who proclaimed Aug. 7, 2009 to be Sidney Crosby Day across Halifax Regional Municipality, which includes the community of Cole Harbour.

"How often do you get to stand beside a person who is the very best in the world at what he does?" Canadian Member of Parliament Mike Savage said. "But you can honestly say, as good an athlete as he is, he's an even better person."

Shortly after the ceremony and parade, which included a marching band, bagpipers and Canadian Mounties dressed in full regalia, his mother, Trina Crosby, admitted "I don't think there (are) any words to describe this."

His father, Troy, called it "a proud moment for the family," adding his son was thrilled to share his Stanley Cup victory with Cole Harbour.

Sidney Crosby Day also included fun activities for the whole family, from the chance to shoot pucks at old dryers — just like Sid did back in the day — to a free evening concert. Fans also had the chance to fire questions at Crosby during a "hot stove" session, and 87 lucky raffle winners got their picture taken with Crosby and the Cup. He even took time out to man the nets in a game of ball hockey with his buddies from Cole Harbour.

Luke Warner and Ryan Wilson, both 16, covered their chests and faces in Penguins-colored paint and traveled to Cole Harbour from other Nova Scotia communities just to get a glimpse of the one Wilson called "the best player in the world."

"He's the youngest captain to ever bring home the Cup, and he's from Nova Scotia," Warner added. "You gotta represent."

Christine Wilson and her family of four were there representing both Nova Scotia and Pennsylvania. She was born-and-raised in Pittsburgh but later moved to her husband's home province. She has her loved ones well trained to "bleed black and gold."


Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby arrived Friday morning in Halifax with the Stanley Cup on the Canadian navy supply ship HMCS Preserver after a flight on a Sea King helicopter.(The Canadian Press)

"Mario Lemieux was my Sidney Crosby when I was growing up," she said, noting that Stanley Cup celebrations in Halifax Regional Municipality this year were probably as extravagant as they were in her hometown

Daughter, Edie Wilson, 9, said she loves the Penguins "because mom likes Pittsburgh, and because Pittsburgh is obviously the best team in hockey ever." She said Crosby "played really well in the Stanley Cup finals," adding she's glad "he was able to bring the Cup back here on his birthday."

"This is the best birthday party we've ever been to!" mom added.

While talking with reporters later, Crosby was inclined to agree, calling his day "bigger and better than I ever could have dreamed."


Cup crazy

How Penguins captian Sidney Crosby spent his 22nd birthday in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia:

9 a.m: Sid and the Stanley Cup make a spectacular entrance by flying in on a Sea King Helicopter and landing on HMCS Preserver at the Halifax dockyard. The ceremony includes a cake-cutting with members of the Canadian military.

Mid-morning: Sid shares the Cup with kids staying at the IWK Health Center, the children's hospital in Halifax.

2:30 p.m.: He hops on an antique fire truck, his float for the parade, that traveled about two miles and took an hour-and-a-half to complete.

4 p.m.: Crosby shows off the sparkling Cup to his family and friends in Cole Harbour, who traveled from across the province and the country to catch a glimpse.


Crosby stepped off a Sea King helicopter with the cup to applause from Rear Admiral Paul Maddison, second right, and Defence Minister Peter MacKay, right.REUTERS

Early evening: Eighty-seven raffle winners and a group of young "Timbit" hockey players playing in a three-on-three ball tournament pose with Sidney and the Stanley Cup for photos; Crosby straps on some goalie pads for his own game of ball hockey in a nearby tennis court with the same buddies he played with growing up.

7:45 p.m.: He speaks with reporters.

After 8 p.m.: Sidney steps outside to enjoy the free concert at Cole Harbour Place, and his fans sing happy birthday to him one last time.

Late night: Crosby is expected to spend time with close family and friends.

Note: Organizers estimate anywhere between 50,000 and 65,000 fans showed up at Cole Harbour Place and lined the parade route to celebrate Sidney Crosby Day.

Penguins' Crosby takes Cup home

Saturday, August 08, 2009
By Shelly Anderson, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

COLE HARBOUR, Nova Scotia -- Sidney Crosby raised the Stanley Cup last night.

Again.

Kissed it. Plopped himself down for photos with teammates assembled around the gargantuan trophy. Flashed that big winner's smile of his.


Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press/Associated Press

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby displays the Stanley Cup during a parade in his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia yesterday.

Unlike that night in June when the Penguins beat Detroit in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final and Crosby became the youngest NHL captain to hoist the Cup, this time he was on a tennis court living out a childhood hockey fantasy with his hometown buddies.

The roller hockey game -- with Crosby in goal, not playing center -- capped off hours of celebrating with people in and around his suburban Halifax hometown on his personal day with the Cup, which also happened to be his 22nd birthday.

"It's bigger and better than I ever could have dreamed," Crosby said. "I knew there was tons of support here, but that was way more than I could have imagined."

The day was so perfect that, in an eerie and nearly unbelievable backdrop, dark skies that were brewing all around Cole Harbour didn't erupt with rain until just after the roller hockey game, which was the final public event of a jam-packed schedule that also included a helicopter ride to a Navy ship, a hospital visit with children, a parade and other interaction with fans.

And then, sappy as it might seem, a rainbow arced over the town just as Crosby was headed to a private celebration with family and friends.

Officials estimated a crowd of 65,000 for the parade and ensuing activities at Cole Harbour Place, a large sports complex where Crosby played hockey growing up.


Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press/Associated Press

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby displays the Stanley Cup during a parade in his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia yesterday.

"In terms of enthusiasm, they're all big, but in terms of people, this probably has to be the biggest," said Phil Pritchard, who as a keeper of the Cup for the Hockey Hall of Fame has attended many players' summer Cup celebrations.

Another who was impressed with the turnout was Max Talbot, who was in town to share his teammate's day.

"They're all different. They're all great," said Talbot, the two-goal hero of Game 7. "There's always a lot of people. Sid is extra special. The number of people here, it's unbelievable. It's really special to be here, to see the parade and how much this guy is loved and respected by everyone. It's amazing. And you know what? He deserves every bit of it."

Crosby met the Cup at the Halifax airport in the morning and flew with it in a Sea King helicopter to the HMCS Preserver, a Navy ship, where a throng of military personnel and their families were waiting.

"First time ever in a helicopter, and they flew me over my house where I grew up," Crosby said. "To see the reception there, that was pretty emotional and meant a lot because it's a lot of men and women who serve our country."

Then it was on to a hospital, where the children sang "Happy Birthday" and, Crosby noted, "every single one was able to get a picture with the Cup."

While that was happening, crowds were gathering along the mile-long parade route down a commercial main drag.

Businesses sported signs congratulating Crosby. Fans bought commemorative T-shirts and posters that raised money for the new Sidney Crosby Foundation.


Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press/Associated Press

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby holds up the Stanley Cup on the Canadian navy supply ship HMCS Preserver after a flight on a Sea King helicopter in Halifax, Nova Scotia yesterday.

"Everything should be finalized in the next month or so," Crosby said of the foundation.

Crosby and the Cup brought up the rear of the parade in an antique fire engine, something he requested because if hockey hadn't worked out, he considered being a firefighter.

In the back corner of the Cole Harbour Center parking lot, Crosby went on stage with the Cup to wild cheers and offered a list of thank yous. He then posed for pictures with the Cup and 87 fans who entered a drawing by buying posters.

Then it was back to the stage, where he and Talbot had a question-and-answer session with the crowd. Crosby broke the news that, because he hasn't found a house in the Pittsburgh area he's comfortable buying, he expects to remain in the Sewickley home of Penguins owner and Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux for the start of his fifth NHL season.

Finally, with an estimated 5,000 remaining fans pressed against the chain-link fencing around the tennis court or watching from an adjacent hill, Crosby joined his old friends to play for the Cup. He donned athletic shoes and what he freely admitted was illegally oversized goaltending equipment and made several good saves as his team won, 7-3.

"It's great that he includes us because we had so many great memories over the years," said one of the skaters, Andrew Newton, who grew up down the street from Crosby and just graduated with an engineering degree.


Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press/Associated Press

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby gets some help from Rear Admiral Paul Maddison as he cuts his cake marking his 22nd birthday in Halifax yesterday.

"You don't know how the success is going to affect somebody, but he's just the same guy every time he comes back no matter how big he gets or how many trophies he wins. He's the same Sid. It says a lot about the type of guy he is, to do something special like this today, a daylong event for everybody. That's the type of guy he is. That's what makes him so special."

Shelly Anderson can be reached at shanderson@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1721.

First published on August 8, 2009 at 12:00 am

Crosby celebrates birthday with Stanley Cup

Friday, August 07, 2009
The Associated Press


Robin Rombach/Post-Gazette

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will celebrate his birthday today with the Stanley Cup.

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) -- Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby plans to celebrate his 22nd birthday on Friday by bringing the Stanley Cup home.

Crosby will start the day by landing in a helicopter at the Halifax Dockyard, where he'll speak to members of the Canadian military and their families. He'll then lead a parade through Cole Harbour, where thousands of people are expected to greet the hockey star.

"He wants to share it with the young and people of all ages and make it a community event," said Paul Mason, who coached Crosby as a youth. "We're thrilled about that. The hockey community is very proud of him."

Fans will have the opportunity to pose with the Stanley Cup and ask Crosby questions, and visit a Hall of Fame dedicated to "Sid the Kid," where they can view photos, trophies, hockey sweaters and sticks from his career.

Crosby has been a hometown hero since playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League as a teenager. The Metro Centre in Halifax was packed whenever his team, the Rimouski Oceanic, played the Halifax Mooseheads from 2003-05.

Even before that, as a young player in the Cole Harbour Minor Hockey Association, Mason said Crosby stood out among all the players he's coached in 31 years.

"He was exceptional. He had an ability to see the ice and he was very tenacious," Mason said. "He made, as he does now, everyone on the ice better in the way he moves the puck, his ability to control the play. He was a very coachable young fellow."

After attending Shattuck St. Mary's, a Minnesota boarding school known for its hockey program, Crosby returned to play junior hockey in Canada and led the Oceanic to a Memorial Cup final in 2005.

After turning down a $7.5-million contract with the World Hockey Association in 2004, Crosby was drafted by the Penguins in the first round in 2005.

He held his own, too, finishing sixth in the league in scoring his rookie season and becoming the youngest player to score 100 points in a season.

Crosby led the NHL in scoring the next year, winning the Art Ross trophy, and was the league's most valuable player. After battling injuries and quelling critics who said he lacked maturity, Crosby led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup finals in his fourth season in the league.

Pittsburgh beat the Detroit Red Wings in seven games, making Crosby the youngest captain to ever hoist the Stanley Cup.

His birthday celebration on Aug. 7 has particular significance for Crosby's career. He wears number 87 in honor of his birthday -- in the eighth month, on the seventh day -- and the six-year contract he signed with the Penguins in 2007 pays him $8.7 million per year.


Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
First published on August 7, 2009 at 12:00 am

DVD, released today, documents Pens' run

By Tricia Lafferty, TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Chants of "We want the cup" erupted in Theater 12 at AMC Loews Waterfront 22 Theatre.

With the Stanley Cup raised above his head, Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy entered the private screening Monday night.

Cheers erupted before a select audience settled in to get a sneak peak of the Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup DVD, which was to be released today and can be purchased for $24.98 at stores that sell DVDs.


The Penguins' Kris Letang models a newly released DVD at the AMC Lowes Waterfront Theater on Monday in Homestead.
Philip G. Pavely/Tribune-Review

Kennedy and defenseman Kris Letang were on hand to pose with the Cup and get a first look of their documented season.

Less than a month after the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup, the fact that Letang's name was on the Cup is still surreal to him.

"I get all excited when I talk about it," he said. "It didn't sink in yet."

Maybe watching the DVD, which was produced by Warner Home Video, will help Letang realize what transpired this past season.

This film didn't need fictional characters or exaggerated story lines.

The Penguins' season wrote its own drama, and the DVD details the ups and downs of the Stanley Cup run.

The season was retraced with clips from games and press conferences and intriguing sound bites from the Penguins. Pittsburgh radio personalities Mike Lange and Phil Bourque, FSN reporter Dan Potash and hockey analyst Pierre McGuire, among others, provided commentary.

Starting with the trip to Sweden, where the Penguins opened their season, and ending with the Stanley Cup celebration, the film focused mainly on the postseason. Each round of the playoffs was analyzed, and critical plays and moments were highlighted.

Personalities — particularly those of forwards Bill Guerin and Talbot — were exposed, and a few anecdotes were told and retold.

The storylines during the postseason were plentiful, ranging from the physical opening-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers to the Final. The DVD highlights some of the most defining moments of the dramatic season.

Talbot's game-changing fight with Philadelphia forward Daniel Carcillo was a highlight of the first round. It's no surprise that that clip drew loud applause in the theater. That was one of many clips — including a glimpse of Evgeni Malkin's parents — that inspired extra attention from the audience.


The Penguins' Tyler Kennedy stands near the Stanley Cup during a movie premiere at the AMC Lowes Waterfront Theater on Monday in Homestead.
Philip G. Pavely/Tribune-Review

There was a focus on the Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin rivalry in the second-round series against the Washington Capitals. The Eastern Conference semifinal pitted center Jordan Staal against big brother and Carolina forward Eric Staal, but center Evgeni Malkin's dominance got even more attention.

The Penguins-Red Wings finale was overloaded with storylines, which were well documented in the film. There were flashbacks of a dejected Penguin team that lost in the Final to Detroit the year before.

The Penguins ended this season with a celebration, which was one of Kennedy's fondest memories.

"Probably the last seven seconds of Game 7 against Detroit should be on there," Kennedy said before the viewing.

They were, and those final seconds led to another defining moment in Kennedy's life. He had his day with the Cup last Friday.

"I went to my cottage and a couple restaurants," he said. "Mostly, I had shared it with my family, which is huge. To see my grandparents lifting the Cup up, it's pretty special."

Letang has big plans for his day with the Cup. He'll spend time with the Cup and his family before hosting a charity event and reception for former Vancouver Canucks defenseman and late friend Luc Bourdon.

First, though, he'll have some time to reflect upon his journey. He's taking a five-day vacation to the Bahamas by himself. He'll do some fishing and a lot of relaxing.

"A little trip by myself, I need it," Letang said. "I think all the guys should have a little time alone and get your mind free."

But after viewing the Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup DVD last night, you can be sure Letang will take a few trips down memory lane while relaxing on the beach.