Faceoff Factor

The Long and Winding Road

Mike Adams | Pittsburgh Penguins

Jun 15, 01:07 PM | Hype this story!

Do you remember…

Sidney Crosby’s desperation backhand being gloved away by Chris Osbad as time expired, allowing the Wings to win the Cup (no, Marian Hossa’s shot would not have counted)?

When Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts were shuttled off to Tampa Bay and we worried that the team was losing too much grit?

Then Jarkko Ruutu went to Ottawa and we were really worried?

But then Ray Shero signed Matt Cooke and that eased our fears a bit?

When we first got word that the traitorous Marian Hossa announced he was signing with Detroit because it gave him a better chance to win the Cup?

But later that day, Brooks Orpik announced that free candy would continue to be handed out in Pittsburgh?

And then Shero inked Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko and we cringed at the thought of two former Islanders on the team?

Ryan Whitney’s foot surgery that would keep him off the ice into December?

Training camp opening seemingly days after the excruciating Cup loss to Detroit?

Sergei Gonchar going down at the hands of David Koci, causing us to wonder who would play the power play?

Opening games in Sweden in what sounded like a cavern against an Ottawa team we all thought was good?

Opening night in the Igloo, when the Devils outshot the Pens 49-15 and won in overtime?

A stirring 6-3 win in St. Louis that followed a disheartening loss to woeful Phoenix? Well, okay, it was stirring mainly because we were there. It would be our only live game of the season. It would also start a six-game winning streak that turned out to be a mirage.

Jordan Staal’s virtuoso performance in Detroit that rallied the Pens from a 3-goal deficit to a 7-6 overtime win? He had a third period hat trick plus an assist on the Fedotenko winner in overtime.

Twice blowing third period leads in Madison Square Garden and losing in shootouts/OT both times?

Geno looking horribly out of place at the point in place of Gonchar?

But Alex Goligoski showing power play promise?

That early December game against the Islanders when both Petr Sykora and Pascal Dupuis notched their first career hat tricks?

That Eric Godard was always there for his teammates?

That ugly 7-2 loss to Toronto, at home, on Hockey Night in Canada where we thought things couldn’t get any worse?

The next home game, lifeless 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay, when we just knew things had hit rock bottom?

Ryan Whitney finally coming back, and thinking that things would get better now?

A stretch of eight games spanning the new year where the only win was against Atlanta? Included in here was a pathetic 6-1 home loss to the Panthers. This HAD to be rock bottom, right?

Dany Sabourin being dealt to Edmonton for Mathieu Garon? This finally gave us the “legitimate” backup goalie we so craved. Never mind that he would rarely play.

Getting word that Sarge would return against the Maple Leafs, and just knowing that this was the boost the Pens needed?

February 14, 2009? Oh, it’s a day I will never forget. In the wee hours of that morning, our adorable, loving shelter dog Bella was diagnosed with kidney failure. The world seemed to crash down on Sherry and me. We were afraid we would lose her. That night, despite the return of Sarge, the Pens were embarrassed again by Toronto. Sometime that day, Sherry began wearing her unexpected miracles bracelet.

Hearing the very next day that Michel Therrien had been replaced by Dan Bylsma? Because of Bella, we really didn’t care.

Bylsma’s first game the next day? The team showed life, but still lost to the Islanders in OT. But Bella was still touch and go, so it really didn’t matter.

A week that still brings tears to my eyes? Bella slowly recovered and is now fine. Unexpected miracle number one.

Bylsma saying the system would stay the same, that he was only “tweaking” it?

Ryan Whitney being dealt for Chris Kunitz? We rejoiced. Whitney had played poorly since his return.

That amazing five game road trip that started in Chicago?

Deadline Day? The Pens acquired Billy Guerin and we said, “meh.” Be honest, you did. And they got Craig Adams on waivers, and we said, “is that all?”

Miro Satan being sent to Wilkes Barre and thinking (gleefully?) that it was the last we’d see of him?

How they just kept winning and winning and winning? Suddenly, they were back in a playoff position.

And then they won some more, and ended up fourth overall in the conference?

Heading into a first round matchup against the hated Flyers, worried that the series would take a physical toll on the Pens?

Marc-Andre Fleury’s incredible save on Jeff Carter to preserve a win?

The Pens losing Game 5 on home ice when up three games to one?

Game 6, when they fell behind the hated Flyers and their rabid fans 3-0? Then Max Talbot changed the series forever by goading Dan Carcillo into a fight. The Pens scored three quick ones to tie, then won it in the third. Sid silenced the “Crosby sucks” chants by the ever-classy Philly fans with an empty-netter to clinch it.

Watching Carolina score two goals in the final two minutes to dump the Devils? That meant that the Pens drew hated Washington instead of Boston as a round 2 opponent.

Simeon Varlamov totally stoning the Pens in the first two games?

Dueling hat tricks by Sid and Alex Ovechkin in Game 2? Unfortunately, the ever-famous David Steckel also scored and the Caps prevailed.

Wondering where Geno had disappeared to?

Ovechkin going knee-to-knee on Sarge and knocking him out?

The Pens rallying to take a 3-2 series lead, only to once again lose a potential clincher at home?

Sarge’s courageous return? Two years ago, I could never have imagined saying the words “Sarge” and “courageous” in the same sentence.

Fleury stoning Ovechkin on a first period breakaway?

The Pens going on to mop up the ice with the Caps in Game 7 in front of their stunned bandwagon fans?

The incredible job done by the Rob Scuderi/Hal Gill pairing on Alex Ovechkin?

Watching the Anaheim/Detroit series hoping Anaheim would win and knock the hated Wings out? The series drew our attention because we now knew the Pens had a shot.

Cam Who?

The Pens just destroying the Hurricanes in four straight? Total domination. Cam Who?, who had never lost a playoff series, was lit up for 18 goals in the sweep.

Miro Satan returning to play an important role in the series?

The flutterball by Max Talbot in Game 4 floating past the helpless glove of Cam Who?

The traitorous Bill Cowher sounding the warning siren?

Watching the Wings topple Chicago and thinking, “here we go again”?

Watching the Pens play well in Detroit, but once again lose the first two games? Unlike last year, the Pens had played them even but weren’t getting the breaks.

Henrik Zetterberg covering the puck on Osbad’s back in the crease, and wondering why no penalty shot?

The Pens tying the series with heroic efforts in Games 3 and 4?

The low point of the series, a Game 5 Detroit blowout when the Pens seemingly lost their composure by taking one penalty after another?

Wondering if Fleury could bounce back from a dismal performance?

Fleury robbing Dan Clearly on a breakaway that would have tied the game?

Strong performances by Tyler Kennedy, Staal, and especially Fleury keying a Game 6 win?

Max?

Then Max again?

A crossbar?

A save that I saw somewhere titled “the Immaculate Rejection”?

The joy?

The Cup?

More joy?

The miracle of it all? Yes, the unexpected miracles bracelet was on Sherry’s wrist the entire way.

More joy?

And yet more?

What do you remember?