As the Penguins prepare for a monumental Game 6 in the City of Brotherly Shove, chasing history after falling behind three games to none, a question springs to mind:
Why don’t we talk about Game 6’s more?
We have an understandable societal obsession with Game 7’s because of the finality of it all. I get it. But what about Game 6’s — and especially Game 6’s in Penguins history?
They haven’t all been good, mind you. Some have been very bad — and the Penguins are just 20-20 in Game 6 all-time, having lost three in a row.
The Flyers have eliminated the Penguins twice in Game 6’s. You might also remember the Detroit Red Wings winning a championship on Pittsburgh ice in Game 6 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Final, as Marian Hossa’s shot slid just wide at the buzzer.
Also not to be forgotten, the Washington Capitals wrecked the Penguins’ chance for a three-peat in 2018 when Evgeny Kuznetsov did the dirty deed (and the dirty bird) in overtime of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Horrible memories. But I’m here to tell you that if you’re looking for omens, the good far outweighs the bad. The Penguins, after all, have won three Stanley Cup championships in Game 6.
Indeed, some of the most indelible moments and individual performances in Penguins history have occurred in the game that comes after Game 5 and before Game 7.
Behold …
• On April 13, 1991, Frank Pietrangelo made “The Save” in Game 6 of a first-round series against the Devils. He might have saved the Penguins’ chance for a championship, too.
The Penguins trailed the Devils, three games to two, and New Jersey forward Peter Stastny was about to put his team ahead late in the first period with an open net calling his name.
Pietrangelo wouldn’t have it. As Devils players started to raise their sticks in celebration, a fallen Pietrangelo reached out and miraculously snagged the shot. He was the Penguins’ only hope in goal that night, with a man named Bruce Racine — who’d never played an NHL game — serving as the backup.
Before the game, Penguins coach Badger Bob Johnson told Racine, “No matter what, you’re not going in. Don’t worry.”
• On May 11, 1991, the Penguins eliminated the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, making a prophet out of winger Kevin Stevens.
After losing the first two games in Boston, Stevens guaranteed the Penguins would come back to win.
• On May 25, 1991, the Penguins won their first Cup, in Game 6 at the Met Center, hammering the Minnesota North Stars, 8-0.
It was 6-0 after two periods. The Penguins were bubbling with excitement but also a bit flummoxed in the dressing room.
Badger Bob hardly ever swore, but he walked in and said, “Men, just remember one thing: In 20 minutes we’re going to be world champions. Don’t (screw) it up.”
• On May 13, 1992, the Penguins eliminated the hated New York Rangers in a Game 6 after Adam Graves pulled a Travis Konecny and tried to injure the Penguins’ biggest star. He succeeded, too, breaking Lemieux’ left wrist with a Game 2 slash.
The Penguins rallied behind Ron Francis and Jaromir Jagr and won the series.
• On May 2, 1999, Jagr delivered perhaps the signature performance of his career in Game 6 of a first-round series against the visiting Devils. He battled through a badly injured groin to force overtime with two minutes left and won it with a brilliant shot that beat Martin Brodeur.
The Penguins went on to win Game 7. Jagr might have saved the Penguins franchise with his performance. They were bankrupt (again) at the time.
“If we would lose in the first round, I think the team would move to Kansas City because they had no money,” Jagr later told the New Jersey Star-Ledger. “We had to make the second round to get the (cash for) the payments.”
• On April 23, 2001, Martin Straka stole the puck from defenseman Sergei Gonchar in overtime of Game 6 of a first-round series and scored to eliminate the Capitals.
• May 8, 2001, Straka forced a Game 7 against Buffalo by beating Dominik Hasek in overtime — but the goal that forced overtime is more remembered.
With the goalie pulled and the Penguins facing elimination, a puck ricocheted high into the air. When it landed, Lemieux whacked it past Hasek with 1:18 left in regulation.
• On April 25, 2009, Max Talbot became a legend in Game 6 of a first-round series against the Flyers, telling the Philly faithful to shut the blank up.
They did, too, when the Penguins roared back from a 3-0 deficit after Talbot’s fight with Daniel Carcillo — and after Talbot, upon getting his rear end kicked, put an index finger to his mouth, as if to say “Shhhh,” and skated off the ice. The Penguins scored 14 seconds later.
• On June 9, 2009, the Penguins scored one of their greatest home victories, beating the Red Wings, 2-1, in a tense Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. That forced Game 7 — setting another stage for Talbot.
• On May 10, 2016, Nick Bonino Bonino Bonino! of the famed HBK line eliminated the Capitals with an overtime goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
• On May 24, 2016, Sidney Crosby scored one of the greatest goals of his career in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Tampa Bay, helping force a Game 7. Crosby beat three Tampa Bay defenders to give the Penguins a 3-0 lead.
• On June 12, 2016, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in San Jose, the Penguins won another championship — with Crosby and Kris Letang combining on a brilliant Cup-winning goal.
Mike Lange later told me the story of how Crosby celebrated with fans.
“I’m late, waiting for the bus, and I see three players come out. Right behind them, the last guy out is Sid, and he’s got the Cup,” Lange recalled. “So we’re waiting, and up on the ramp above us, there must be 300 fans going, ‘Let’s Go Pens!’ as loud as they could.
“Well, Sid goes around the bus after it arrives, walks up that ramp and lets everybody touch the Cup.”
• On June 11, 2017, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final at Nashville, the Penguins won their fifth championship. Patric Hornqvist scored the winner.
• On April 22, 2018, Jake Guentzel scored four straight goals to help the Penguins eliminate the Flyers in Game 6 of a first-round series, 8-5. It was just the third four-goal playoff game in Penguins history. Guentzel joined Lemieux (1989) and Stevens (1991).
• On April 29, 2026 …