2009 Cup Champion 10 Year Anniversary

[Big McLargehuge]

Ten years already...good lord.

According to my college roommates they didn't know I was capable of happiness until they watched those Finals with me.

Being the only person who truly cared running up and down the aisles of a sports bar in Montana high-fiving everyone is one of those memories I'll never forget. Picking a 'favorite' championship is silly, but none will ever mean as much to me as the Penguins winning that one after the decade from hell leading up to it (plus I was too young in '91 & '92 to truly appreciate them).

And yes, Game 7 against Washington gave the reaction that made my roommates actually want to watch the remainder of the playoffs with me.
I may not have been able to convert any of them to full-time hockey fans...but at least I got the guy who now lives in DC to despise the Capitals.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

14 then and 24 now. A boy then, a man now. That win brought me and my older brother closer, we actually hugged. It was like christmas times 10 for a young me, who had watched them get dismantled by the wings a year before, and the sens before that. I was going to a Maryland middle school and getting heckled hard while being down 0-2 to the caps, i told em all just wait. Wish school didn't let out so soon only so i could've gloated after the series win.

 

[Ryder71]

Geno was an absolute monster those playoffs. 36 points in 24 games and the most since Gretzky in '93 I believe. Never fewer than eight points a series. Incredibly consistent production. Staal was clutch (game six) as was MAF and Mad MAX in game seven of the finals. I thought that could have been the beginning of a dynasty. Instead Chicago had their run and we finally had our back to backs in 16-17. I guess it all worked out in the end. What A wonderful decade of hockey for the Pens featuring two all time greats. I wouldn't trade places with anyone.

 

[K Fleur]

I was barely 18 then time just flies.

I lived in Northern VA at the time. My dad was at game 2 of the Caps series in a suite through his work. I asked him how it was having to be around/ride the metro with a bunch of excited caps fans. He said to me "doesn't matter, the Pens are going to beat these f***ers". And they did.

Took out the Flyers first with Talbot telling 20,000 people to shush.
Caps get sent away next with Fleury stoning Ovi on a breakaway in game 7.
Malkin sends Carolina out of the playoffs for 10 years.
Rematch in the finals with the first game 7 road win in almost 40 years.

What a run.

 

[ColePens]

Gotta be honest - these stories are awesome to hear. The growth of people in 10 years.... amazing. Truly awesome stuff.

 

[orby]

I remember watching game 7 in the bowling alley where I worked after my shift had ended (Legacy Lanes, now the Craft House for any of you South Hills folks - a block away from the house where I grew up). I was with 5 or 6 friends and I remember all of us going absolutely nuts both times Talbot scored, and being on the edge of our seats for the last minute of the game. When it finally ended we all spilled out into the parking lot and people up the street were all honking their car horns.

I was 18, the perfect age to appreciate the moment; it was the most amped I'll probably ever be about sports. The 2016 team was way better but nothing will ever touch the sheer excitement around the 2009 team IMO.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

No playoffs, playoffs, Cup final loss to legendary team, Cup final rematch and win game 7 on the road.

A ridiculously unrealistic and wonderful formula they put into the minds of every young team it’s so hard to win.

And Hossa on the wrong side both times.

 

[Turin]

And Hossa on the wrong side both times.

Storylines galore

- rematch
- old dynasty vs young team
- Hossa turncoat
- Crosby youngest captain to win
- Malkin first Russian Conn Smythe winner
- fan favourite 4th liner Talbot the hero
- first championship game 7 road win in NA pro sports since the 70’s
- the new coach
- Fleury’s last second save on Lidstrom
- coming back down from 0-2

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

I was supposed to work until 10:30pm the day of game 7, I switched my shift to get off at 8PM in time for puck drop. My boss said "Now he can go home and watch the Pens lose."

I still remember Talbot's 2 goals but most specifically Osgood's HORRIBLE angle on the one. What the hell was he doing? The nervousness after Detroit scored to make it 2-1. Fleury's CIA save at the end, what a rush of emotions.

Honestly it was the first time in my life I finally understood how people can cry when happy, even though I didn't quite reach that point. I was 23 at the time, I remember thinking how can a hockey game evoke that much joy and excitement from me? Then I remember the years of watching this team win, lose and tie, memories of my childhood. The moments of hope I had before that were crushed when I was a kid. Lemieux missing the '95 season, game 7 against the Panthers. Lemieux's last goal and his retirement that almost ripped my 11 year old heart out and instantly turned me from a die hard fan to a casual fan. When he came back that switched back again and managed to receive half of my attention away from girls which is not an easy task for a teenage boy. Then came the dark years which I had to watch star players being literally sold off for money and not much else. The constant cloud of a potential move hanging over the team, the winless streaks, the injuries, yet I watched every game I could and still loved the team. Even when I thought just making the playoffs again seemed an impossible task.

To win so quickly after those dark years was something else. I'll never have the same reaction to another cup again, even though '16 and '17 were still special in their own ways.

Oh, and I still love how bitter Detroit fans are about it.

 

[NJPensFan5]

Does anyone remember the GDTs during that Cup run that featured an Eastern European Polka Band? The words of the song weren't in English and they played some odd sounding harmonica. I can't remember much more. Not sure of it's origin but it was hilarious! I played the song prior to every playoff game for good luck.

 

[Slick Arnold]

I purchased a counterfeit ticket outside the Joe. Got turned away once but went to the other side of the arena and found a sympathetic looking usher. After my ticket scanned incorrectly I managed to talk him into letting me in. The rest is history...

 

[StaalForOne]

Oh, and I still love how bitter Detroit fans are about it.

I had a job interview last month where this came up. He asked a bit about me and I told them I was a huge hockey fan. He said he was too, then asked who i liked, and I obviously said the Pens. That's when he told me he was from Detroit, and how it STILL bugs him about the Crosby handshake line fiasco. It killed me to have to be professional in the moment, but I was. That didn't really pay off, as I didn't get the job anyway, ha.

I remember doubting they could beat the Wings, but once Talbot scored his second I started to get the "Holy shit, they might do this" feeling. So many great memories from that run.

 

[ColePens]

Tomorrow is officially Game 7 10 years ago, eh?

 

[ColePens]

I purchased a counterfeit ticket outside the Joe. Got turned away once but went to the other side of the arena and found a sympathetic looking usher. After my ticket scanned incorrectly I managed to talk him into letting me in. The rest is history...

I'll never forget how loud it was when Talbot scored. I was like "Omg there are tons of Pens fans there." And the Cup ceremony proved it. They were so loud.

I had a job interview last month where this came up. He asked a bit about me and I told them I was a huge hockey fan. He said he was too, then asked who i liked, and I obviously said the Pens. That's when he told me he was from Detroit, and how it STILL bugs him about the Crosby handshake line fiasco. It killed me to have to be professional in the moment, but I was. That didn't really pay off, as I didn't get the job anyway, ha.

I remember doubting they could beat the Wings, but once Talbot scored his second I started to get the "Holy ****, they might do this" feeling. So many great memories from that run.

Dude we RUINED their potential dynasty. They have never recovered. We put a dagger in it. I sort of understand why they hate us.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I watched Game 7 at a friend's house with 3-4 friends, all Hab fans who were pulling for the Pens that day. I was a nervous wreck. I was wearing my lucky Staal jersey and yelling at the TV for every little thing. When MAF made THAT save, I yelled so loud that my friend's roommate who was walking home from work heard me from a block away and ran home to see the celebration (he knew the Pens had won because he recognized my voice).

I was so confident we would win that I had bought champagne. Best drink I have ever had

 

[Slick Arnold]

I'll never forget how loud it was when Talbot scored. I was like "Omg there are tons of Pens fans there." And the Cup ceremony proved it. They were so loud.

Best guess is there was ~1,000 Pens fans there. Wings fans were unbelievably kind and gracious. We were allowed to linger until the team went into the locker room.

 

[Ignatius]

I miss Jordan Staal

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I remember jumping up out of my computer chair so happily when MAF made that final save that I spilled beer all over my keyboard.

 

[Turin]

I miss Jordan Staal

He needs to come back. Finish the Sid and Geno era.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Does anyone remember the GDTs during that Cup run that featured an Eastern European Polka Band? The words of the song weren't in English and they played some odd sounding harmonica. I can't remember much more. Not sure of it's origin but it was hilarious! I played the song prior to every playoff game for good luck.

Jozin z bazin i think it was called.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

This was easily my favorite Cup win, mostly because it wiped away the taste of driving all the way to Pittsburgh from Montreal to catch Game 3 of the '08 finals, losing that game and then the series.

Also because I could not believe Lidstrom did not beat Fleury late in Game 7. I still can't.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Also because I could not believe Lidstrom did not beat Fleury late in Game 7. I still can't.

Yup, as soon as it bounced out I was like "are you ****in' serious? Not Lidstrom!" And I knew if he scored the Pens were in no way winning in OT

 

[Khelandros]

This was the beginning of the Ovi can't beat Sid in the playoffs. It lasted for 9 glorious years.

 

[HandshakeLine]

This was the beginning of the Ovi can't beat Sid in the playoffs. It lasted for 9 glorious years.

And then this team f***ed it up.

 

[Khelandros]

And then this team ****ed it up.

It was bound to happen eventually. Nothing says it can't be started again.