Derrick Pouliot feels very proud to play with the Pittsburgh Penguins, especially after the Penguins captured the Stanley Cup with a 3-1 victory in San Jose on Sunday.
This championship came seven years to the day since the Penguins’ last one and is the fourth Stanley Cup title in their history (1991, 1992, 2009).
Pouliot, who grew up playing hockey in Weyburn and Estevan, did not get much ice time during the playoffs. But he still noted “it was very awesome to watch the guys, and to be a part of the experience.”
“It has been an amazing and unbelievable experience,” said Pouliot when asked about being with the team during the Stanley Cup finals. He said it was quite interesting to be around the team during practice, and to watch the other players during the games itself.
“These games turn into something a lot more exciting,” said Pouliot.
During the second round of the playoffs, Pouliot had been called onto the ice to fill in as a defenseman. He said that was a “little nerve-wracking, but it was a good experience. I got a taste of the fast pace of the playoffs.”
Pittsburgh took the lead in five of the six Stanley Cup games against the San Jose Sharks. This included Sunday’s game, when the Pens defenseman Brian Dumoulin scored a power-play goal at 8:16 of the first period.
San Jose tied up the game in the second period, but then 79 seconds later defenseman Kris Letang scored the game-winning goal at 7:46 after he took a pass from Penguins captain Sidney Crosby behind the net to change the point of attack and beat San Jose goalie Martin Jones to the short-side post.
The game ended with an empty-net goal for the Penguins, scored by Patric Hornqvist with 1:02 left in the third period.
The Penguins had rookie goalie Matt Murray in the net. He made 18 saves Sunday and was 6-0 with a 1.63 goals-against average and .936 save percentage following a loss this postseason, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Going back to the regular season, Murray won 22 of his final 28 decisions. His 15 playoff wins tied him with Cam Ward of the Cup-winning Carolina Hurricanes (2006), Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers (1987) and Patrick Roy of the Cup-winning Montreal Canadiens (1986) for the most by a rookie in one postseason.
The Penguins will remember this championship, earned with series victories against the New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Sharks, for a long time as well.
