Penguins Lose Chance
to Drink from
Lord Stanley's Cup

The Pittsburgh Penguins were not expected to be playoff contenders during the 1995-96 NHL season. They overcame that prediction, thanks in part to top-scoring performances by Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, to become one of the favored teams in the playoffs. The Pens could not, however, overcome the express-train defense of the Florida Panthers.

The Pens lost the seventh game of the NHL Eastern Conference championship Saturday by a 3-1 score, before a packed crowd of stunned fans at the Civic Arena. The Florida Panthers, a three-year-old expansion team, traveled immediately to Denver where they will challenge the Colorado Avalanche for the Stanley Cup.

The Panthers scored the first goal at 13:13 in the first period. After being stopped repeatedly by Florida goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck, the Pens tied the score in the third period with a goal by Petr Nedved at 1:23. Nedved's tenth goal of the playoffs, it was assisted by Lemieux and Jagr.

The next goal, however, deflated the Pen's drive. A slap shot by Panthers' Tom Fitzgerald from the Pen's blue line glided past Pittsburgh goaltender Tom Barrasso. It was a surprize goal that broke the tie and the Pen's momentum. With 2:37 remaining in the last period, Johan Garpenlov's goal gave the Panthers a 3-1 victory and tickets to the Stanley Cup finals.

Pens frustrated by the "Rat Pack"

At times during the series, the Pens seemed to battle their own frustration and fatigue as much as the Panthers.

• Lemieux and Jagr could not score at all during the last five games against the Panthers. During the series against the New York Rangers, they had scored a combined number of 15 goals.
• Ron Francis was sidelined by a broken foot from the Rangers series. The Pens' lineup definitely missed his defensive edge.
• Image the Pens' frustration as, following most Panther goals at Miami Arena, Florida fans "honored" their team by throwing plastic rats of every shape and size onto the ice. It always delayed the game and sparked Florida's momentum.

Panthers defense dominated the series

After winning an upset round-two victory against the Philadelphia Flyers, Florida believed that they had an unstoppable defense.

• Panther goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck stopped 210 of 224 shots and kept Lemieux and Jagr scoreless for the last five games of the series.
• The Pens could score only 15 goals in seven games against the Panthers. During the regular season, Pittsburgh held the league record of 4.47 goals per game.

How will the Pens spend their summer?

Mario will decide whether his future includes another NHL season. Lemieux had a magnificent 1995-96 season, winning his fifth NHL scoring championship and being favored to win the league's Most Valuable Player award. However, he feels that his game has deteriorated, by his standards, and may decide to quit professional hockey. But will Mario really finish his brilliant career with such a sad ending?

The Penguins management believes that their star player will return to the Igloo. They plan to overcome the disappointing playoffs by emphasizing the positives of the 1995-96 season: the Pens finished fourth in the overall standings and advanced to the final round of the Eastern Conference championship.

Even if Lemieux returns in black and gold, the Pens must add depth to their lineup if they want a role in next season's playoffs. As the players begin their summer vacations, the Pens front office will concentrate on building a stronger defense and improving the quality of their goaltending.