http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Legend has it that many nights the stainless steel roof at Mellon Arena nearly popped off because a sellout crowd loudly cheered a spectacular performance by Mario Lemieux, the Montreal-born player who arrived in 1984 and converted casual Pittsburgh sports fans into hockey nuts.
Former Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux has provided fans with plenty of memories at Mellon Arena.
Sidney Davis Tribune-Review
"Voice of the Penguins" Mike Lange, like Lemieux a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, recalled to the Tribune-Review some of Lemieux's most super moments at the Igloo that became Mario's personal Super dome:
THE LEMIEUX DEBUT (10.17.84, Canucks): "(Vancouver center) Gary Lupul was about 5-foot-5 and Mario was 6-foot-4. I don't think anybody expected (a fight), and probably Mario didn't either."
FIVE GOALS FIVE WAYS (12.31.88, Devils): "Quite frankly nobody was aware until the score sheet came down and you looked at it. The first thing you think is, 'Has anybody ever done this?' The actual truth is that nobody said, 'Look, if he scores an empty-netter...' No, it wasn't that way at all."
HANGING 8 ON PHILLY (4.25.89, Flyers): "He had them on the run. It was a very interesting game because Mario just tortured (Philadelphia goalie) Ronnie Hextall. He picked his pocket. It was, like, 'Wow!' You have to understand that this was a team that had just beaten us year after year after year."
THE GOAL (5.17.91, North Stars): "In all likelihood it was (the greatest goal scored at Mellon Arena). Not the most dramatic. That was the one he scored against Chicago in the first game of the '92 Final. That was the most dramatic goal of all time in this building."
RAISE THE ROOF (5.26.92, Blackhawks): "It sounded like the roof was open. As I said that night, it was so loud I thought you could hear it all the way in West Virginia. It's one of the few goals in my life that actually brought me out of the chair I was working in. I stood up, literally ripped my headset off halfway trying to call the goal."
FIVE FOR AUSTIN (3.26.96, Blues): "That night Mario just was in his hockey world. That's the best way I could describe it, and you knew it from the start. It was almost like a dedication to (infant son, Austin). Mario was just so smooth and graceful. It was the epitome of him at his best."
THE FIRST LAST GOAL (4.23.97, Flyers): "For me it was special because I honestly thought that was it. I didn't think he was coming back. I didn't think that was anywhere in the realm of possibility."
THE COMEBACK (12.27.00, Maple Leafs): "It happened right off the bat. He came down and set up a goal, and it was, like, 'Whoa.' It was like he never missed a beat and you just shook your head. We were really starting to get into a heavier following for Mario at that time. It was almost like a Stanley Cup game, that was what the feeling was like."
And then there was ...
Penguins play-by-play announcer has plenty of memories of Mario Lemieux's heroics at Mellon Arena.
James M. Kubus Tribune-Review
Six before 66
Trib staffers and Penguins broadcasters pick a goalie, two defensemen and three forwards whose stars shined brightest before Mario Lemieux arrived in 1984:
Denis Herron (Goalie, 1972-79/1982-86): 290 games, 88 wins, 133 losses, 44 ties, 3.87 GAA
Dave Burrows (Defense, 1971-78/1980-82): 573 games, 24 goals, 108 assists, 132 points
Randy Carlyle (Defense, 1978-84): 397 games, 66 goals, 257 assists, 323 points
Rick Kehoe (Right wing, 1974-85): 722 games, 312 goals, 324 assists, 636 points
Pierre LaRouche (Center, 1974-77): 240 games, 119 goals, 134 assists, 253 points
Jean Pronovost (Right wing, 1968-78): 753 games, 316 goals, 287 assists, 603 points
Source: Pittsburgh Penguins media guide
Six other than 66
Trib staffers and Penguins broadcasters pick a goalie, two defensemen and three forwards whose stars shined brightest after Mario Lemieux arrived in 1984 (excluding Lemieux):
Tom Barrasso (Goalie, 1988-2000): 458 games, 226 wins, 153 losses, 53 ties, 3.27 GAA
Paul Coffey (Defense, 1987-92): 331 games, 108 goals, 332 assists, 440 points
Larry Murphy (Defense, 1990-95): 326 games, 78 goals, 223 assists, 301 points
Jaromir Jagr (Right wing, 1990-2001): 806 games, 439 goals, 640 assists, 1,079 points
Ron Francis (Center, 1991-98): 533 games, 164 goals, 449 assists, 613 points
Sidney Crosby (Center, 2005-current): 368 games, 180 goals, 317 assists, 497 points
Source: Pittsburgh Penguins media guide
Arrive early to send out the Igloo
Gates will open at 6 p.m. Thursday for the final regular-season NHL game at Mellon Arena between the Penguins and New York Islanders.
The Penguins are requesting that fans be seated by 7:20 p.m., because a special pre-game ceremony will begin soon after. The ceremony will involve more than 50 former Penguins — players, coaches and general managers — who will be on hand to send off the NHL’s oldest facility.
Trib Total Media readers are encouraged to send their Mellon Memories via e-mail to hockeyday@tribweb.com.
More Penguins headlines
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Mellon Arena stirs an assortment of memories
Starkey: Mellon Arena memoir
Fans not happy about Penguins' strategy
Scouting the New York Islanders
Blues forward Tkachuk is retiring
Capitals double up Penguins
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