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Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Chants of "We want the cup" erupted in Theater 12 at AMC Loews Waterfront 22 Theatre.
With the Stanley Cup raised above his head, Penguins forward Tyler Kennedy entered the private screening Monday night.
Cheers erupted before a select audience settled in to get a sneak peak of the Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup DVD, which was to be released today and can be purchased for $24.98 at stores that sell DVDs.
The Penguins' Kris Letang models a newly released DVD at the AMC Lowes Waterfront Theater on Monday in Homestead.
Philip G. Pavely/Tribune-Review
Kennedy and defenseman Kris Letang were on hand to pose with the Cup and get a first look of their documented season.
Less than a month after the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1, in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup, the fact that Letang's name was on the Cup is still surreal to him.
"I get all excited when I talk about it," he said. "It didn't sink in yet."
Maybe watching the DVD, which was produced by Warner Home Video, will help Letang realize what transpired this past season.
This film didn't need fictional characters or exaggerated story lines.
The Penguins' season wrote its own drama, and the DVD details the ups and downs of the Stanley Cup run.
The season was retraced with clips from games and press conferences and intriguing sound bites from the Penguins. Pittsburgh radio personalities Mike Lange and Phil Bourque, FSN reporter Dan Potash and hockey analyst Pierre McGuire, among others, provided commentary.
Starting with the trip to Sweden, where the Penguins opened their season, and ending with the Stanley Cup celebration, the film focused mainly on the postseason. Each round of the playoffs was analyzed, and critical plays and moments were highlighted.
Personalities — particularly those of forwards Bill Guerin and Talbot — were exposed, and a few anecdotes were told and retold.
The storylines during the postseason were plentiful, ranging from the physical opening-round series against the Philadelphia Flyers to the Final. The DVD highlights some of the most defining moments of the dramatic season.
Talbot's game-changing fight with Philadelphia forward Daniel Carcillo was a highlight of the first round. It's no surprise that that clip drew loud applause in the theater. That was one of many clips — including a glimpse of Evgeni Malkin's parents — that inspired extra attention from the audience.
The Penguins' Tyler Kennedy stands near the Stanley Cup during a movie premiere at the AMC Lowes Waterfront Theater on Monday in Homestead.
Philip G. Pavely/Tribune-Review
There was a focus on the Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin rivalry in the second-round series against the Washington Capitals. The Eastern Conference semifinal pitted center Jordan Staal against big brother and Carolina forward Eric Staal, but center Evgeni Malkin's dominance got even more attention.
The Penguins-Red Wings finale was overloaded with storylines, which were well documented in the film. There were flashbacks of a dejected Penguin team that lost in the Final to Detroit the year before.
The Penguins ended this season with a celebration, which was one of Kennedy's fondest memories.
"Probably the last seven seconds of Game 7 against Detroit should be on there," Kennedy said before the viewing.
They were, and those final seconds led to another defining moment in Kennedy's life. He had his day with the Cup last Friday.
"I went to my cottage and a couple restaurants," he said. "Mostly, I had shared it with my family, which is huge. To see my grandparents lifting the Cup up, it's pretty special."
Letang has big plans for his day with the Cup. He'll spend time with the Cup and his family before hosting a charity event and reception for former Vancouver Canucks defenseman and late friend Luc Bourdon.
First, though, he'll have some time to reflect upon his journey. He's taking a five-day vacation to the Bahamas by himself. He'll do some fishing and a lot of relaxing.
"A little trip by myself, I need it," Letang said. "I think all the guys should have a little time alone and get your mind free."
But after viewing the Pittsburgh Penguins 2009 Stanley Cup DVD last night, you can be sure Letang will take a few trips down memory lane while relaxing on the beach.
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