Vacation post - 08-24-10
-Happy 38th birthday to former Penguins defenseman Ian Moran (above). A sixth-round pick in 1990, Moran spent parts of eight seasons with the Penguins. Moran made his NHL debut in the 1995 postseason by appearing in eight games and failed to record a point. As a true rookie in 1995-96, Moran appeared in 51 games and scored two points. Despite being limited to 36 games in 1996-97, Moran increased his production by recording nine points. In the 1997 playoffs, Moran appeared in five games and recorded three points, including the primary assist on Mario Lemieux's "last" home postseason goal in a 4-1 win against the Flyers in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal (see below). Moran was once again limited to 37 games in 1997-98 due to a knee injury and produced seven points. In the 1996 postseason, he appeared in six contests and was held without a point. In 1998-99, Moran played in 62 games and scored nine points. During the 1999 playoffs, Moran saw action 13 games and contributed two assists. The 1999-2000 season saw Moran set career-highs in games (73) and points (12). In that spring's postseason, Moran appeared in 11 games and recorded one assist. A hand injury limited Moran to 40 games and seven assists in 2000-01. He appeared in all 18 of the team's postseason games that season and contributed one assist. He rebounded in 2001-02 by playing in 64 games and netted 10 points. After 70 games and seven assists in 2002-03, Moran was dealt at the trade deadline to the Bruins in exchange for a draft pick. One of six Ohio natives to play for the Penguins (Ab DeMarco, Brian Holzinger, Moe Mantha, Mike Rupp and Bryan Smolinksi were the others.), Moran appeared in 433 games for the Penguins, 17th-most in franchise history, and produced 63 points.
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-Happy 43rd birthday to former Penguins forward Ken Priestlay. Acquired late in the 1990-91 season, Priestlay spent parts of two seasons with the Penguins. He appeared in two games for the Penguins in 1990-91, recorded one assist and collected a Stanley Cup rn that spring despite not appearing in a playoff game. In 1991-92, Priestlay played in 49 games, scored 10 points and had his named engraved on the Stanley Cup for the team's second consecutive championship. After spending the entire 1992-93 season with the Cleveland Lumberjacks, the Penguins' IHL affiliate, Priestlay was released in the 1993 offseason. In 51 games with the Penguins, Priestlay recorded 11 points.
-Today would've been the 100th birthday of George "Red" Spooner, a goaltender with the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates.
-Happy 80th birthday to former Pittsburgh Hornets goaltender Gilles Mayer.
(Photo: Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)