Twenty Years Later: Flyers 5, Penguins 1 - 10-16-10
"Twenty Years Later" is a segment, with a highly unimaginative name, which will appear on Empty Netters throughout the 2010-11 season. We will examine the Penguins' 1990-91 season which led to the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. We will look back on games on a particular date and catch up with former players, coaches, executives and media members who were a part or around that team.
Today, we look at the Penguins' 5-1 loss against the Flyers, Oct. 16, 1990.
The Penguins return home after a three-game road trip to a sell-out crowd of 16,164 at the Civic Arena and suffered their worst loss of the season to that point. Center Martin Hostak put the Flyers up 1-0 at 7:51 of the first period when he put a puck behind Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso. Left winger Derrick Smith and right winger Normand Lacombe recorded assists.
Smith increased the lead to 2-0 when he scored at 5:15 of the second period off assists from defenseman Jiri Latal and center Ron Sutter.
Just over three minutes later at 8:58, the Flyers took a 3-0 lead when right winger Scott Mellanby beat Barrasso. Assists went to left wingers Pat Murray and Murray Craven.
The Flyers poured it on at 17:20 of the period. Right winger Rick Tocchet made it 4-0 off an assist from defenseman Mark Howe.
Right winger Mark Recchi scored the Penguins' only goal at 14:09 of the third period by beating Flyers goaltender Ken Wregget. Center Barry Pederson and left winger Kevin Stevens had assists.
The game's final goal came at 17:46 when when Mellanby scored his second. Murray and Craven had assists once again.
Notes:
-Barrasso make 28 saves and took the loss. His record was 2-2-0.
-The game was played without Flyers left winger Tim Kerr who was mourning the death of his wife after complications related to childbirth.
-Sutter, the Flyer's captain, told the Post-Gazette: "All of our thoughts were with Timmy Kerr and his family. But we've got enough character guys on this team and enough pride to know that Timmy Kerr would want us to go out there and work hard and do our jobs. If we didn't do that, he'd have been disappointed in us."
-A moment of sience was held prior to the game. Sutter said: "Mr. (Craig) Patrick and the Pittsburgh Penguins showed a tremendous amount of class and respect with what they did. And I can speak not just for the players but for the whole Philadelphia Flyers organization. It was a great expression on their part."
-Penguins coach Bob Johnson told the Pittsburgh Press: "It's a tragedy you can't compare a game with. It just shows you... the game really doesn't mean much when you have something like that happen."
-The Penguins' power play went 0 for 8.
-Stevens extended a scoring streak to six games.
Also in the news that day:
-Pitcher Jose Rijo threw seven scoreless innings and led the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-0 shutout of the defending champion Oakland Athletics at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati in Game 1 of the World Series. Reds outfielder and former Pirate Billy Hatcher was 3 for 3 with three runs.
(Photo: Penguins Hockey Cards)