Twenty Years Later - Flames 7, Penguins 5 - 01-10-12
"Twenty Years Later" is a segment with a highly unimaginative name which will appear on Empty Netters throughout the 2011-12 season. We will examine the Penguins' 1991-92 season which led to the second 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' 7-5 loss against the Flames, Jan. 10, 1992.
The Penguins opened a three-game road trip with a loss at the Saddledome in Calgary. Right winger Jaromir Jagr gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead 1:41 into the game with a goal against goaltender Mike Vernon. Center Jiri Hrdina and left winger Troy Loney had assists.
At 1:15 of the second period, right winger Ron Stern was credited with an unassisted goal against goaltender Wendell Young to tie the game, 1-1. Young attempted to play a rebound off a shot from Penguins left winger Kevin Stevens which had caromed into the Penguins zone, but accidentally knocked it into his own net.
At 5:23, defenseman Frantisek Musil scored on a power play with a slap shot from the right point to put the Flames up, 2-1. Defenseman Al MacInnis and right winger Theo Fleury recorded assists.
Right winger Mark Recchi tied the game, 2-2, with a power-play goal on a rebound at 12:42 off assists from defenseman Paul Coffey and center Bryan Trottier.
Calgary reclaimed the lead, 3-2, when defenseman Gary Suter cashed in on a power play with a slap shot. Assists were credited to center Robert Reichel and MacInnis.
Late in the period at 19:42, Jagr scored his 20th goal of the season with a wrister and tied the game again, 3-3. Hrdina and Loney once again had the assists.
Just 3:04 into the third period, center Joe Nieuwendyk scored an unassited to goal to put Calgary up, 4-3.
The Penguins tied it again, 4-4, at 5:05 when Stevens scored on a wrister off assists from former Flames right winger Joe Mullen and center Ken Priestlay.
The Flames took another lead, 5-4, when MacInnis scored at 6:49. Reichel and left winger Gary Roberts had assists.
Fleury scored the eventual game-winning goal less than 10 seconds later at 6:56. Left winger Paul Ranheim had the lone assist.
Loney pulled the Penguins within one goal at 12:34 with a score on a rebound off assists from center Ron Francis and Coffey.
Center Joel Otto secured the win for the Flames with an empty-net goal at 19:35. Roberts and Fleury were credited with assists.
Notes:
-Young made 30 saves in the loss.
-The three stars were: 1.) MacInnis 2.) Jagr 3.) Nieuwendyk.
-Penguins center Mario Lemieux missed his third consecutive game due to a back injury and was sent home from the trip for medical treatment.
Statistics:
| Player Position |
Games Played |
Goals | Assists | Points |
| Mario Lemieux, C | 38 | 28 | 46 | 74 |
| Kevin Stevens, LW | 43 | 31 | 39 | 70 |
| Joe Mullen, RW | 43 | 26 | 31 | 57 |
| Mark Recchi, RW | 43 | 24 | 26 | 50 |
| Paul Coffey, D | 42 | 8 | 41 | 49 |
| Jaromir Jagr, RW | 43 | 20 | 27 | 47 |
| Larry Murphy, D | 42 | 8 | 26 | 34 |
| Ron Francis, C | 33 | 10 | 14 | 24 |
| Bob Errey, LW | 42 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| Troy Loney, LW | 40 | 5 | 12 | 17 |
| Phil Bourque, LW | 36 | 6 | 10 | 16 |
| Gordie Roberts, D | 37 | 2 | 13 | 15 |
| Jiri Hrdina, C | 27 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Bryan Trottier, C | 29 | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Ken Priestlay, C | 34 | 2 | 7 | 9 |
| Jamie Leach, RW | 25 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| Ulf Samuelsson, D | 29 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Jim Paek, D | 39 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| Paul Stanton, D | 23 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Grant Jennings, D | 31 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Peter Taglianetti, D | 29 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Glenn Mulvenna, C | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Todd Nelson, D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeff Daniels, LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay Caufield, RW | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Patrick Division standings:
| Record | Points | |
| Capitals | 27-14-3 | 57 |
| Rangers | 27-16-1 | 55 |
| Penguins | 23-16-4 | 50 |
| Devils | 21-14-6 | 48 |
| Islanders | 15-20-6 | 36 |
| Flyers | 13-19-8 | 34 |
Also in the news that day:
-The Green Bay Packers hired 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren as head coach.
-The Tampa Bay Buccanneers hired former Bengals head coach Sam Wyche as their head coach.
-The White Sox acquired all-star second baseman Steve Sax from the Yankees in exchange for pitchers Melido Perez, Robert Wickman and Domingo Jean.
(Photo: Penguins Hockey Cards)