The 90s were a blast if you were a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. From 1990-91 to 1996-97, and then again at the beginning of the new century, fans could enjoy not just one superstar but two.
Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr are widely considered two of the best players in hockey history. During the previously mentioned year, they were on the same team, absolutely dominating in Pennsylvania.
Mario Lemieux could do everything on the ice, but it wasn’t until Jagr joined the team in 1990 that the real success with the Penguins started. The Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 91 and 92, with Lemieux winning back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies. From 1991 to 20001, every Art Ross Trophy except one was awarded to either Lemieux or Jagr.
Lemieux won it four times, and when he retired, Jagr won it four years in a row.
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Jagr and Lemieux is one of the greatest dynamic duos in NHL history, and they were quite impossible to play against.
It wasn’t much hope if you were a rookie defenseman playing against them. Lance Pitlick played 393 NHL games, and one of his first was against the Lemieux/Jagr duo.
”It was my first year playing with the Ottawa Senators,” Pitlick said in a Youtube video.
”I hadn’t had many games in the NHL yet, found myself in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, playing the Penguins, Lemieux and Jagr. This is when they were in the prime of their career. They were top of scoring and they were dominating. I wanted to be prepared prior to to going into the game.”
Pitlick’s defensive partner at the time was Kerry Huffman, and Pitlick, the rookie, sought advice.
”In the locker room before we were getting out for warmups, he’s taping up his stick and I wandered over there and I told him, ’What’s the game plan if we’re out against these two?’”
Huffman said that he’d come over to Pitlick’s stall when he’d finished taping his stick, and he did.
”He comes over with a cup of coffee, and he says, ’Hmm, Lemieux and Jagr, huh? Here’s the game plan. If we find ourselves out there with them, I don’t know what you’re going to do, but I’m going to get the hell off the ice as quick as I can.’ And then he walked away.
”That was the big preparation to go play against these two guys. I think I ended up minus three that night, so it wasn’t great.
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