The Pittsburgh Penguins Advance To The NHL Semi-Final Round

Nick Bonino scored in overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a (4-3) home win in game 6 and a (4-2) quarterfinal series victory over the top ranked Washington Capitals.

Phil Kessel, a member of the last team to dissipate a three goal lead in a potential series clinching game, (the 2013 Toronto Maple Leafs at Boston vs the Bruins in game 7 of the preliminary round) as the Pens did last night, had two goals and assisted on the series winner.

Pittsburgh has now won 8 of 9 playoff series vs Washington, the latter a franchise that now has gone 41 completed seasons (1975-2016), sans a game victory in the Stanley Cup finals. (Detroit (Red Wings) swept the Caps in the 1998 finals and there was no hockey season in 2005).

The Penguins will now be favored vs the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL Eastern Conference finals/NHL semi-finals and will have the home ice advantage.

25 years ago, when the Penguins won their first title vs the then Minnesota North Stars, was the only time in 44 possibile seasons, that two teams from the first NHL expansion met in the Stanley Cup finals.

The winner of tonight’s tilt between the now Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues, each a team from that first expansion, will have home ice and be favored in the NHL semis as is the case with the Penguins.