Game 7 - Can Pittsburgh do it again?

Valley businesswoman and former Penguins’ executive Denise DeBartolo York reflects on the first time the team came back to become NHL champions

By Tom Williams

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

One the best memories that the owner of the five-time Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers has came 18 years ago when the Pittsburgh Penguins won their first Stanley Cup.

“My father and I were in Minnesota when the Penguins beat the North Stars,” Boardman’s Denise DeBartolo York recalled Thursday. Her father, Edward J. DeBartolo, was the Penguins owner from 1978-91.

The Penguins won their first championship on May 25, 1991 with an 8-0 victory over the Minnesota North Stars in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. The game was played at the since-razed Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington, Minn.

After losing to the Detroit Red Wings in six games in last season’s Stanley Cup Final, the Penguins will play the Red Wings tonight in Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena for the Stanley Cup.

This year’s Stanley Cup Final is tied 3-3, with the home team winning every game. Tonight’s winner will celebrate another championship.

Of the 1991 championship, York said, “The two of us went to Game 6 with some of his buddies and it was just an unbelievable experience. It’s one of my happiest memories.

“That team was so loaded — Mario [Lemieux], Tom Barrasso, [Jaromir] Jagr looked like a 10-year-old kid.”

Another strong memory for York was the celebration in Pittsburgh two days later when tens of thousands of fans jammed into Point State Park to honor the team and see the legendary trophy.

In 1991, York was a team president and her name was engraved on the Stanley Cup along with the names of players, coaches and executives. According to the National Hockey League, she’s one of eight women whose names are on the Cup.

Asked what it was like the first time seeing her name on hockey’s Holy Grail, York said “surreal. It’s something you never think would happen, so when it did, it was such a special honor.”

In November 1991, DeBartolo sold the Penguins to an ownership group led by Howard Baldwin.

The Yorks remain friends with Lemieux, who was drafted 25 years ago when DeBartolo was the owner. Lemieux took over control of the Penguins in 1999, the same year that York and her husband, John, assumed control of the 49ers.

“What a class organization through and through,” York said of the Penguins.

This spring, the Penguins advanced to the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup Final by ousting the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, the Washington Capitals in seven and the Carolina Hurricanes in four.

As guests of Lemieux, the Yorks attended one of the April playoff games against the Flyers. John York also saw one of the Capitals games from the owner’s box.

“He really loves watching the games,” Denise York said.

So much so that the Yorks, who are traveling today to New York City to attend this weekend’s NFL owners’ meetings, made sure their travel plans didn’t conflict with tonight’s game.

“We’ll be in the [hotel] watching and cheering,” York said. “We have only good memories from owning the Penguins.”

During the 1991 playoffs, the Penguins defeated the New Jersey Devils, Capitals and Boston Bruins to ascend to their first final appearance since the team was created in 1967.

After losing Games 1 and 3 to the North Stars, the Penguins evened the series with a Game 4 win in Minnesota then pounced on North Stars goalie Jon Casey for four first-period goals in their 6-4 victory in Game 5 at the Civic Arena (now Mellon Arena).

Game 6 was over almost as soon as it begun as the high-flying Penguins routed the North Stars.

The Yorks’ sons Jed and Tony attended many of the home playoff games with their grandfather. Today, Jed is president of the 49ers.

“I remember we’d go down early and eat at Tambellini’s before the games,” York said. “My father really enjoyed the atmosphere surrounding that team.”

The Pens repeated as Stanley Cup champions in 1992, sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks in four games.

Lean years earlier this decade led to the Penguins’ rebirth after the 2004-05 National Hockey League lockout produced a salary cap. Dismal seasons from 2001-04 enabled the Penguins to select goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby with their top picks.

“As exciting as it was for the Steelers to win the Super Bowl,” York said, “another Cup win for the Penguins would mean so much. Hopefully, we will be celebrating.”

williams@vindy.com