Penguin Memories

[grinreaper]

Whenever the Sabres play the Penguins, certain memories come to mind that have missing pieces for me. Maybe someone here with a better recollection can fill in the missing parts of those memories and keep me from racking my brain instead of enjoying the games. I've tried Googling to get answers but all I get is the equivalent of the 99 ways to wash Cindy's balls. 

So, I'll start out with a question for the old timers: 

There was a game a long time ago prior to 1986 between the Sabres and the Penguins in which the dirty birds were ahead in the 3rd period by something like 5 goals. We made a late game comeback and #11 scored either the tying or winning goal from behind the net by flipping the puck over the net and off the back of the GT. In the odd chance that somewhere that game is on tape I'd like to watch it again. Does anyone have the specifics so I can try to find it? My sanity may depend on you guy's help.

 

The good guys were leading the Penguins very late in what would be the playoff clincher against the Squealer's hockey counterparts. I was sitting at my corner bar with this big guy who only pretended to be my friend so that he could humiliate me over Sabre's/Penguin's games and try to make me think that my self worth was somehow connected to how the Bills compared to his "perfect team" that was worthy enough to be awarded something called "The Immaculate Reception". If that wasn't torture enough, the "Big Guy" drank his Iron City Beer out of a glass that was the size of a milk can and would chuckle when the bartender would bring me a 16 oz glass that he considered just the right size for a shot of Monongahela Moonshine. At that time in the waning moments of the game, when his team was about to be serenaded with the old "Na Na Goodbye" refrain, some guy named Mario pulled a shot off that had to have been part of his personal deal with the devil. That shot not only tied the game but made it apparent that the "Big Guy's" team would go on to win, tie the series and of course take care of business in their clincher. I remember all of the aforementioned pretty well for an old guy but need help in recollecting the name of the Penguin's player who was universally despised throughout the league for his dirty play and got away with closing his hands around the puck (in the defensive zone) and throwing it over the boards. After that Mario guy's only moment in the sun and tying goal orchestrated by Lucifer, my mind pretty much went numb. For the life of me I don't remember if that moment when the puck was thrown over the boards happened in the tying game or the Devil's Disciple's clinching game. Anyway, I think that #@&%('s last name started with a "G" but have a 25/26 chance of being wrong.

Anyone helping me out with the above answers will automatically be entered into my 1st Annual Toilet Brush Award with a chance of season tickets in the Orange seats.

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, grinreaper said:

Whenever the Sabres play the Penguins, certain memories come to mind that have missing pieces for me. Maybe someone here with a better recollection can fill in the missing parts of those memories and keep me from racking my brain instead of enjoying the games. I've tried Googling to get answers but all I get is the equivalent of the 99 ways to wash Cindy's balls. 

So, I'll start out with a question for the old timers: 

There was a game a long time ago prior to 1986 between the Sabres and the Penguins in which the dirty birds were ahead in the 3rd period by something like 5 goals. We made a late game comeback and #11 scored either the tying or winning goal from behind the net by flipping the puck over the net and off the back of the GT. In the odd chance that somewhere that game is on tape I'd like to watch it again. Does anyone have the specifics so I can try to find it? My sanity may depend on you guy's help.

 

The good guys were leading the Penguins very late in what would be the playoff clincher against the Squealer's hockey counterparts. I was sitting at my corner bar with this big guy who only pretended to be my friend so that he could humiliate me over Sabre's/Penguin's games and try to make me think that my self worth was somehow connected to how the Bills compared to his "perfect team" that was worthy enough to be awarded something called "The Immaculate Reception". If that wasn't torture enough, the "Big Guy" drank his Iron City Beer out of a glass that was the size of a milk can and would chuckle when the bartender would bring me a 16 oz glass that he considered just the right size for a shot of Monongahela Moonshine. At that time in the waning moments of the game, when his team was about to be serenaded with the old "Na Na Goodbye" refrain, some guy named Mario pulled a shot off that had to have been part of his personal deal with the devil. That shot not only tied the game but made it apparent that the "Big Guy's" team would go on to win, tie the series and of course take care of business in their clincher. I remember all of the aforementioned pretty well for an old guy but need help in recollecting the name of the Penguin's player who was universally despised throughout the league for his dirty play and got away with closing his hands around the puck (in the defensive zone) and throwing it over the boards. After that Mario guy's only moment in the sun and tying goal orchestrated by Lucifer, my mind pretty much went numb. For the life of me I don't remember if that moment when the puck was thrown over the boards happened in the tying game or the Devil's Disciple's clinching game. Anyway, I think that #@&%('s last name started with a "G" but have a 25/26 chance of being wrong.

Anyone helping me out with the above answers will automatically be entered into my 1st Annual Toilet Brush Award with a chance of season tickets in the Orange seats.

Answer 2 is Kasparaitus.   Throwing the puck over the boards w/ no call was in Game 7.  But he DID get a stern talking to.

[grinreaper]

6 minutes ago, Taro T said:

Answer 2 is Kasparaitus.   Throwing the puck over the boards w/ no call was in Game 7.  But he DID get a stern talking to.

Yes, Kasparaitus. In my defense, "G" is pretty close to "K". Thank you. 

[Marvin]

For the first game, try some of the Buffalo sports channels on YouTube.  You can figure out the game because it came before all those ties we had against Pittsburgh in the 1970's.

[K-9]

October 10, 1970, at Pittsburg. First win in Sabres history.

 

 

Edited December 10, 2022 by K-9

[PASabreFan]

The Sabres were down 6-1 in the second period at home against Boston in 1983 and roared back to win 7-6. It is the greatest comeback win in their history. So I don't think the Pens could have been up by five in the third period (if the Sabres came back to win).

I'll look season by season in my media guide for a game that might fit the bill.

[PASabreFan]

I found it! Google sabres penguins comeback perreault. A TBN link comes up for a story on a Sabres comeback recently in Chicago. The story has info on other big comebacks. The Pens game was in 1976. I copied the text, or thought I did, but lost it in cyberspace. When I went back to TBN, it was paywalled.

Edited December 11, 2022 by PASabreFan

[PASabreFan]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/sabres/win-in-chicago-makes-list-as-one-of-the-top-four-comebacks-in-sabres-history/article_ea2fbe78-af61-11ec-8cb4-2b3e0f59e2b4.html&ved=2ahUKEwiZ18HUovD7AhVennIEHVcwBzMQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1FBEI_OqW-dVfBEPkEPrz3

Edited December 11, 2022 by PASabreFan

[Doohickie]

Penguin Mammaries?  I didn't know birds had bewbs.

[Thorny]

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

Answer 2 is Kasparaitus.   Throwing the puck over the boards w/ no call was in Game 7.  But he DID get a stern talking to.

When I read the thread title, this is what came to mind. Man I remember trashing my parents basement 

[Taro T]

Just now, Thorny said:

When I read the thread title, this is what came to mind. Man I remember trashing my parents basement 

Couldn't believe he got away w/ it.  Except for the fact it happened in the NHL, still can't really believe it.

[Thorny]

4 hours ago, grinreaper said:

Whenever the Sabres play the Penguins, certain memories come to mind that have missing pieces for me. Maybe someone here with a better recollection can fill in the missing parts of those memories and keep me from racking my brain instead of enjoying the games. I've tried Googling to get answers but all I get is the equivalent of the 99 ways to wash Cindy's balls. 

So, I'll start out with a question for the old timers: 

There was a game a long time ago prior to 1986 between the Sabres and the Penguins in which the dirty birds were ahead in the 3rd period by something like 5 goals. We made a late game comeback and #11 scored either the tying or winning goal from behind the net by flipping the puck over the net and off the back of the GT. In the odd chance that somewhere that game is on tape I'd like to watch it again. Does anyone have the specifics so I can try to find it? My sanity may depend on you guy's help.

 

The good guys were leading the Penguins very late in what would be the playoff clincher against the Squealer's hockey counterparts. I was sitting at my corner bar with this big guy who only pretended to be my friend so that he could humiliate me over Sabre's/Penguin's games and try to make me think that my self worth was somehow connected to how the Bills compared to his "perfect team" that was worthy enough to be awarded something called "The Immaculate Reception". If that wasn't torture enough, the "Big Guy" drank his Iron City Beer out of a glass that was the size of a milk can and would chuckle when the bartender would bring me a 16 oz glass that he considered just the right size for a shot of Monongahela Moonshine. At that time in the waning moments of the game, when his team was about to be serenaded with the old "Na Na Goodbye" refrain, some guy named Mario pulled a shot off that had to have been part of his personal deal with the devil. That shot not only tied the game but made it apparent that the "Big Guy's" team would go on to win, tie the series and of course take care of business in their clincher. I remember all of the aforementioned pretty well for an old guy but need help in recollecting the name of the Penguin's player who was universally despised throughout the league for his dirty play and got away with closing his hands around the puck (in the defensive zone) and throwing it over the boards. After that Mario guy's only moment in the sun and tying goal orchestrated by Lucifer, my mind pretty much went numb. For the life of me I don't remember if that moment when the puck was thrown over the boards happened in the tying game or the Devil's Disciple's clinching game. Anyway, I think that #@&%('s last name started with a "G" but have a 25/26 chance of being wrong.

Anyone helping me out with the above answers will automatically be entered into my 1st Annual Toilet Brush Award with a chance of season tickets in the Orange seats.

Wasn’t that the Mario goal where the puck descended from the heavens and landed on his stick right in front?

That Kasparaitis scored the OT goal after cheating blatantly added to the broken items in my house 

1 minute ago, Taro T said:

Couldn't believe he got away w/ it.  Except for the fact it happened in the NHL, still can't really believe it.

I don’t know that I have a memory of a more infuriating loss in all honesty 

something about it 

the fact such an all time player in Mario got that kind of luck

darius 

just everything about it

[tom webster]

4 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

The Sabres were down 6-1 in the second period at home against Boston in 1983 and roared back to win 7-6. It is the greatest comeback win in their history. So I don't think the Pens could have been up by five in the third period (if the Sabres came back to win).

I'll look season by season in my media guide for a game that might fit the bill.

This Boston game was first thing I thought of. I can still see Mal Davis squeezing by the defenseman to score either the 6th or 7th goal, I can’t remember exactly.

[Dreams Burn Down]

When I saw the thread title, the first thing that I remembered was game 3 of the first round in 1979 when George Ferguson scored in OT to knock us out.  I was sitting at the right scoreboard in the Sabres end when Bob Sauve got beat.  It was my first taste of in-person Sabres playoff disappointment.

Those were different times, when making the playoffs was not only expected, but gauging how far our playoff run would last was part of the fun.

[mphs mike]

8 hours ago, Dreams Burn Down said:

When I saw the thread title, the first thing that I remembered was game 3 of the first round in 1979 when George Ferguson scored in OT to knock us out.  I was sitting at the right scoreboard in the Sabres end when Bob Sauve got beat.  It was my first taste of in-person Sabres playoff disappointment.

Those were different times, when making the playoffs was not only expected, but gauging how far our playoff run would last was part of the fun.

Same here - I was up in the oranges. IIRC the Pens hadn't moved to black & yellow yet, still light & dark blue with the cartoon skating emblem

[Pimlach]

Very early Penguin memories - Powder Blue Uni's.

Players like Sly Apps Jr, Jean Pronovost, Lester Binkley, Greg Polis, Bryan Hextall and Ronnie Shock.  

[PASabreFan]

This rivalry should be the cat's PJs bit isn't. Too bad. Different division throughout history hasn't helped. Only two playoff meetings, too.

As for Ferguson I think that's the last time I cried after the Sabres got knocked out. End of an era for the franchise and for me personally I suppose. I was just shy of becoming a teen.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

12 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

This rivalry should be the cat's PJs bit isn't. Too bad. Different division throughout history hasn't helped. Only two playoff meetings, too.

As for Ferguson I think that's the last time I cried after the Sabres got knocked out. End of an era for the franchise and for me personally I suppose. I was just shy of becoming a teen.

👀

*****

I remember that game well.  Heart breaker.

The next year, I believe, was the one that got away.  The last kick at the can with Punch's roster.  With Bowman new in town.

The early years era came to a crashing end when Scotty realized that he was also the GM and built the team that he envisioned.

[Eleven]

That turd licker Kasparaitis.

[Thorny]

2 minutes ago, Eleven said:

That turd licker Kasparaitis.

Yet you still, like me, undoubtedly looked up the proper spelling of his name. 

You have respect for the history of the game. And the various turds who have played it. 

[Eleven]

6 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Yet you still, like me, undoubtedly looked up the proper spelling of his name. 

Believe it or not, I didn't need to look it up.  

[Thorny]

Just now, Eleven said:

Believe it or not, I didn't need to look it up.  

Even worse