Matters seemed to heading from bad to worse for the Penguins. After getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round, they learned that Pascal Dupuis, a regular on the Sidney Crosby line when the Penguins won their last Stanley Cup, had retired due to blood clots.

The situation did not improve as the Penguins started the season with a 15-10-3. New arrivals Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel had yet to find their place on the Penguins, and many blamed the coaching staff. Head coach Mike Johnston was promptly fired and replaced by Mike Sullivan, who was in his first year of his tenure with the AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton Penguins.

The team did not give up, making plenty of moves before the trade deadline. One of which was trading for defender Trevor Daley, who was a top line defender in Dallas. They also went after Carl Hagelin, who was on the same Rangers teams that had knocked the Penguins out of the playoffs the last couple years. Justin Schultz was also brought in to round out the Penguin’s blue line.

Just as important as all of that, was new coach Mike Sullivan’s decision to call up AHL goalie Matt Murray. He was electric in the AHL, with a GAA below 2. Perhaps, Sullivan’s experience with Murray was what put the Penguins over the edge this year.

Regardless, starting goalie Marc-Andre Fleury went down with injury just when the playoff stretch was beginning to reach its peak. The team had won its prior four games, and was playing their best hockey. In a game with huge playoff implications, Murray pitched a shut out against division rivals in the Islanders to move themselves into position to have home ice advantage. Murray would win his next three games to give the Penguins 14 wins in a 15 game span.

That run would give them home ice against their arch nemesis in the New York Rangers. It would prove to be decisive as the Penguins obliterated the Rangers to win in five. The Penguins would have a tougher time against the Capitals, but Murray was able to bounce back from a tough first game to guide the Penguins to the Eastern Conference Finals.

There they faced their toughest challenge yet as the defending Eastern Conference Champion Tampa Bay Lightning were waiting for them. The Penguins defense surprised everyone by being the group that led the Penguins. They only gave up 30 or more shots twice, which eventually slowed down the Lightning’s high-octane offense. In the final two games of the series, the Lightning could only muster three goals and the Penguins were able to clinch the series.

The Penguins returned to the Stanley Cup since their 08-09 championship. Their defense got even stronger, never giving up more than 26 shots in the entire series. Murray only let in three goals in the first two games. The combination of Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel was huge for the Penguins, scoring a goal each in the first two games.

The Sharks would recover, winning two of their next games. Sidney Crosby would not let the series reach game seven though. He got two assists on the Penguin’s three goals to clinch the Stanley Cup for the Penguins. Crosby’s 19 post-season points were good enough to give him the Conn Smythe Award.