Mario Lemieux's five goals in five ways

by FrankD on Aug 6, 2009 7:00 AM EDT in Pens of the Past Comment 20 comments

Showing this video is probably a common recurrence on Pensburgh but how can you possibly deny the awesomeness of it? Mario Lemieux scoring five goals in five ways, accomplished on December 31, 1988, is easily one of my favorite Penguins-centric hockey records. To be honest, I just wish I was old enough to remember seeing it live/ on TV.

There are a lot of records out there that will undoubtedly be challenged and broken in the future. But I see this one lasting a very, very long time. Surely I'm not the only one to think that. Right?

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I still can't believe

he actually did it. I don’t see anyone having a five goal game anymore, let alone scoring in every different way.

by Smooth555 on Aug 6, 2009 9:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, even more than just having the skill to be able to score 5 goals (which only a handful can do) you have to get situationally lucky.

Think about it, if one player has a 4 goal night, the other team usually isn’t close enough on the scoreboard to merit pulling their goalie. Maybe this goes without saying, but it has to be a very open, very fire-brand game of hockey.

In this day and age of tight checking systems and coaching strategies it’d be a very long shot to see. I think someone like Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Heatley or Malkin could do it if the stars aligned, but I don’t think any of those players even have many (if any) 4 goal games, let alone a 5 goal game.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 6, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Come to think of it..

None of the players I spotlighted really play any short-handed time. Maybe, unfortunately, it’d be a guy like Mike Richards who’d be most likely to pull off the feat amongst today’s players.

Even then, I don’t see it happening.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 6, 2009 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rick Nash sees a lot of PK time. I’d consider him a candidate. It’s highly unlikely though. Mario was the best.

by Dan J on Aug 6, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good call, Dan. That is another guy who’d have the ability to maybe pull it off….Though I’m with you, I’d still bet against it.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 6, 2009 1:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's me again

" I think someone like Ovechkin, Kovalchuk, Heatley or Malkin could do it if the stars aligned, but I don’t think any of those players even have many (if any) 4 goal games"

Anyone remember the name Eric Staal?
Hurricanes vs TBL March 7, 2009

The eldest Staal: 4 goals, 6 points

It was the third time – the first since Ron Francis on Feb. 12, 1984, against Edmonton – that a Hartford-Carolina player had four goals. Staal’s six-point night was the fourth in franchise history.

Staal scored twice in the first to help Carolina take a 3-1 lead. He had a short-handed goal off a pass from Brind’Amour during a 2-on-none at 7:01 of the first, and then reached the 30-goal plateau for the fourth consecutive season from the slot with 10:20 left in the period.

“That was a great game,” Brind’Amour said. “Everything he touched was gold.”

I’m sure it wasn’t meant as a snub though…..;)

Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!

by hockeymomof2 on Aug 6, 2009 8:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Marian Gaborik scored five goals in December 07, but it wasn’t done in each way. To his credit though, he was the first player to score 5 goals in a single game since Fedorov did it in 96.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Aug 6, 2009 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BTW – I wasn’t intending to slight that phenomenal accomplishment by Lemieux – All Pittsburgh fans should proudly celebrate a magic shining moment there.

I was just using the opportunity to reassert my position that Hooks has a “habit” ;-) of forgetting Eric when discussing elite scorers in today’s NHL. (I also discovered Canes fave Jussi Jokinen had a 4-goal game for DAL – against Theodore in goal for Colorado) in 2007, prior to his arrival in Raleigh.) Perhaps it’s more common than one might think. Not sure how to research that.

Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!

by hockeymomof2 on Aug 6, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who his this phantom player who goes by the name of Eric and has the same last name as this guy Jordan on our team? Next thing you know the games will have them pinned up against one another with stupid comparisons like favorite gift, favorite food, drink, etc. That would be horrid. Hopefully it never happens.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Aug 7, 2009 12:40 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL

(Jordan sure owned Eric in May, I’ll give ya that…..we’ll just see what happens next time)

Let's go Canes!
Hakkaa Paalle!

by hockeymomof2 on Aug 7, 2009 6:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m ok with Eric having a Cup. I’m definitely ok with Jordan having a Cup. But let’s keep it out of Marc’s hands, or at least until he’s out of NY.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com and twitter.

by FrankD on Aug 7, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wasn’t meant as a snub, good call.

I didn’t consider E. Staal a big PK’er either, but yeah he’d definitely be dangerous enough to get in the conversation.

I’d still bet he, like every active player, never does scored 5 goals in 5 ways in one game though. :)

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 7, 2009 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

We'll let him in the discussion

because he had a SH goal there.

The problem is with the 5-ways you have to do both a PP and SH, then score on a penalty shot (not a shootout goal) grab a full-strength goal in there somewhere, and still have the opportunity to get an Empty-netter.

It will take an incredible talent and a very special night to accomplish this.

I could see a 7 goal game easier than this happening again. Put me down for Ovie on that one.

by Phantaskippy on Aug 8, 2009 3:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve seen this a few times on Versus, but it doesn’t get old. So amazing.

I wonder if Crosby or Malkin has looked at the footage and thought, “One day I am so doing that.”

I was old enough to see it—14 at the time—but I was in Florida. Assuming it would’ve been broadcast where I could see it, I still wouldn’t have seen it. The only people I knew who liked hockey were transplants from up north, generally the ones who told me I talked too slow (in my own damn home state!) and acted like I thought too slow, too. Not exactly good ambassadors for the sport. I missed a lot!

"Darling, you say Brooks Orpik 'checked' that guy. He did not 'get under him and put him into the wall'."--Beloved to me, Winter 2007

by GreenEyedLilo on Aug 6, 2009 9:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

This moment was amazing I do not remember it but it was my first pens game. My father took my brother and I for our Christmas gift. I was 6 years old.

by jevans on Aug 6, 2009 11:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow seems kind of cruel you were too young to remember, but at least you can say you were there!

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 6, 2009 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the only thing I can remember is my Father took my brother and I to Wendy’s after the game for free chili for the ticket. That made me a little mad at the time but furious later after I figured out what had happened at the game

by jevans on Aug 6, 2009 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nothing wrong with some free chili, but come on old man. Jeez.

Pensburgh.com -- it's like the Max Talbot of blogs*

*not just because we only work for 12 minutes a night

by Hooks Orpik on Aug 6, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And the answer to the question at the end of the video: Yes, yes he is.

It weighs 35 pounds - unless you're hoisting it above your head.

by JDunman on Aug 6, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Won't be repeated

I’d say it’s more likely a player will net 6 or 7 goals in a game than score 5 different ways. How often is a penalty shot awarded? Also as someone pointed out, the likelihood that the other team would be close enough to pull their Goalie is a long shot. If no one else did this in the pre-Lemaire days of the open ice NHL, I highly doubt they’ll do it now. A 4 goal outing scoring 4 ways would be amazing.

by Dutch71 on Aug 6, 2009 9:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs