On this date in Penguins history: An eventful day on the calendar

May 4th has been an eventful day in Penguins playoff history — especially in the current era of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin

2008

After getting back into the playoffs in 2007 and quickly being sent home in five games, the Penguins came back into the fold in 2008 and exacted revenge on the Ottawa Senators with a 4-game sweep.

A second round matchup with the New York Rangers was on the docket. Three straight wins to start the series put the Penguins in the driver seat, but they were unable to finish the sweep at Madison Square Garden.

Things headed back to Mellon Arena for Game 5.

The game started with trading blows, entering the second period scoreless.

Marian Hossa and Evgeni Malkin gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead in the second period and the team was 20 minutes away from punching a ticket to the Eastern Conference Final.

The Rangers battled back, however, evening the score in the third period, forcing things into overtime.

Enter Marian Hossa.

2009

After a 2008 run that sent the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final, they were back in 2009 looking to take that next step. A first round series win vs. the Flyers set them up for a second round series with the Washington Capitals.

A Game 1 that resulted in the Penguins frustratingly unable to score on Semyon Varlamov, they were looking to even the series in Game 2.

Sidney Crosby would open the scoring. Alexander Ovechkin would match his goal to tie the game 1-1. Crosby would score another before David Steckel tied the game. Two third period goals from Ovechkin to log a hat trick stretched the lead to 4-2. A late Sidney Crosby goal matched the hat trick effort but wasn't enough as the Penguins fell 4-3.

Dueling hat tricks. What a time.

2016

With a 2-1 lead in the series, the Penguins were looking for a stranglehold in their second round matchup with the Washington Capitals. Playing without Kris Letang due to suspension, it was going to be a tall task.

An early goal from Jay Beagle sucked the life out of PPG Paints Arena, but Trevor Daley drew the Penguins even.

Matt Cullen put the Penguins ahead in the 2nd, but John Carlson drew the Capitals even.

A tied third period was scoreless and to the extra frame things went.

At this point, the Penguins had lost eight straight overtime games in the playoffs, so I don’t think many people were feeling all that confident.

Enter Patric Hornqvist. The player that the Penguins acquired in an effort to change the culture completely changed the tune for the Penguins.

What a wild play and bounce for Mike Weber, still to this day.