Yzerman, Hull, Leetch, Robitaille and ...

By Dejan Kovacevic | 6 a.m. Monday

TORONTO -- Apologies for the temporary intrusion into Seth's world, but it was his invitation that spurred me to share a few impressions from today's Hockey Hall of Fame inductions.

I covered a couple of these before, during my seven years backing up Dave Molinari on the Penguins beat for this paper: Those were for Joey Mullen, Mike Lange and Craig Patrick. But there is nothing, personally, I can compare to coming up here to see Molinari, my colleague, longtime mentor and friend, being honored for his 27 years of covering Pittsburgh's more-storied-by-the-day hockey franchise. I am delighted he asked me to come up here.

I know that writers, broadcasters and the like do not belong in an honored class with the players and builders who make great contributions to a sport. No one would back that view more forcefully than Molinari, who never has linked himself to the Penguins but rather to his actual employer, the Post-Gazette. That is how all professional journalists do it, and no one fits that category better. Know, on this count, that writers and broadcasters do not share actual Hall enshrinement -- the names are on a wall inside the Hall -- and that their ceremonies are independent of the really lavish one that will be fittingly given tonight to the fabulous class of Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brian Leetch and Luc Robitaille. (A long way from the days of Bernie Federko, eh?)

To follow the main event, here is the Hall's official site. I believe someone in the U.S. is broadcasting the annually embarrassing Canadian jokefest that accompanies the ceremony, too, but I am not sure which outlet.

The luncheon for Molinari and broadcaster-turned-GM John Davidson is later this morning at a separate venue here, and I will be sending some stuff from that.

In the interim, here is a collection of three article openings by Molinari, covering some landmark events for the franchise ...

Oct. 11, 1984: Mario Lemieux's debut

BOSTON -- It was, for the better part of 29 minutes, an exercise in nothing less than sheer magic. But after 60 minutes, nothing remained except painful shreds of tattered illusion.

That there might be something special about the first game of the Penguins' 18th season was a thought worthy of consideration in the opening minutes of play, before many of the 14,451 denizens of Boston Garden had settled in their seats.

For just 1:18 after stepping on the ice for the first time in his National Hockey League career, Penguins center Mario Lemieux scored his first professional goal.

On his first shift. On his first shot. After relieving no less a figure than all-star defenseman Raymond Bourque of the puck. After faking Boston goalie Pete Peeters out of position with a movie unencumbered by the limitations of most mortals.

But none of that really seemed to matter after the Bruins had rallied for a 4-3 victory in last night's season opener for both teams.

May 25, 1991: Penguins' first Cup

"Destiny is not a matter of chance it is a matter of choice." -- William Jennings Bryan

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- It took 24 years, but the Penguins made their choice last night. And they made it stick.

They chose greatness. They chose glory. And they chose to be champions.

And they did it in a way so resounding there could be no doubt about their qualifications to reign as the National Hockey League's finest team.

The Penguins won their first Stanley Cup by crushing the Minnesota North Stars, 8-0, in Game 6 of the championship series at the Met Center. They won the series, 4-2, by taking the final three games, two of them on the road.

"It's a great thrill to reach the top of the mountain," coach Bob Johnson said. "A dream come true for all of our players."

June 12, 2009: Game 7, Stanley Cup final

DETROIT -- It was said that the Detroit Red Wings could not lose Game 7 of a Stanley Cup final on home ice. They did.

That Marc-Andre Fleury could not be counted on to win big games. He has.

That these Penguins were not ready to be champions. They are.

They defeated the Red Wings, 2-1, in Game 7 at Joe Louis Arena last night to earn the third Stanley Cup in franchise history.

The driving forces behind the victory were forward Max Talbot, who scored both goals, and Fleury, who turned aside 23 of 24 shots and made a lunging game-, season- and Cup-saving stop on Nicklas Lidstrom with about a second to play. 

PHOTOS: Associated Press