from Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun,
Jimmy Rutherford looks at Mario Lemieux. Mario Lemieux looks at Jimmy Rutherford. They nod their heads in unison. Then, as if they were following a Hollywood script, they both break into huge grins.
It is an acknowledgement of very few words. Then again, not many are needed here. The message to Rutherford from the Silent One — aka Magnificent Mario — is clear enough.
A job well done, Mr. General Manager. Just one more to go, one obstacle to overcome, one road block to conquer en route to the Stanley Cup — the San Jose Sharks.
It is mere minutes since the Penguins defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup final, and the owner and general manager are relishing the moment.
In Rutherford’s case, he certainly has earned the right.
In his two-year stint running the Penguins, he has torn apart the roster, brought in one of the most polarizing figures in the sport in Phil Kessel, and made a coaching change. Now, he is four victories away from guiding the Penguins to a Stanley Cup, exactly one decade after he did the same with the Carolina Hurricanes.
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