from Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette,

We are watching a Penguins team that’s on the verge of something special.

It’s not quite there yet, but it’s looking hard at making some serious history.

How cool is that?

Not that any of the Penguins wanted to talk about the Cup late Thursday night after their 6-0 win in Game 5. No surprise there. Too much still could go wrong, especially in Game 6 Sunday night at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The Predators are 9-1 at home in these playoffs and whacked the Penguins there, 5-1 and 4-1, in Games 3 and 4. That’s why the Penguins will tell you this isn’t the time to celebrate or reflect. There still is the matter of that one more win. Everyone, from Mike Sullivan to all the players, said it will be the toughest win to get.

“You’re close, but it’s far,” Evgeni Malkin said.

Of course, that’s true.

But the last time I checked, these Penguins are humans. Don’t believe it when they tell you they haven’t thought about being remembered as one of the great teams in NHL history.

“It comes into your mind,” Matt Cullen said. “It’s impossible for it not to. We’re all aware of where we’re at. We don’t want to let it slip by.”

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