Pittsburgh Penguins: Ranking Kris Letang’s best performances

The Pittsburgh Penguins have a new franchise leader in points for a defenseman – Kris Letang. In honor of his impressive feat, let’s look at his top five moments.

On Oct. 6, 2018, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang surpassed Paul Coffey as the franchise leader for points by a defenseman with 441 points. Letang has faced tremendous adversity throughout his decade-long career and has remained one of the NHL’s preeminent offensive-defenceman.

Here is a look at five of the best performances of Letang’s career.

Canadian Swing

5. May 22, 2013, vs. Ottawa Senators – Eastern Conference Semifinals

Pittsburgh entered the game with a slim 2-1 series lead after suffering a double-overtime defeat in the third game of the series, and we’re looking to swing the momentum back in their favor.

The Senators took a 2-1 led into the second period, where Letang and the Penguins seized control of the game and scored six unanswered goals. Letang earned assists on the game-tying (Chris Kunitz) and game-winning goals (Jarome Iginla) and added two more helpers in a four-goal, third period.

The Penguins earned a 7-3 victory and would eliminate the Senators two nights later.

4. January 27, 2015, VS.Winnipeg Jets

The Jets entered the third period with a 3-2 lead, but Letang and the Penguins capitalized on two power-play opportunities to take the lead and added an empty net goal to secure the victory

Letang collected five assists in this contest, setting up Nick Spaling, Steve Downie, David Perron, Brandon Sutter, and Patric Hornqvist.

Home Town Heroics

3. March 2, 2013, VS. Montreal Canadiens

Letang chose a highly offensive affair to collect a four-point game in front of the hometown crowd in Montreal.

The Penguins and Canadiens combined for 13 goals, 75 shots and needed an extra frame to declare a victor. The Penguins with a 7-6 victory, while Letang earned assists on goals from Matt Cooke, Chris Kunitz, Sidney Crosby, Brandon Sutter.

2. November 8, 2014, VS. Buffalo Sabres

The Penguins got on the board early and often, torching Sabres goaltender Jonas Enroth for six goals in the first two periods, on route to a 6-1 victory.

Letang earned two goals and four points in the game, which also featured a five-point performance from Sidney Crosby, who achieved the feat in just 15:52 of ice-time.

1. Bang, Bang, Kris Letang

It is fair to say that without Letang, the Penguins may have been unceremoniously eliminated by their arch rival, the Washington Capitals, and would not have captured the 2009 Stanley Cup.

Down two games to none, the Penguins were in imminent danger of falling behind by three games and would have faced an extremely difficult challenge to rattle off four straight wins.

With Pittsburgh carrying a 2-1 late in the third period, Pascal Dupuis took an interference call at the 17:32 mark of the frame. Nicklas Backstrom would notch the equalizing goal less than 50 seconds into the power-play, sending the game to a pivotal do-or-die overtime for the Penguins.

The teams traded chances through the first 10 minutes of the extra frame, but it would be Letang that would play the hero for the Penguins at the 11:23 mark of the extra frame.

The goal gave the Penguins new life, as they would battle back and eventually dispel of the Capitals in seven games, before capturing their first Stanley Cup Title since 1992.