Eight years ago today, Bryan Rust stepped up big time and scored two goals against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Game 7 at PPG Paints Arena, sending the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final.
Just a week earlier, the Penguins were sitting pretty with a 2-1 series lead, but Game 4 and Game 5 didn’t go well for Pittsburgh and suddenly their backs were against the wall, trailing 3-2.
A road win in Tampa in Game 6 sent the series back to Pittsburgh for the pivotal seventh game.
A scoreless first period had things feeling tight and just shy of two minutes into the second period, Bryan Rust scored his first of the game.