Jagr: 'My 1999 Game 6 vs Jersey may have saved the Pens'

[Ben Klingston]

From Tom Gulitti, Devils Beat Reporter for the NJRecord

https://twitter.com/#!/TGfireandice

"Jaromir Jagr said today that Game 6 vs. Devils in 1999 with PIT, in which he scored tying and OT goal, "was probably my best game ever."
"Jagr said that Pens might have had to "move to Kansas City because we had no money. We had to make the second round to get the payments."
"Jagr: “Maybe if I didn’t score, the team wouldn’t be in Pittsburgh right now and Crosby would be in Kansas City."
But, "Guys, that was 13 years ago."

Tom Gulitti ‏ @TGfireandice :"Still one of the most impressive performances I've ever seen. Jagr basically played on one leg because he had a bad groin strain."

While I don't necessarily agree with Jagr's statements, it can't be said how great of a performance this was, in perhaps the Pens last game in Pittsburgh. But let's be honest - Mario saved the Pens, not Jags.

All that said, still the best game I've ever attended in person - Student Rush tix for like $15, drove for 3.5 hrs to be there.

[Pavel Bure]

He's such a troll

[Rocco]

He's not wrong. Well, maybe about moving to KC since I don't think they had a stadium at that time, but not the rest of it.

[bh]

That still gives me goosebumps watching that. What a game. I loved Marty Straka.

[Gaucho]

One of my favorite games ever.

[Ben Klingston]

He's not wrong. Well, maybe about moving to KC since I don't think they had a stadium at that time, but not the rest of it.

Not wrong about what - it being his best game ever? I agree with that.

It's been a few years since I read the details and history of the finances at that time, but I don't think there is much of a correlation between his play that game and the Pens staying in town. Mario was gonna get his deferred salary one way or the other and I doubt the extra revenue of a few extra home playoff games was going to influence his taking payment via equity in the team.

[ivand87]

No, Jaromir, you didn't save us from bankruptcy. And Marty Straka pretty much made the winning goal happen, set it up on a platter for you. Yep, Pavel Bure, he has turned into a huge troll. Can this guy stop talking about the Penguins already?

[penny lane]

Hit or miss with what Jaromir says... but very true on this one. I remember the huge outbreak of cheers after John Barbero didnt' announce jagr's name as a scratch.
Mario was sitting in the crowd, Jaromir's tying goal, ditched the salute and went with Mario's arms up celebration! Titov played an inspired game and hrdina bedazzled holik on face offs.
Devils team was stacked; stevens, neidermayer, brodeur... Pens blueline ? slegr, darius kasper was out, duct tape?
Thank-you Judge Bernard... bankruptcy case of the pens.

[Rocco]

He's not wrong. Well, maybe about moving to KC since I don't think they had a stadium at that time, but not the rest of it.

Not wrong about what - it being his best game ever? I agree with that.

It's been a few years since I read the details and history of the finances at that time, but I don't think there is much of a correlation between his play that game and the Pens staying in town. Mario was gonna get his deferred salary one way or the other and I doubt the extra revenue of a few extra home playoff games was going to influence his taking payment via equity in the team.

This is obviously going off memory, but Jagr isn't inventing the stuff about the Pens needing added revenue from another round of the playoffs out of whole cloth.

[skullman80]

I was at that game.... student rushed it, I don't even think it was a sellout to be honest. I was 10 rows behind Brodeur when Jagr scored that GWG. Still one of the best memories I ever had at a Pens game. Paid i think 16$ for the ticket, I still have the stub somewhere.

[Ben Klingston]

He's not wrong. Well, maybe about moving to KC since I don't think they had a stadium at that time, but not the rest of it.

Not wrong about what - it being his best game ever? I agree with that.

It's been a few years since I read the details and history of the finances at that time, but I don't think there is much of a correlation between his play that game and the Pens staying in town. Mario was gonna get his deferred salary one way or the other and I doubt the extra revenue of a few extra home playoff games was going to influence his taking payment via equity in the team.

This is obviously going off memory, but Jagr isn't inventing the stuff about the Pens needing added revenue from another round of the playoffs out of whole cloth.

Oh, no doubt, they needed every penny they could get, but the added revenue of a few extra playoff games was a drop in the bucket to their overall debt. To be fair, I don't know what the context of his quotes were. Since the Game 6 was May 2, 1999, perhaps the Devils reporter brought it up to him in the context of the date/anniversary. I doubt he just said 'hey guys, remember that 1999 Game 6? Yeah, I was awesome'. And maybe he didn't mean to tie his performance in that game specifically to the Pens staying in town. But I doubt it.

[Ben Klingston]

I was at that game.... student rushed it, I don't even think it was a sellout to be honest. I was 10 rows behind Brodeur when Jagr scored that GWG. Still one of the best memories I ever had at a Pens game. Paid i think 16$ for the ticket, I still have the stub somewhere.

Same here. If I remember correctly, it was an early game. I was at school 3.5 hrs away. Potentially the last game in Pens history, and it was not a sellout. Unfreakingbelievable. I talked a friend from Philly (Flyers fan) to drive to Pgh and student rush. Had seats at glass level. He could not believe the atmosphere. I hugged and high fived so many strangers that day.

[skullman80]

My stub from the game... guess I was actually on the other end, but still 16$ for a B level ticket in the playoffs.. oh how times have changed. Two days before my 16th birthday this game was lol. I'm getting old.

[penny lane]

yes, the game not sold out and the fans , we booed when the attendance was announced.

Pens won a game in nj without jagr... morozov, kovalev; they had devils scared. Bobby Dollas, Brad werenka ?

devils team had sykora, brylin, I think billy guerin. #8 upset #1

[The Snapshot]

That team was great fun at the time. They had Straka, Lang, Kovalev, Titov, Jagr - plenty of talent.

Few things that video reminded me of - I loved Marty Straka the Energizer Bunny and I wish Ian Moran was as good a player as he was a teammate.

[littlemoonboot]

Jaromir. Stop.

[Steve]

I thought the pens were saved when Bettman rigged the Crosby lottery?

[Rocco]

I thought the pens were saved when Bettman rigged the Crosby lottery?

It was a two-stage process.

[Kaizer]

still not getting in the rafters, jagoff.

[Why Not Us]

Jagr is definitely trying to sweet talk his way to either a return to Pittsburgh in the summer or his 68 in the rafters.

[Nizzy]

"I owe my career to Mario."

"I would play for the minimum to play with Mario"

Minimum 500k.

Jagr offered 1.5M-2.0M by the penguins.

Plays with number 1 rival for 3.3M and says because he wants to win a championship, not because of the money,

Okay Jagr.

1 goal, 10 playoff games -5.

Should have stayed in KHL scumbag. Keep talking blah blah blah

[C4 Row E]

My stub from the game... guess I was actually on the other end, but still 16$ for a B level ticket in the playoffs.. oh how times have changed. Two days before my 16th birthday this game was lol. I'm getting old.

B2 would have been where the gwg was scored. Pens used to shoot twice on the other end of the ice. First OT is a long change.

[skullman80]

My stub from the game... guess I was actually on the other end, but still 16$ for a B level ticket in the playoffs.. oh how times have changed. Two days before my 16th birthday this game was lol. I'm getting old.

B2 would have been where the gwg was scored. Pens used to shoot twice on the other end of the ice. First OT is a long change.

Ok.. so I wasn't crazy in my memory then. I was positive I was on the end where the Pens scored that GWG in OT.

[owtahear]

Was there. Section B21.

[ville5]

It's gonna be so sweet when the Debs bounce Jags and the Cry Girls.