The Streak | April 2023

In March 1993, Penguins fans had a lot to celebrate. Star center Mario Lemieux had just returned after being successfully treated for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In his first game back in Pittsburgh, the team scored a 3-2 victory against the Boston Bruins. Days later, they beat the NY Islanders, setting a new franchise record for most wins and points in a single season. What fans didn’t know is that they were witnessing something remarkable: the start of the longest winning streak in NHL history, known in Pittsburgh simply as The Streak.

By the end of March, the Penguins were up to 11 wins. Lemieux, despite missing 24 games during his absence, was once again leading the league in points. Left winger Kevin Stevens had scored over 50 goals for the second season in a row – tying a franchise record previously held only by Lemieux. All signs pointed toward the Penguins’ first President’s Trophy (given to the team with the most regular season points) and their third consecutive Stanley Cup title.

As expected, the Penguins were awarded the President’s Trophy on April 3. They were on their way to the playoffs, and the record for longest winning streak – 15 wins by the 1982 Islanders – was in sight. On April 9, the team beat the NY Rangers, securing their 16th win and a new NHL record. The Streak continued for one more game, when a second victory against the Rangers brought the final tally to 17. Although they didn’t make it to the Stanley Cup, the 1992-93 season was one of the most iconic in Penguins history, and their winning streak record remains to this day.