Joe Mullen's class act comeback

Mario Lemieux had a few pretty impressive comebacks throughout his career, but another Penguin Hall of Famer had one of his own early in the 1991 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Joe Mullen was in his first season with the Pens in 1990-91, coming over in a trade for a second round pick with the Calgary Flames in the offseason. From the start, Mullen proceeded to do what he did best – score goals. He’d bagged 17 of them in the first 34 games, but a herniated disc in his neck halted his torrid pace and eventually sent him to the sidelines for surgery.

There was no guarantee he’d be back that season – or ever.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of players who came back from that, so I was very unsure if my career was over or not,” he said in an interview years later.

But come back he did, and in fine style. The Penguins headed into Game 3 of their first round series against the New Jersey Devils tied at one game apiece. With the game tied at two early in the third, Mullen rifled a slap shot past Chris Terreri, helping the Pens to a 4-3 win.

Mullen, who was fitted with a large white collar for additional protection, would light the lamp seven more times that spring and add nine assists as the Penguins made their run to their first Stanley Cup. Joe would score his 500^th career goal in a Pens uniform in 1997 and be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.

Joe Mullen: a true gentleman who brought tons of class – and goals – to the Penguin organization.