My most memorable game: Ron Francis

Installment No. 5 in an occasional series highlighting the most memorable game in which players participated as a member of the Penguins.

Player: Ron Francis
Date: May 9, 1992
Game: Game 4, Patrick Division final
Site: Mellon Arena
Result: Penguins, 5-4 in overtime
Three stars: 1) Penguins C Ron Francis. 2) Rangers C Mark Messier. 3) Penguins LW Kevin Stevens.

The Penguins were down, 2-1, in the series. The best player on their team -- and the planet -- was in street clothes, nursing a broken hand caused by an Adam Graves slash during Game 2. Another of their future Hall of Famers also was missing, too, because of a knee injury, also suffered in Game 2.

Of more urgent concern, the Penguins were trailing, 4-2, in Game 4 when Gordie Roberts was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for cross-checking at 5:19 of the third period. Another Rangers goal while Roberts was in the penalty box, and the series figured to be all but formally wrapped up.

"If they get one on that (power play), the game's probably over, and the series is probably over," Francis said. "But they didn't."

Some inspired penalty-killing and the goaltending of Tom Barrasso, allowed the Penguins to survive that crisis, so when Roberts' penalty expired, his team still had a pulse.

Just not much of one. Not with under 10 minutes remaining in regulation and a two-goal deficit against a team that had been the NHL's best during the regular season. What the Penguins needed at that point was a near-miracle.

And Francis delivered one.

With an almost unimaginable assist, figuratively, from Mike Richter, New York's outstanding goaltender.

Eighteen seconds after Roberts' penalty expired, Francis carried the puck through the neutral zone and, as he approached the Rangers' defensive zone, launched a shot at Richter.

And past him.

Improbably.

Inexplicably.

And, from a Penguins' perspective, miraculously.

Game 4 would never be the same. And the course of that spring's playoffs had changed in a heartbeat.

Just 75 seconds later, Troy Loney converted a Jaromir Jagr set-up to pull the Penguins even, and ultimately, to put the game into overtime.

It wasn't there long.

A mere 2:47 into the extra period -- and 90 seconds into a Jeff Beukeboom minor for tackling Jagr that gave the Penguins their sixth power play -- Larry Murphy swiped the puck from Messier in the New York end and threw it toward the net.

Francis, with his back to goalie John Vanbiesbrouck, who had replaced Richter after the Penguins tied the game, tipped the puck between his own legs and inside the left post to give the Penguins a 5-4 victory that had been unthinkable just a half-hour earlier.

"I kind of scored that fluky one from outside the blue line to sort of give us life, and I think it was Troy who scored right after to tie it right back up," Francis said. 'Then all of a sudden, we get into overtime and I deflect one on the power play to give us the win."