PITTSBURGH – Even though Josh Archibald played only 10 regular-season games for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season, the fact he played Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final will allow his name to be engraved on the Stanley Cup if the Penguins repeat as champs.
Brainerd's Josh Archibald relishes his rare chance with Penguins
June 9, 2017 at 3:39AM
The forward didn't play in Game 5 Thursday, but the rule for having one's name etched is 41 games played or one game in the Stanley Cup Final.
"It was a huge opportunity," said the former Brainerd High School star and Minnesota Mr. Hockey finalist. "We have a great lineup from top to bottom, so for me to get in was a pretty big confidence boost for me. It was a lot of fun."
Archibald, 24, was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, but moved to Brainerd when he was 15.
"My mom's from there, so she convinced my dad to move back to Minnesota," Archibald said, laughing.
Archibald's dad is Jim Archibald, who played at the University of North Dakota and 16 games for the North Stars over three seasons before a neck injury caused doctors to tell him he should never play again.
Archibald also played one year of his three at Nebraska Omaha with current Penguins teammate Jake Guentzel, who is leading the NHL with 13 playoff goals. Guentzel was a freshman when Archibald was a junior. They played half of the 2013-14 season on the same line with Archibald scoring 29 goals.
"When Jake came in, he was a shy, quiet kid at 17, 18 years old," Archibald said. "Once he got acquainted with everybody and got used to things, he opened up. From the first game in college, we knew he'd be a special player. Look what he's done now, it's pretty spectacular."
Guentzel is glad to experience this with his friend.
"He kind taught me what to expect and look forward to," Guentzel said. "From the moment I was drafted, he took me under his wing."
With Scott Wilson back in the lineup Thursday, Archibald sat. However after Game 4 — a loss, coach Mike Sullivan said, "We felt we wanted to try to put some enthusiasm and energy and speed in the lineup. Archie brings all those things to the table. He played some very solid games for us. He's a guy that brings a certain dimension that we felt we wanted to have in the game [Monday]."
Helping hand from 'Doc'
NBC play-by-play man Mike "Doc" Emrick, a Foster Hewitt Award winner, U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer, Lester Patrick Award winner and multiple Emmy Award winner, gave his e-mail address to a number of aspiring young broadcasters this week to send him their reels.
Emrick said he has done this for years. Every August, he'll go back in his e-mails, listen to a number of broadcasts and provide feedback.
"Some of them are really good," Emrick said. "Jack Michaels, the play-by-play guy in Edmonton, I still have his from when he worked with the Alaska Aces. John Walton, the play-by-play guy in Washington, I still have his from several years ago. I save them all. Those are two guys that I'm very proud of.
"I just always send everybody feedback."
Etc.
• Colin Wilson, who has been dealing with an injury all postseason, made his playoff debut in Game 5 for Nashville.
Wilson entered the game with 13 goals and 24 points in 45 career playoff games.
"That's kind of been the mental battle," Wilson said. "You want to get in there and be able to help the team. It's almost a selfish thing. I want to be out there, so the decision is when I can go out there and help my team win the Stanley Cup."
• Pittsburgh's Nick Bonino (ankle) missed his third game in a row.
Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record.
