University of Minnesota Athletics
Goligoski Reflects on Stanley Cup Season
8/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Former Gopher Alex Goligoski returned to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Minn. last week to show off the Stanley Cup and reflect on his championship season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Every member of a Stanley Cup championship team gets to spend one day during the summer with the cup. Goligoski used the opportunity to return to his hometown on Wed., August 19, spending the morning with family and friends and then holding a community event at the Grand Rapids IRA Civic Center where played during his youth and high school careers. He signed autographs and asked for donations to Grand Rapids Youth Hockey in return.
Goligoski, who played for the Gophers from 2004-07 and earned first-team All-American honors in 2007, appeared in 45 games for the Penguins this past season. He totaled six goals and 14 assists for 20 points.
"It's so surreal right now," Goligoski said of winning the cup. "It's an unbelievable feeling. It's really cool to have it for the day. It's just cool to grab it out of the back of the car and kind of move it around and put it on my picnic table out back."
Goligoski played in two of the Penguins' playoff games on the way to the cup, appearing in Games 5 and 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Washington. He had an assist in Pittsburgh's 5-4 overtime loss in Game 6. Pittsburgh went on to defeat the Capitals in seven games. The Penguins swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the conference finals and then held off the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the Stanley Cup finals.
"It was kind of tense there until the last couple seconds so it was kind of nerve wracking, but it's just a feeling you can't really explain," he said. "You're so happy for all your teammates and coaches. It's pretty unbelievable. It was a really fun year. Obviously when you end up with the Stanley Cup it can't get much better than that."
Goligoski is the sixth former Gopher to get his name etched onto the Stanley Cup. He joins Tom Chorske, Neal Broten and Chris McAlpine from the 1995 New Jersey Devils along with Frank Pietrangelo from the 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins and Ben Clymer from the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning.
"It's been amazing," he said of his hockey career. "I played high school hockey and then to go play for the Gophers, which was always a dream of mine and then eventually try to play in the NHL. It's been pretty storybook so far."
Goligoski will have a chance to repeat his success in Pittsburgh, having recently signed a three-year, $5.5 million deal to remain with the Penguins.
"It was good to re-sign for a few years with them," he said. "They're a great team, a great organization and I couldn't ask for more from them."
For now, he's just trying to soak up the experience of winning a championship and he's happy to share it with his hometown.
"It's awesome. It's (been) a really fun day to see all the kids and kind of see their faces light up when they see something like this. Hopefully it's a really fun day for them."
(Interview courtesy of Erin Aurelia Anderson, KOZY-KMFY Radio, Grand Rapids)
