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"Twenty Years Later" is a segment, with a highly unimaginative name, which will appear on Empty Netters throughout the 2010-11 season. We will examine the Penguins' 1990-91 season which led to the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. We will look back on games on a particular date and catch up with former players, coaches, executives and media members who were a part or around that team.

Today, we talk with former Penguins forward Phil Bourque.

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One of the few members of the 1990-91 team who played for the franchise prior to Mario Lemieux's arrival in 1984, Bourque had endured several unsuccessful seasons with the Penguins prior to its first championship. Bourque had spent parts of six seasons with the Penguins prior to 1990-91 and only reached the postseason once.

A role player who was one of the club's top penalty killers, Bourque appeared in 78 games that season and scored 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists). He also led the team with four shorthanded goals. He saw action in all 24 postseason games that spring, contributed 13 points and helped the franchise claim its first Stanley Cup title.

After helping the Penguins successfully defend their title in 1992, Bourque spent the next four seasons with the Rangers and Senators. After retiring as a player following the 1999-2000, the "Old two-niner" returned to the Penguins as a broadcaster. He currently serves as a color commentator for the Penguins' radio broadcast alongside play-by-play man Mike Lange.

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What was it like with Bob Johnson coming in as coach during the 1990 offseason?

“We didn’t know a whole lot. We heard about how positive he was with U.S.A. Hockey and he had coached Calgary. What was really interesting is we ended up going to Vail (Colo.) for training camp and that’s where we really got to know “Badger” Bob. He was just so full of energy. He was unique, he was different and he was fun. I remember there was a lot of eye rolling because we had never experienced a guy like this before. But it was contagious and it just made hockey fan. “

What was it like entering the season known Mario Lemieux would be sidelined much of the season due to a back ailment?

“We just kind of dealt with it. It was tough to watch but we knew we had some pretty good players in the room. You go back to Johnny Cullen and what he was able to do. I said this in the locker room after we won the Cup, that I truly believe that we would not have won the Cup if it was not for Johnny Cullen because he was absolutely incredible that year. He kept us afloat. He kept our confidence up. He kept us in the hunt until Mario could come back. I really think without ‘Cully’ and the way he played, everything would’ve unraveled. “

How important was it adding veterans such as Joe Mullen and Bryan Trottier (right) who had Stanley Cup rings?

“ ‘Badger’ Bob had a history with Joey Mullen. And ‘Trots,’ its like ‘Geez, how did we get Bryan Trottier?’ It was just weird how it seemed to work for ‘Trots’ and it worked for us. It was amazing that a player of his stature came in with zero ego and was basically ‘Fourth line? But me in there coach.’ It was just awesome because at one time it was (Wayne) Gretzky, Bryan Trottier and Marcel Dionne. They were the best players in the league and ‘Trots’ just comes in and he’s very humble. “

What was it like seeing established, popular players such as Rob Brown and Cullen leave the team through trades?

“It was tough because not only were they good players and we thought key parts of our success, but they were really well liked in the room. Especially ‘Cully’ and ‘Browny.’ It was hard to see those guys those go. You wonder if by taking good friends out of the room, was it more of a wake up call or a shake up. Those were specially people in our dressing room. Pretty gutsy moves by Craig, that’s for sure. “

The team used three goaltenders - Tom Barrasso, Frank Pietrangelo and Wendell Young - for much of the season. Was that a distraction at all?

“That was like water down a duck's back. We really believed in all three of those guys. We got excited if it was Franky that was going to go in or it was Wendell who was going to go in. And we always believed in Tommy. We had that kind of team, we weren’t too rattled by the ups and downs we had that season. “

What was it like playing on a line with two Czechoslovakian players, Jiri Hrdina and Jaromir Jagr?

“I sat next to both of those guys in the locker room. It was Troy Loney, myself, then Jagr then Hrdina. We all sat together. We didn’t really need to talk a whole lot. It was very simple… almost ‘baby talk.’ ‘I go here. Pass to me.’ Simple stuff. A lot of it was eye contact, body language, hand gestures or signals. It was hockey talk. It didn’t have to be long conversations. We actually had good balance on that line. “

What was the importance of claiming the Patrick Division title, the franchise's first, with a 7-4 win in Detroit, March 25, 1991?

“As the season starts winding down, you start to put little goals in front of yourselves as a team. And that was one of the, to get the division. When you start really believing you can win as we did late in that season, we didn’t’ have a big celebration or anything like that. It was kind of like an affirmation of what we started to do in the season was the right thing. “

Where you surprised left winger Kevin Stevens guaranteed victory after the team went down 2-0 to the Bruins in the Wales Conference final?

“No. There’s only one person in the room who could have said that, and that was him and the way he said. It was not really put out there so much for everybody to write about and make a deal about. It was just the way he felt. And it actually came from the heart. ‘We’re going to win and that’s the way it’s going to be.’ What he did after that, lots of people can say those words, but it’s about your actions afterwards. It goes to show you what kind of person he was. He wasn’t going to say it just so Mario or Jagr or someone could go out and win the series so he could win it. “

On recording the primary assist on Mario Lemieux's dazzling goal against the North Stars in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final.

“I knew what to do with it here. I wasn’t the smartest player on the ice, but I knew when I got that puck, I new No. 66 was taking off. It wasn’t a great pass to him. I think he had to reach back for it. But it’s never a bad pass to a great player. “

What was it like winning the Stanley Cup after Game 6, May 25, 1991?

“I just remember with about two minutes left and we’re up 8-0, I was sitting next to Mark Recchi, I leaned over to ‘Rex’ and said, ‘We’re going to win the Cup.’ That’s when the emotions kind of pour out. We were pretty giddy between the second and third period and ‘Badger’ Bob delivered a very poignant message, ‘Don’t (expletive) it up.’ I just remember a flood of thoughts came into my head about my parents, about coaches, early morning skates, my child hood, every team I played on and everybody who said I that wouldn’t make it.“

Did you take the Cup on the river and party all summer like you proclaimed at the team's parade?

“Absolutely. I had a boat in Pittsburgh and I took it on the river and partied all summer.”

(Photos: Penguins Hockey Cards)

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