Jagr At Center Stage For Penguins

The name has changed from Mario to Jaromir, but otherwise the Pittsburgh Penguins’ mission is the same: win the Stanley Cup on the back of a superstar.

However, the first mission is revenge - against the Washington Capitals, who eliminated the Penguins in the first round of the NHL playoffs last year.

“The first series is always more difficult, because the teams are fresher and more committed,” Pittsburgh’s Joe Mullen said. “As it goes on, it gets tougher to keep up that commitment and grinding pace.”

Pittsburgh, which won the Cup in 1991 and 1992, begins its quest for another one at home against Washington tonight in one of two games that begin the NHL playoffs. In the other, the defending champion New York Rangers, who barely sneaked into the playoffs, are at Quebec.

Sunday, it’s Buffalo at Philadelphia and New Jersey at Boston in the East, and Dallas at Detroit, San Jose at Calgary, Vancouver at St. Louis and Toronto at Chicago in the West.

At St. Louis, Mike Keenan, who coached the Rangers to their title last year, will begin his bid for two straight with two different teams.

Pittsburgh began the lockout-shortened 48-game season on a high, 12-0-1 in its first 13 games. But it lost its final three, including 7-2 at Washington Tuesday night.

The Penguins don’t have Mario Lemieux, who sat out the season because of recurring back problems. That left Jaromir Jagr to carry the load, and he did - overtaking Philadelphia’s Eric Lindros to win the league scoring title when Lindros missed most of the final three games with an eye injury.

Whatever, the Penguins don’t lack for confidence.

“Our players know exactly what’s expected of them going into the playoffs,” coach Eddie Johnston said. “We have enough experience and enough character in our dressing room. We know how to win. “