PHILADELPHIA - Ed Snider created a Philadelphia Flyers franchise stocked with so many great moments, all it takes is a simple crane of the neck toward the banners hanging from the rafters to rekindle 50 years of memories.

Banners celebrate division titles (remember the Patrick Division?), conference championships and numbers of retired greats. Bernie Parent. Mark Howe. Bobby Clarke. All among the Flyers immortalized with one of sport's highest honors.

Two banners have been raised for each of the Flyers' Stanley Cup championships.

Walk around the Wells Fargo Center and see concourses stuffed with history; every hat - and even a bra or two - tossed on the ice for a hat trick, plaques, newspaper clippings, a scroll in honor of all 112 individual and business season ticket holders of the Flyers' first season in 1967-68 are on display. The Flyers have long been known for their ode to the past, yet what's in public view barely scratched the ice of what the team has preserved.

''Ed Snider was very proud of the history of the Flyers from Day 1,'' said archivist Brian McBride. ''They saved and collected stuff from the get-go. You don't often think of things as history when it's happening, and then it's history, and you think, we should have saved that.''

Take a winding staircase to reach what employees dub ''the bat cave,'' and Flyers history is stacked floor-to-ceiling with programs, magazines, slides, photos and sports sections that have documented 50 years of history.

The Flyers (1-1-1) open the home slate of their 50th anniversary season Thursday against Anaheim for the first time in team history without Snider. Snider died of cancer in April.

His foresight to save, save, save, helped turn space inside the arena into a sort-of sports edition of ''Hoarders,'' only with a tinge of nostalgia sweeping through every step of would could stand for the franchise's cluttered Hall of Fame.

''He was always appreciative of the history,'' McBride said.

Only the Flyers save more than Bernie Parent.

Snider, who enjoyed greeting his players with a handshake in the locker room, ordered cameras for players and employees so they could snap photos during the Flyers' 1970s heyday. Flip through one of the piles of photo albums and find plastics sheets holding shots of Clarke hoisting the Stanley Cup trophy, but also of Snider shaking hands with fans during the parade and candid snapshots like late announcer Gene Hart swimming in a pool.

Think the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto would want some of this gear: An All-Star game jersey from Eric Lindros, and, a full Clarke equipment set from the 1977-78 season with jersey (with Barry Ashbee patch), stick, pads and gloves.

Clarke, the greatest Flyer, has spent 45 years in various roles with the team. He's the career leader in games played and points and delivered a poignant speech about what he hoped happened to him when he died at Snider's funeral.

''I really hope that when I get there, I get another chance to play one more game in the orange and black under Mr. Snider's Philadelphia Flyers,'' he said.

The Flyers don't have their first game on tape. The earliest recording in possession is the first two periods of the Jan. 4, 1968 game against Boston.

But who needs TV in what could be a fan cave?

Pull up a chair (plucked from their old home, the Spectrum), flip through the record collection and put the needle on a vinyl album of ''God Bless The Flyers.'' Forget video clips or games stored on the DVR. The album includes ''exciting play-by-play action, highlights and interviews of the `73-'74 championship season.'' Thirsty? There are unopened cans of soda from decades ago stamped with the Flyers logo on the shelf.

And for the brave man who wants to smell like a champion today, there's even a bottle of ''Bully'' cologne.

Duck! But don't worry, if a loose puck bops you on the head, the Flyers still have plaques for ''The Loyal Order of the Unducked Puck.''

''To you, brave fan, who courageously stopped a puck without leaving the stands, the Philadelphia Flyers award full membership in the loyal order of the unducked puck, with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereunto.''

None of the sprays, plays and collector's items would be stored without that need for the first score sheet.

California Seals 5, Flyers 1. Oct. 11, 1967. The lineup: Jean Gauthier and John Miszuk on defense; Lou Angotti at center; Brit Selby at left wing; Wayne Hicks at right wing; and Parent in net.

The Flyers have simply saved most of the memorabilia, though many pads, pucks and Polaroid's have been donated from players or employees.

There's no guarantee the Flyers will add another banner for this season.

But that bobblehead, yearbook, and foam finger will surely be preserved for decades to come.

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MONTREAL - David Desharnais scored twice and Al Montoya made 36 saves as the Montreal Canadiens won their home opener, 4-0 over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night.

Off-season signing Alexander Radulov got his first goal as a Canadien - with Montoya picking up an assist - while Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal, which has started the season 2-0-1. Montoya, signed from the Florida Panthers this summer, picked up his sixth career shutout.

The Penguins, coming off an overtime loss at home Monday night, played their first road game of the season.

While the ailing Carey Price got a huge ovation from the Bell Centre crowd in pre-game introductions, his replacement Montoya was spectacular in goal as Pittsburgh outshot the Canadiens 36-32. Of note were saves a minute apart in the first period on close range attempts by Justin Schultz and Matt Cullen.

There were 30 shots taken in the first - 17-13 for Pittsburgh - but was on only the second of the period that Pacioretty opened the scoring at 23 seconds as he took a feed in the slot from Jeff Petry and beat Marc-Andre Fleury with a wrist shot.

Desharnais was parked alone in front of Fleury when he slammed in Pacioretty's blind, backhand pass from the corner 12:07 into the second.

Radulov scored 4:31 into the third as he burst down the right wing and cut in front. The Penguins challenged, claiming goaltender interference by Brendan Gallagher, but the goal stood.

Desharnais was alone at the side of the net to tap in a cross-ice pass from Jeff Petry at 13:44 after sustained pressure in the Pittsburgh zone.

NOTES: The Canadiens made one lineup change, sending in Brian Flynn for Daniel Carr. ... Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby (concussion) did not play. ... The Penguins went with Fleury in goal for a second consecutive night rather than use backup Mike Condon, who they claimed off waivers from Montreal two weeks ago. Condon lost the backup job in camp to Montoya. ... In pre-game introductions, former coach Jacques Demers, recovering from a stroke, brought out a torch in his wheelchair to pass to Pacioretty. Shea Weber, obtained in the deal for P.K. Subban, got the loudest applause of the players on the ice.

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OTTAWA, Ontario - Tom Pyatt, Mark Stone, and Chris Kelly had a goal and an assist each as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Arizona Coyotes 7-4 on Tuesday night in front of a sparse crowd of 11,061 at Canadian Tire Centre.

Bobby Ryan, Zack Smith, Kyle Turris, and Erik Karlsson, into an empty net, also scored for the Senators, who have won three of four. Mike Hoffman had three assists and Craig Anderson made 31 saves.

Jordan Martincook scored twice, including his second at 18:43 just 30 seconds after Turris gave the Senators a 6-3 lead.

Tobias Rieder and Oliver Ekman-Larsson had the other goals for the Coyotes

Arizona lost the services of starting goalie Mike Smith seven minutes into the third period when he suffered an injury to his left leg during a scramble in front of the net.

Smith, who had stopped 27 of 30 shots before getting hurt, was replaced in the goal by Louis Domingue, who surrendered two goals on the first three shots he faced less than a minute after entering the game.

Kelly capitalized on a giveaway and beat Domingue from in close at 7:30 and then Stone scored on a rebound at 8:11, giving the Senators a 5-2 lead.

Domingue finished with eight saves.

Martincook pulled the Coyotes within two at 10:07.

Ekman-Larsson had cut the Senators' lead to 3-2 with a power-play goal just 61 seconds into the third period.

Zack Smith scored a shorthanded goal to give the Senators a 3-1 lead.

On his goal Smith got a great backhand pass from Pyatt and scored with a quick shot at 13:04. It was Smith's second goal of the season as he works to try and duplicate his career-high 25 goals from last season.

The Coyotes had opened the scoring in the first period when Rieder beat Anderson on a rebound from the slot.

The Senators are 3-0-0 at home this season and will host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday before heading out on a three-game Western swing.

The Coyotes continue their season-long six-game road trip in Montreal on Thursday.

NOTES: Senators scratches were Matt Puempel and Phil Varone while Jacob Chychrun, Jamie McGinn, and Christian Dvorak were scratches for the Coyotes. ... The Senators' first goal Tuesday snapped an 0-for-9 start to their power play this season. ... Along with Strome, Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot was also making his NHL debut Tuesday night.

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NEWARK, N.J. - Taylor Hall made his new fans in New Jersey very happy with two power-play goals in a 4:11 span in the second period and the Devils posted their first win, a 2-1 decision over the road-weary and penalty-plagued Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night.

Related: Watch: Hall pounces on rebound for 1st goal with Devils

Cory Schneider had 23 saves and forced the Ducks' Chris Wagner to lose control of the puck on a second-period penalty shot as New Jersey snapped a five-game losing streak against Anaheim in its home opener.

Sami Vatanen scored on a power play for Anaheim, which is 0-3-1 in its five-game trip to start the season. John Gibson made 26 saves for Ducks, who played shorthanded seven times.

Hall, the former No. 1 overall draft pick who was acquired in a major trade with Edmonton in late June, tied the game at 1-all, putting the rebound of a shot by Mike Cammalleri into an open net at 12:35. It came after Anaheim killed off the opening part of a two-man advantage only to see New Jersey score 5-on-4.

Hall's second goal came on a great deflection of a point shot by defenseman Damon Severson at 16:41. Gibson never had a chance.

Wagner got his penalty shot near the end of the period but lost control of the puck after making a move on Schneider.

Anaheim got a late power play but could not convert.

Vatanen had given Anaheim the lead at 9:03 of the first period with a shot from the right circle. The Ducks never let the Devils clear the puck out of their zone after Kyle Palmieri was called for tripping at 7:15.

New Jersey was 0-for-5 on the power play in its first two games in Florida against the Panthers and Lightning.

Devils rookie defenseman Yohann Auvitu lost an apparent game-tying goal early in the second period when Reid Boucher was whistled for a high stick against defenseman Kevin Bieksa seconds before the puck went in the net.

NOTES: Devils F Sergey Kalinin (illness) is practicing again. He was placed on IR before the season. ... Vatanen's goal gave him 100 NHL career points. ... The game opened with a short fight between the Devils' Vernon Fiddler and the Ducks' Ryan Kesler. ... Adam Henrique and Devante Smith-Pelly seemed to hit goal posts in the first period.

UP NEXT:

DUCKS: at Philadelphia on Thursday night before heading home.

DEVILS: visit Boston Thursday night.

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EDMONTON, Alberta - Ryan O'Reilly had two goals and two assists and the Buffalo Sabres pounded the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 on Sunday night for their first victory of the season.

Brian Gionta also scored twice, and Kyle Okposo and Matt Moulson had Buffalo's other goals. Robin Lehner made 31 saves.

Benoit Pouliot and Milan Lucic scored for the Oilers, who had won back-to-back games before the loss.

Cam Talbot stopped 17 shots for Edmonton. Jonas Gustavsson relieved Talbot in the second period and stopped the only shot he faced before exiting with an injury about 10 minutes later.

Buffalo started the scoring 2:37 into the first period when Sam Reinhart made a nice feed across to Okposo and he beat Talbot for his first as a Sabre.

The Sabres went up 2-0 7:14 in. Okoposo made a great pass while on the power play to O'Reilly at the back door.

Edmonton got one back with 2:40 left in the opening frame when the rebound from Zack Kassian's shot went off the leg of a hard-charging Pouliot and past Lehner.

The Oilers tied the game with 1:00 left in the period when the big rebound from Leon Draisaitl's shot came out to Lucic, who scored his first goal as an Oiler and the 400th point of his career.

Buffalo got a freebie 3:53 into the second when O'Reilly took a shot just from Buffalo's side of center that Talbot badly misjudged and ended up tipping into his own net.

The Sabres restored their two-goal lead midway through the second when Gionta tipped in Johan Larsson's point shot, prompting Edmonton to bring in Gustavsson.

With Talbot back in net, the Sabres made it 5-2 just 37 seconds into the third. Gionta tucked a shot between Talbot's legs on Buffalo's 16th shot of the game.

The Sabres kept it coming with Moulson's power-play goal four minutes later.

NOTES: The Sabres were without a pair of big-name players up front with center Jack Eichel out an expected six to eight weeks with an ankle sprain and forward Evander Kane likely out several weeks with broken ribs. ... Buffalo did get a boost from the return of Okposo, as the free agent signing played his first game after missing their opener with a sore knee. Buffalo defenseman Dmitry Kulikov also made his debut.

Oilers: Host Carolina on Tuesday.

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DENVER - Joe Colborne had three goals for his first NHL hat trick, Colorado withstood a 6-on-4 opportunity over final 46 seconds and the Avalanche held off the Dallas Stars 6-5 on Saturday night.

Trailing 2-0 early, Colborne scored three of Colorado's next five goals to build a 5-2 lead. Carl Soderberg and Nathan MacKinnon also scored during the stretch, and Tyson Barrie added an insurance goal in the third period to kick off the Jared Bednar Era in winning fashion.

Bednar took over for Patrick Roy after the Hall of Fame goaltender-turned-coach surprisingly stepped away two months ago.

Tyler Seguin had two goals for the Stars, while Devin Shore, Jamie Benn and Brett Ritchie also scored.

Dallas pulled starter Antti Niemi at 7:05 of the second period after allowing five goals. Kari Lehtonen slowed the Avalanche's potent offensive attack so the Stars could work their way back into the game.

Barrie scored a goal that appeared to bounce off the skate of Stephen Johns and past Lehtonen to make it 6-4. Soon after, Ritchie made it a one-goal game when he slid a shot past Semyon Varlamov.

Blake Comeau was called for slashing with 1:56 remaining. The Stars pulled Lehtonen, but couldn't get anything past Varlamov.

The Avalanche certainly had ample opportunities to gain some separation in the third period. A shot by Andreas Martinsen clanged off the post. Later, Fedor Tyutin's slap shot appeared to go in and the horn sounded. But the puck actually hit the outside of the net. And later, Mikhail Grigorenko had a shot roll along the mouth of the goal before veering just wide.

Colborne signed with the Avalanche as a free agent in July after a 19-goal, 25-assist season with Calgary. He's a fan-favorite given that he played collegiately down the road at the University of Denver.

Bednar was a career minor leaguer - as a defenseman and then as a coach - before being hired by Colorado on Aug. 25. The 44-year-old led the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League to the Calder Cup last season.

His style may be even more up-tempo than the version Roy implemented. Colorado outshot Dallas 33-28.

It was a fast-paced first period filled with plenty of scoring. The Stars got things rolling early when Seguin scored a power play goal 43 seconds into the game. Shore added another 6:17 later and the Stars were in business with a 2-0 lead.

That's when things got a little wild. There was a scrum in front of the Stars goal and defenseman Patrik Nemeth sprawled out on the ice to keep it out of the net. The puck appeared to go in, but the ruling kept changing: No goal, goal, an awarded penalty shot to the Avalanche, a review where the goal was re-awarded. Finally, another review and the goal really did count.

In the end, Colborne was credited with the score. He added another 7:04 later.

The Avalanche haven't garnered much early respect with a majority of prognosticators predicting they'll finish outside of the playoff picture.

''People can say what they want,'' said Matt Duchene, who will serve as an alternate captain this season. ''Go out there and prove them wrong - that's our job.''

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CALGARY, Alberta - Connor McDavid came through with another big night and the Edmonton Oilers got another big win.

McDavid had a goal and two assists for his second straight three-point game to lead the Oilers to a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Friday night.

''We will be talking about him all year and for many years to come,'' Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said of his 19-year-old captain. ''You can have a game plan but he has all the skills and tools, a tool box that is second to none.''

Leon Draisaitl had two goals and Jordan Eberle and Mark Letestu also scored to help the Oilers complete a sweep of the teams' season-opening home-and-home series. Cam Talbot finished with 32 saves.

McDavid showcased his speed in the first period by getting behind the Flames' defenders for a breakaway and beating goalie Brian Elliott with a lightning-quick shot.

''He's deadly off the rush,'' Flames defenseman Mark Giordano said. ''Again tonight, he capitalizes on his chances. He got a few breakaways. Power play, he made some nice plays. That's another big night for him.''

McDavid helped set up Eberle's tying goal in the second period and Draisaitl's go-ahead score early in the third.

On Draisaitl's tiebreaking power-play goal, McDavid patiently hung onto the puck in the high slot and started a tic-tac-toe sequence with a quick pass down low to Milan Lucic, who zipped the puck across the crease to Draisaitl for a tap-in.

''I don't really know what to say. He's just phenomenal. He's just that good,'' Draisaitl said. ''He just makes something happen every single shift out of nothing where you think there's nothing going on and he just creates absolute top, Grade-A chances. He's very special.''

Sean Monahan and Michael Frolik scored for the Flames, who fell to 0-5-1 in their last six home openers. Elliott stopped 24 shots.

Calgary coach Glen Gulutzan said his team needs to tighten up defensively.

''We're not giving up a ton of chances, we're just giving up real high quality chances and there's a big difference,'' said the first-year coach, who took over in the offseason after Bob Hartley was fired.

About five minutes later, Dennis Wideman's turnover led to a short-handed breakaway for Letestu, who beat Elliott to make it 4-2.

Jokipakka scored into top corner off a feed from Kris Versteeg to get Calgary back within one with 7:44 to go. However, the Flames couldn't complete the comeback as Draisaitl added an empty-netter with 1:20 left.

Elliott, who has given up 10 goals on 55 shots through two games, said he wasn't sure how many odd-man rushes he faced throughout the game.

''There were a lot,'' he said. ''I don't know if there was a count going, but we can't give those up. We have to keep the play in front of us a little bit, especially against a team where we know they're jumping at any opportunity.''

Trailing 2-1 after a first period where they were outshot 24-12, Edmonton tied it 5:25 on the man advantage when Eberle knocked in a loose puck.

Calgary got on the scoreboard 1:22 in with Monahan putting in a second rebound after Deryk Engelland hit a goal post and Johnny Gaudreau was stopped.

McDavid tied it on his second breakaway of the period when he tore away from Mark Giordano and zipped a shot over Elliott's shoulder at 7:45.

Frolik restored the lead with about 8 1/2 minutes left in the first when his shot from the sideboards slipped past Talbot, who didn't appear to see it.

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Jared Bednar waited a long time to be in an NHL game. He'll finally get his chance when the Colorado Avalanche open their season against the Dallas Stars.

Bednar, a career minor league player and coach, makes his debut behind Colorado's bench after his quick hire Aug. 25. Bednar brings championship experience from the minors, winning titles in the AHL and ECHL, but more important for the Avalanche he brings a different style after two disappointing seasons.

Bednar's system emphasizes speed coupled with an aggressive, pressure game.

"I have a style of play that I think works in today's NHL game," Bednar told NHL.com. "I think we have to be an aggressive team. The game is getting faster every day and I think you have to play an up-tempo style. You have to attack. And that's not just offensively but defensively as well."

Bednar has also stressed moving the puck out of the zone, so quick passes from the defensemen to the forwards to start the breakout. Colorado has spent too much time in its own end the past few seasons, which led to Avalanche goaltenders facing a lot of shots every game.

"We still go 'D' to 'D,'" defenseman Tyson Barrie told The Denver Post. "It's going to be 'D' to 'D' with a purpose, to get it in the forwards' hands."

The Avalanche have reached the postseason once in the last six seasons -- in 2014, when Patrick Roy led Colorado to 112 points and the Central Division title in his first year as the coach. The team struggled with poor starts the next two years and missed the playoffs.

Roy's abrupt resignation Aug. 11 forced an unexpected coaching search that snagged Bednar from the Columbus system. While Avalanche players said they were stunned by Roy's departure, they are embracing Bednar's system.

"It's great for me," 21-year-old center Nathan MacKinnon told The Denver Post. "I can just skate and not think so much. Be aggressive. I think the biggest thing is that if we're going to make mistakes, they're aggressive mistakes. We've been very passive the last couple of seasons."

One thing that contributed to Colorado missing the playoffs the last two years was bad starts to those seasons. The Avalanche are hoping a 6-0 preseason portends a fast start to this year, similar to the 12-1 mark they had at the beginning of the 2013-14 campaign.

It won't be easy against a Dallas team that won the Central Division last year and beat Anaheim 4-2 in its season opener on Thursday. The play of goalie Antti Niemi in the win, after a tough finish to last season, has the Stars feeling confident going into Saturday's game at Pepsi Center.

"I am really happy with the preseason and with all the practice we have done," Niemi told the Dallas Morning News. "I just want to keep doing the same thing here and not worry that this was the season opener."

Niemi was 1-3 with a 3.29 goals-against average in the playoffs last season, but if Thursday is any indication he is back on track.

He faced 17 shots in the first period against the Ducks and finished with 33 saves.

"I thought Antti was excellent," Stars coach Lindy Ruff told the Dallas Morning News. "That first period, we had some bad decisions, gave up some odd-numbered rushes, gave up three two-on-ones where he made real good saves."

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - P.K. Subban already has belted out ''Folsom Prison Blues'' at Tootsie's, a famous tonk. He visited the local children's hospital before training camp opened. Then he scored a goal in each of his first two preseason games with his new team.

In Nashville, that's called knowing how to make an entrance.

Subban's passion may not have gone over well with coaches and management with the Montreal Canadiens. His new teammates with the Nashville Predators see the defenseman as a perfect fit in Music City - a town built on entertainment and filled with fans who want a great show from a franchise now expected to go further than ever before in chasing the Stanley Cup.

''Fans are going to love him, there's no question,'' Predators captain Mike Fisher said. ''And our fans are very passionate. They're loyal. They're forgiving, too, even through the ups and downs. ... It's not going to be long before he's a lot of people's favorite player.''

Montreal and Nashville stunned the NHL on June 29 when the teams swapped star defensemen straight up, sending Predators captain Shea Weber north for the 2013 Norris Trophy winner. Talk surfaced of personality conflicts with the organization and inside the Canadiens' locker room, and Subban tried to make it clear he loved Montreal, both the atmosphere and media in a town that loves its storied hockey team.

''At the end of the day, there's a lot of people who have microphones and pens and paper and I can't challenge every person that has made an opinion of me based on `facts,''' Subban said. ''So for me, I'd rather just let my play do the talking, and I look forward to being a big part of this team moving forward. ... I've always been one to let my actions do my talking for me.''

Subban is busy making friends in his new locker room and learning his way around Nashville, a switch for a guy used to being the one who welcomes new players.

''It's an exciting time for me at 27 years old with no family or any children or anything like that,'' Subban said. ''It's like you get a bunch of new brothers right? So it's fun.''

The Predators prefer to make their own minds up about Subban rather than listen to rumors. Fisher said it's easy to hear a lot of things about players, and he believes Subban will fit in nicely.

''Everyone knows he's an outgoing guy that brings passion to the game and sometimes the game of hockey that's a little bit laid back it's something new, but I think it's a good thing,'' Fisher said.

Forward James Neal has had dinner with Subban and sees someone both passionate about hockey and his fans. Subban's comfort handling both the media and social media has been quickly noticed.

''He's going to be good for our team,'' Neal said.

Goaltender Pekka Rinne was shocked by the trade sending his close friend Weber to Montreal.

''But all of a sudden you realize you're going to get P.K., all the potential and all the talent he brings,'' Rinne said. ''He's going to bring a lot of different elements to our team and also the attention on him. He's very electric and a very exciting player to watch on the ice and off the ice. He's going to bring a different element to our team. It's good for the city of Nashville, the organization.''

Nashville fans got a great look at Subban during the NHL All-Star weekend in January. Subban slipped on a wig to imitate Jaromir Jagr for lots of laughs during the breakaway challenge and ended up winning the event decided by Twitter .

This franchise went seven games in back-to-back series last spring in the postseason, and general manager David Poile saw Subban as the perfect combination of skating and speed for coach Peter Laviolette's attacking offense. The trade was criticized in Montreal with the Predators getting the younger player. Poile thinks that speaks more to just how popular Subban was throughout Quebec.

''We've seen in the short time P.K.'s been here ... he makes a lot of touches and he gets a lot of publicity,'' Poile said. ''People gravitate to him because he's a hockey player, yes, but he has more going on his life and he has some really good purposes in his life.''

The Predators sold out a franchise-record 35 games last season, though the need to sell tickets never fades. Subban is more than happy to help sell the sport of hockey in his new winter home.

''At the end of the day, it's sports entertainment, and we have to perform to keep fans in the seats and what they pay helps put food on our tables,'' Subban said. ''The more people we can engage and bring into the game, the better our game is going to be.''

A perfect fit indeed.

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WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama is honoring the Pittsburgh Penguins at a White House ceremony for winning their fourth Stanley Cup.

Obama says the Penguins victory over the San Jose Sharks in the finals completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the history of the National Hockey League.

Obama says he has now been able to celebrate with eight Stanley Cup winners during his presidency, all from the United States and beginning with the Penguins. He says the team's return represents a nice book-end for his presidency.

Related: Obama joins in on the Kessel love

The Penguins, led by Sidney Crosby, overcame a tough start to the season with Obama noting that they were closer to last place than first in December. He credits their persistence and teamwork as critical factors in completing the turnaround.

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