Notre Dame In The NHL: Two Former Irish Players Hoist The Cup
| Player | Team | Stats |
|---|---|---|
|
Ian Cole (D) |
Pittsburgh Penguins |
0 G, 12 A (12 points) and -3 +/- in 70 games |
|
Erik Condra (RW) |
Tampa Bay Lightning |
6 G, 5 A (11 points) and -4 +/- in 54 games |
|
Anders Lee (C) |
New York Islanders |
15 G, 21 A (36 points) & -2 +/- in 80 games |
|
Kyle Palmieri (RW) |
New Jersey Devils |
30 G, 27 A (57 points) & +3 +/- in 82 games |
|
Bryan Rust (RW) |
Pittsburgh Penguins |
4 G, 7 A (11 points) & +1 +/- in 41 games |
|
Riley Sheahan (C) |
Detroit Red Wings |
14 G, 11 A (25 points) & -8 +/- in 81 games |
Two former Irish players win the Stanley Cup
Defenseman Ian Cole (2007-10) and right wing Bryan Rust (2010-14) hoisted the most famous trophy in all of sports Sunday evening after they helped the Pittsburgh Penguins close out the San Jose Sharks in Game 6 on Sunday.
The duo will become the fifth and sixth players in program history to have their names etched on the Stanley Cup.
"One of the great rewards of coaching is following your former players pursue their dreams in hockey and in life,” Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson said in a statement. “Having your name engraved on the Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize in our great sport.
“Ian and Bryan have had the unique opportunity to realize a dream they’ve probably had since they were kids. They have had similar paths, having grown up in Michigan rooting for the Red Wings. They both played for their country with the National Team Development Program. They both successfully continued their hockey careers and graduated from the University of Notre Dame.”
Cole registered his first-career playoff goal in Game 4 of the Cup final when his score put Pittsburgh ahead 3-1.
Rust scored both goals in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Other former Irish players to win the Stanley Cup
Bill Nyrop — Montreal Candiens (1976, 1977 and 1978)
Don Jackson — Edmonton Oilers (1983 and 1984)
Brett Lebda — Detroit Red Wings (2008)
Mark Eaton — Pittsburgh Penguins (2009)