Ferris State Hockey Alum & Two-Time Stanley Cup Champ Chris Kunitz Leads Penguins To NHL Finals

Note: Pictured is NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly presenting Chris Kunitz (14), Sidney Crosby (87) and Evgeni Malkin (71) of the Penguins with the Prince of Wales Trophy (Courtesy Photo)

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University will be represented in the 2016 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals as Bulldog alum and legend Chris Kunitz will have an opportunity to claim his third crown as the Pittsburgh Penguins square off against the San Jose Sharks.

A two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Kunitz and the Penguins advanced to the finals by knocking off the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in game seven on Thursday (May 25) night to capture the Prince of Wales Trophy as the NHL's Eastern Conference Champions. They will face the Sharks in game one of the best-of-seven series starting on Monday (May 30) night at 8 p.m. (ET) at Pittsburgh's Consol Energy Center.

With the Penguins, Kunitz tallied 40 points on 17 goals and 23 assists in 80 outings regular-season outings this campaign. He also had a game-winning goal and nine power-play markers on the year while establishing a +2 plus/minus efficiency rating. 

In the postseason, Kunitz has lifted his play for Pittsburgh. The standout wing has produced 10 points on four goals and six assists in 18 playoff contests this year with 39 total shots and two power-play markers with a +4 rating. He netted six points in the series' against Tampa Bay with three goals and three assists. All six points came in the final five games of the series. 

Kunitz claimed NHL First-Team All-Star recognition for the first time in his professional career at the end of the 2012-13 campaign. Although he didn't establish any career highs due to the abbreviated season, Kunitz enjoyed perhaps his best season in '12-13, leading the team in goals (22) and power-play goals (t-9), while placing second in points (52), rating (plus-30) and game-winning goals (t-5). He became the first player not named Crosby or Malkin to lead the team in goal scoring since Ryan Malone in 2003-04.

Kunitz, who is midst a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh through 2016-17, became Ferris State Hockey's first-ever Olympic Gold Medal Champion when he helped Canada to a victory in the gold medal game in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. The 6-foot, 195-pound Kunitz also became the first Penguins player since 2000 to score four goals in a single game when he accomplished the feat at Washington in 2012-13.

A key member of the Penguins' 2009 Stanley Cup championship squad, Kunitz was acquired by the Penguins from the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 26, 2009. He went on to register 14 points (1G-13A) in 24 playoff contests that year, helping the Penguins defeat the Detroit Red Wings in the Cup Final.

Prior to joining the Penguins Kunitz played four-plus seasons with Anaheim and the Atlanta Thrashers between 2003-09. He was instrumental in helping the Ducks win the Stanley Cup in 2007, scoring six points (1G-5A) in 13 playoff games.

Originally signed by Anaheim as an undrafted free agent on April 1, 2003, Kunitz has appeared in 813 career NHL regular-season games with Pittsburgh, Anaheim and Atlanta, totaling 241 goals, 310 assists and 551 points. He has added 79 points (25G-54A) in 135 playoff games.

As a collegian at Ferris State, Kunitz excelled during his 2002-03 senior season by garnering American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-America First-Team honors and was among the final three 2003 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey's top player. A two-time (2001-02 and 2002-03) CCHA First-Team pick, Kunitz became the first Bulldog skater to earn Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Player of the Year honors after leading the league in points, goals, assists, and plus/minus for the 2002-03 campaign.

Kunitz concluded his stellar career ranking tied for sixth in career points (175), second in goals (99) and 18th in assists (76) in 152 contests. He played an integral role in leading the 2002-03 Bulldogs to a school-best 31-10-1 overall record, the school's first-ever CCHA Regular-Season Championship title and the program's first-ever NCAA Division I Championship Tournament appearance. Kunitz was also recognized as the male student-athlete recipient of the 2002-03 Bulldog of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding Ferris State student-athlete. 

Kunitz was also chosen to the CCHA's All-Decade Team for his work as a collegian at Ferris State. Previously, he a member of Canada's squad that won a silver medal at the 2008 World Championships before winning Olympic Gold.