Former Ferris State Hockey Standout Chris Kunitz Lifts NHL's Penguins To Stanley Cup Finals!

Big Rapids, Mich. - Former Ferris State University men's ice hockey standout Chris Kunitz added to his legendary career on Thursday (May 25) night as his double-overtime game-winning goal lifted the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive year.

Kunitz became the oldest player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score an overtime goal in a game seven, giving the Penguins a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators in a thrilling contest to advance to the championship round. The former Bulldog standout tallied two goals and an assist in a memorable night, cementing his place in franchise history.

Along with it being the second-straight trip to the finals for the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, it will also represent Kunitz' fourth appearance in pro hockey's title round.

This season, Kunitz celebrated a career milestone in February by playing in his 1,000th NHL contest and he recently appeared in his 150th career postseason game. The former FSU standout has now appeared in 884 regular-season games along with 155 playoff contests during his memorable 14-year professional hockey career.

Overall, Kunitz has tallied 580 career points in regular-season action with 250 goals and 330 assists. He's added 86 more points with 27 goals and 59 assists in playoff action at the NHL level with the Anaheim Ducks and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In the past 50 NHL seasons, Kunitz is the only professional player to win two or more Stanley Cup Championships, claim an Olympic Gold Medal, become an NHL All-Star and finish as a plus on-ice player every year of his career.

Last year, Kunitz became a three-time Stanley Cup Champion by helping the Penguins to a 3-1 series victory over the San Jose Sharks. The Stanley Cup Championship was Kunitz's third overall and second with the Penguins in his stellar professional career, which also includes an Olympic Gold Medal.

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 in his final year of a three-year contract extension that will keep him in Pittsburgh through the end of this season, 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. He was originally signed by Anaheim as an undrafted free agent on April 1, 2003.

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. 

The Penguins will host the Nashville Predators in game one of the Stanley Cup Finals on Monday (May 29) starting at 8 p.m. (ET) in Pittsburgh.