Coming From Behind

COMING FROM BEHIND is hard in any sport. The extra energy to make up a deficit taxes both the mind and the body. But the Pittsburgh Penguins persevered in a 1996 marathon hockey game.

Trailing the Washington Capitals 2–1 in their playoff series, the Penguins went on the road to even things up.

However, Washington took a 2–0 lead on power play goals by Michal Pivonka and Peter Bondra in the first and second periods. The comeback prospects appeared even more grim for Pittsburgh in the final seconds of the second period when superstar forward Mario Lemieux received an ejection for punching Todd Krygier.

The Penguins did pick up a goal on Jaromir Jagr’s second-period tally. Then Pittsburgh tied the contest on a power play goal by Petr Nedved with 12 minutes left. At the end of regulation, Washington and Pittsburgh remained tied at 2–2.

Neither team scored in the first overtime or the second . . . or the third. Both goalies—Ken Wregget for the Penguins and Olaf Kolzig for the Capitals—stopped shot after shot. In the second overtime, Wregget saved Pittsburgh from defeat by snaring Joe Juneua’s penalty shot awarded because Chris Tamer knocked the net from its moorings.

As the fourth overtime neared its conclusion, Jim Johnson entered Washington’s penalty box for hooking. Pittsburgh took advantage of the shorthanded situation, and Nedved scored with 44.6 seconds remaining to give the Penguins a 3–2 victory in the third-longest playoff game in NHL history.

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POINT The skaters on both teams must have been extremely tired at the end of what turned out to be nearly two whole games. Most likely their sore muscles ached, their dehydrated body felt thirsty, and their legs barely held up. Yet both teams persevered. They kept doing the best they could until Pittsburgh finally emerged victorious.

The writer of Hebrews understood the need to persevere in life. Sometimes being a Christian and doing what’s right seems hard. Our “ministering muscles” ache. Our dehydrated spirit needs nourishment. Our godly attitude barely holds up. But if we ask, the heavenly Father helps us persevere so that we can receive all that he has promised.

GOAL! Write your own definition of perseverance. Perseverance means