Coach Mike Sullivan praised the culture of the Pittsburgh Penguins organisation after they secured a place in the Stanley Cup play-offs for a remarkable 16th straight season.
The Penguins, 20/1 to win the Stanley Cup in 2021/22, beat the New York Islanders 6-3 on Thursday to extend their streak of play-off qualification, which is the longest active in the NHL as well as among teams in all of North American professional sports leagues.
League leading
Pittsburgh's stretch has seen them take four trips to the Stanley Cup Final, and win the ultimate prize three times (2009, 2016 and 2017).
The Penguins' 725 wins, .639 points percentage and 3,860 goals scored during the regular season all rank first in the league over that period, while no NHL team has more playoff victories than Pittsburgh's 100.
Related NHL News
Cooper promises no let-up from Lightning
Sutter dismisses Gaudreau milestone
Francouz enjoying the ride with the Avs
Dallas committed to play-off chase
The 54-year-old Sullivan is set to take charge for his seventh playoff campaign with the Penguins. The 2016 and 2017 successes were both led by him, in what was his first and second season with the franchise.
Core belief
Sullivan reflected to the media: "I think it's a remarkable accomplishment. It's hard to make the playoffs. Half of the league doesn't make it every year.
"It's a credit to the organisation, the culture that has been built here. It's a credit to the core players that have been here during that time. These guys are driven athletes, and they have an insatiable appetite to win. That's how I feel about it."
Discover more from the world's favourite online betting brand
Win more with our US sports parlay bonus
