The Mario Lemieux comeback is old enough to buy a beer. You know, if an inanimate event could purchase alcohol. It was a magical night in Pittsburgh 21 years ago tonight where No. 66 came down from the rafters and Lemieux rejoined the NHL playing ranks after more than three years of retirement.
The excitement and buzz of Lemieux’s return was palpable all late fall/early winter in Pittsburgh that year. At first, it was sheer joy and giddiness that the big guy would return to play at all, giving a jolt to a team still kinda mired in the haziness of the recent bankruptcy.