Ron Hainsey gets Cup handoff honor from Crosby

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — As he grabbed the Stanley Cup from captain Sidney Crosby and raised it above his head following Sunday's 2-0 win over Nashville in Game 6, defenseman Ron Hainsey sensed an extra rush of adrenaline course through his body.

Sure, the chance to lift that chalice left Hainsey buzzing, but what really gave him a rush was a brief loss of balance.

“I almost fell, but I caught it,” the 36-year-old blueliner said. “So that was my immediate — no joke — that was my immediate panic. And then I just said, ‘Yeah.' So I kind of stood up at that point.”

Hainsey proceeded to savor the honor of taking the Cup second among the Penguins. He went 907 regular-season games — the most of any active player — without appearing in the playoffs but anticipated after he joined the Penguins via trade in late February he might do more than just experience the postseason for the first time. While not the oldest of the first-time Cup winners — 39-year-old Mark Streit fit that description — Hainsey's history made him a logical candidate for the captain handoff.

“I was kind of voting for a couple other guys — Kunitz or Cullen,” Hainsey said. “It might be (Cullen's) last game. But it was a great honor.”

Cullen took the Cup from Hainsey. The trophy then proceeded to Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin, Streit and Marc-Andre Fleury.

For some fans, Fleury or one of the other core members of the Penguins' decade of success represented a favorite to get the Cup from Crosby. Hainsey simply appreciated the opportunity to serve as a piece of the championship puzzle.

“It's one hell of a group,” Hainsey said. “The majority of these guys go back to back. Quite a few guys get their third here. Chris Kunitz gets his fourth. That's some pretty high company there. … And they've got a chance for more.”

Bill West is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at wwest@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BWest_Trib.