The Pittsburgh Penguins had their day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on Thursday, and it started in fine form.
“It is wonderful to be here, welcome to the White House,” President Barack Obama said in his opening remarks. “We are here to celebrate an extraordinary achievement -- Phil Kessel is a Stanley Cup champion!”
Zing.
What followed was the usual presidential fare -- some jokes, some congrats and a bunch of player references (Sidney Crosby, Matt Murray and Kessel’s HBK running mates, Carl Hagelin and Nick Bonino).
Obama also made mention of Pittsburgh’s last visit after winning the Cup in 2009, when Evgeni Malkin took a bunch of pictures on his flip phone.
Pittsburgh bid farewell to the outgoing president with (another) No. 44 jersey -- the Pens gave him one seven years ago as well -- and a mini-Stanley Cup.