PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins are on fire, winning seven straight Stanley Cup playoff games, but for one player, taking the team to the next level means so much more.

Pens alternate captain and star Ryan Malone was born and bred in Pittsburgh. The soon-to-be free agent said playing for the Pens is a dream come true.

Growing up in Upper St. Clair, Malone said being a Pens fan was a family requirement, especially since his dad, Greg Malone, played for the team in the 1970s.

"I was pretty much brought up into the hockey world," Malone said.

Back then, Greg Malone sported some long locks of hair, the same Ryan used to before getting them cut.

"He told me once I got drafted I could grow my hair out any way I want," said Malone. "But the mushroom shape, bowl shape, slash, mullet. Maybe that was the thing back in the day. But, that's my Pops."

But what about Ryan's new son, William, who was born in February? Will he be bred to play hockey?

"I have a son now and pretty much, honestly, we watch hockey every night now," said Malone. "It's actually, I don't know if it's just all the guys moving on the TV that keeps his attention. But, he's focused. I'll just keep teaching him everything, and maybe he'll know the game better than Sid (Crosby) one day."

On the ice, Malone is almost always smiling. Off the ice, he's the same way, often joking and out with fellow players.

During his interview with WTAE Channel 4 Action News anchor Shannon Perrine, Malone grabbed the microphone and headed to the locker room to get some sound bites of his own.

Pens center and Hart Trophy finalist Evgeni Malkin was the first person to undergo a Malone-style interview.

"Who's the best looking player of the Pittsburgh Penguins," Malone asked Gino, who responded, "Me," with a laugh.

Defenseman Ryan Whitney wanted nothing to do with Malone's antics though, shying away from the camera.

"We're just talking about what Pittsburgh, what you like about it?" Malone asked him. "Do you know the 'yinzer' accent? Yeah, do the accent for the boys."

"I don't know the accent," Whitney said as he slammed Malone out of the locker room. "I know my accent."

When everything settled back down, Malone was hit with a question regarding Maxime Talbot's statement that Malone is "gorgeous."

"Max Talbot's just a beauty," Malone said of his friend and teammate. "It's just one word to describe him. He's special."

This year, Malone is having the best season of his career. With 27 regular season goals and 24 assists, he was the hero of game three in the first round playoff series against Ottawa, firing the game-winning goal.

And being a Pittsburgher, he gets what it means to be inching toward the Stanley Cup in this town.

"It's a dream come true," Malone said. "As you can see, I was a fan from day one. When they won the cups in the early 90s, I was up in the stands waving the poster, which is pretty cool and special. And I keep telling the guys that the further we go, the crazier the town gets and what a great hockey town it is."

But the big guy could be leaving soon if the team doesn’t agree to a new contract. At the end of the season, Malone is a free agent and you can bet teams will be calling after the season he's had this year.

"I think every player would love to stay with one team, and you never know what happens," he said. "We'll just keep our fingers crossed and Mario (Lemieux), if you're listening, sign me up."

The Pens are set to take on the New York Rangers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Thursday. If they win that game, the will head home to Pittsburgh for the Eastern Conference finals, which will be played against the winner of the Flyers-Canadiens series. Currently, the Flyers lead in the series 2-1.

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