Sidney Crosby continued his impressive scoring streak, netting a goal for the fourth consecutive game as the Pittsburgh Penguins shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Saturday night. The veteran forward also contributed an assist, marking his 484th multi-point game—an achievement surpassed by only six players in NHL history. Crosby, who will captain Team Canada in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, demonstrated his offensive prowess once again, proving to be a crucial leader for the Penguins.
Nedeljkovic Secures Shutout, Rust and Tomasino Contribute
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic played a pivotal role in Pittsburgh’s victory, stopping all 25 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the season and the ninth of his NHL career. Forward Bryan Rust added an empty-net goal, securing his sixth career 20-goal season. Philip Tomasino also found the back of the net against his former team, having been traded from Nashville to Pittsburgh in late November. The Penguins’ defensive effort, coupled with key offensive contributions, sealed the much-needed win.
Sidney Crosby Extends Scoring Streak as Penguins Shut Out Predators 3-0 (NHL)Erik Karlsson, an alternate captain for Team Sweden, played a significant role in Pittsburgh’s offense, recording two assists. With this performance, Karlsson reached 30 assists for the 12th time in his career, the most among active NHL defensemen. Meanwhile, Nashville’s goaltender Juuse Saros, who had missed the previous game due to illness, returned to action and made 33 saves. Despite his strong effort, the Predators were unable to generate enough offense to break through Pittsburgh’s defense.
Recent Team Struggles and Trade Impact
The loss marked Nashville’s fourth consecutive defeat, following a one-goal loss to Buffalo just 24 hours earlier. The Predators had previously enjoyed a five-game winning streak but have now hit a slump.
On the other hand, the Penguins wrapped up a grueling seven-game, 15-day road trip with a 3-4 record. Their win against Nashville marked their first consecutive victories since mid-December. Pittsburgh also welcomed new acquisitions Danton Heinen and Vincent Desharnais, who joined the lineup after a trade with Vancouver.
A key moment in the game came at 10:43 of the second period when Rickard Rakell set up Crosby with a perfect cross-ice pass, allowing him to score from one knee and extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 2-0. This goal contributed to Crosby’s ongoing hot streak, as he has now scored in four straight games for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Looking ahead, Nashville will aim to break its losing streak when it hosts Ottawa on Monday night, while Pittsburgh will seek to continue its momentum against New Jersey on Tuesday.
