Sidney Crosby is fully engrossed in the present moment, focusing all his energy on guiding the Pittsburgh Penguins toward a playoff spot. His mind isn’t dwelling on the historic milestone he just achieved. He’s too determined to secure victories for his team, especially after their playoff hopes seemed slim just a month ago.
Yet, Crosby’s impact on the game is undeniable. In the recent game against Detroit, he became only the 14th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career assists, solidifying his status as one of the all-time greats in hockey.
His signature backhand pass set up teammate Erik Karlsson’s game-winning goal in overtime, leading the Penguins to a crucial 6-5 win that propelled them past Washington into the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan praised Crosby’s ability to engance his performance when the pressure is on, a characteristic shared by the greatest players in hockey history.
With a goal and two assists in the game, Crosby’s career total now stands at 1,591 points, surpassing Hall of Famer Phil Esposito. He’s now eyeing the next milestones on the list, including Joe Sakic, Mario Lemieux, and Steve Yzerman.
Considering how well Crosby is performing at 36 years old, it’s not a question of if he surpasses them, but when. “I haven’t looked too closely at it,” Crosby said. “But being mentioned alongside those players means a lot to me. I grew up watching them.”
It’s similar to how Crosby’s teammates sometimes marvel at his play on the ice. Crosby notched his 999th career assist in the first period, setting up Drew O’Connor’s goal, and then tied Esposito on the all-time scoring list with a remarkable redirect goal.
In overtime, Crosby grabbed a rebound from a Rickard Rakell shot and passed it to Erik Karlsson, who scored the game-winning goal. This victory extends the Penguins’ impressive streak to 7-0-3 in their last 10 games.
A month ago, they were struggling in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, but now they sit in eighth with three games remaining, largely thanks to Crosby’s outstanding play. Earlier in the day, Crosby was named the team’s Most Valuable Player by his teammates for the 12th time.
“He’s a significant part of our team, and he’s a big reason why we’re in the position we’re in,” Karlsson said of Crosby. “We’ll need him to continue playing like this as we approach the end of the season.”
Kris Letang and Jeff Carter also scored their 10th goals for Pittsburgh, while Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves in goal. Despite another late-game hiccup, the Penguins managed to secure the win and take control of their playoff destiny.
“We’re finding ways to win right now,” Nedeljkovic said. “They might not always be pretty, but we’ll gladly take the two points tonight.”
Two weeks ago, Pittsburgh was trailing by nine points in the race for the playoffs. However, Crosby and Nedeljkovic have been instrumental in a surprising late surge, quickly closing the gap on teams like Washington, Philadelphia, and Detroit.
Now, they’ve surpassed all three. Detroit’s hopes of making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2016 suffered another blow with their third loss in four games.
Lucas Raymond achieved his second career hat trick for Detroit, while Jeff Petry, a former Penguin, scored his third goal of the season. Dylan Larkin also contributed with his 33rd goal for the Red Wings. Despite Alex Lyon’s 21 saves, the Penguins secured the win, with Karlsson scoring the decisive goal.
“It’s tough to only get one point,” Larkin commented. “They got two, and they’re a team we’re trying to catch. The positive is that we never give up. We played well, and we’re right there.”
The intensity of the game resembled that of a playoff matchup right from the start. This is in stark contrast to a month ago when the atmosphere at PPG Paints Arena was subdued, with the Penguins struggling and their playoff chances looking slim.
However, things have changed significantly since then, thanks to Crosby’s consistent excellence and Nedeljkovic’s emergence. Nedeljkovic, initially signed as a backup, has become a key player during this crucial stretch of the season.
Nedeljkovic humbly credited Crosby for the team’s recent success, acknowledging the captain’s remarkable performances.
“It’s been something special, especially these last couple of weeks, just watching him play,” Nedeljkovic said of Crosby. “He’s determined and playing at a high level.”
