Nearing the halfway mark of the third period in their home game against the New York Rangers on March 12, the Pittsburgh Penguins were holding onto a 2-1 lead. Though already in the playoffs, they were looking to gain some ground on the Rangers, who were ahead of them by seven points in the standings. Sidney Crosby had already picked up one assist, and he and the rest of the team were playing a solid defensive game.Toronto Maple Leafs Tröjor 2023
Then a questionable play – Rangers center Vincent Trocheck knocked down Evgeni Malkin, which started a rush that resulted in a goal by Chris Kreider, tying the game 2-2. But they’d been through this before. With the game in overtime, the Penguins sent out Crosby with Jake Guentzel, Malkin, and Kris Letang. Looking poised and in control, they set up in the Rangers’ zone, and with some quick passing from Crosby and Malkin and a blast from Letang, they won the game 3-2.
Yes, it is something we’ve seen before, and that kind of patience generally comes with age. Yet with Crosby’s production this season, it’s easy to forget that we are not watching Sid the Kid anymore, but rather a savvy, battle-tested veteran of 18 seasons. So with about a month to go in the regular season and the playoffs, which the Penguins look to be preparing for, looming, it’s worth taking a look at where Crosby is compared to others at the same stage in their careers.Billiga Ishockey Tröjor
