We Need to Talk About Sid…
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Sidney Crosby is singlehandedly willing the Pittsburgh Penguins to success— or, at least, in last night’s case, a point.
This isn’t some hot take or new revelation. I’m reiterating a statement that’s been said a hundred times over. But being in awe of Crosby’s continued elite play isn’t beating a dead horse; he continues to amaze, game in and game out.
Take last night, for example. Six minutes into the 2nd period, the Penguins were trying to claw their way out of a seemingly impossible 3-1 deficit. And when they needed their captain most, there he was: Sidney Crosby, streaking down the left wing to beat Thatcher Demko glove side for goal number 573 of his career.
That wouldn’t be Crosby’s last mark on the game. With under 30 seconds to go, in true dramatic fashion, Crosby managed to tie the game with the goalie pulled— a remarkable feat, considering how putrid Pittsburgh’s powerplay is. Sure, it wasn’t the most skillful goal of his career. After being blasted in from the point by Erik Karlsson, the puck took a fortunate hop off of former Penguin Ian Cole’s stick, bounced off Crosby’s thigh and ended up in the back of the net. But they say you have to be good to be lucky, and to call Sidney Crosby “good” feels like an insult.
That tying goal— number 574 of his career— holds significance. It pushed Crosby past Mike Bossy and into sole possession of 22nd of the NHL all-time goal leader’s list. This is significant because Bossy, unlike Crosby, was a true ‘pure goal scorer.’ Crosby’s longevity and ability to adapt his game is what makes him great. And that greatness was on full display last night.
Again, I’m far from the first to say this, but to see Crosby carrying his team like this at age 36 is truly something to behold. He doesn’t look 36. He looks like he’s still in his prime. And, quite honestly, I wouldn’t be shocked if he was. If Sidney Crosby somehow found the fountain of youth, and was siphoning it into his gatorade every night, well, that wouldn’t surprise me either.
Ultimately, the Penguins fell to the Canucks in overtime. But when simply getting to overtime feels like a victory, it’s hard to be upset. The Penguins stole a point against a very good Vancouver Canucks team. Or, more accurately, Sidney Crosby stole a point.
Win or not, it’s always incredible to watch Crosby dominating the ice— especially this late in his career. There’s no guarantee how long he’ll continue to play at this elite level. Enjoy it. Treasure it. Someday, Sidney Crosby will no longer be playing NHL hockey, and that will be a sad day indeed.
