Sidney Crosby puts on a show with hat trick as Penguins beat Stars: Yohe's 10 observations

By / / Sports / 7 minutes of reading


DALLAS — While the rest of the hockey world is understandably focused on the man who has been his personal rival for the past 20 years, Sidney Crosby has quietly been the best hockey player in the world for the past two months.

He put on another show, this time in Dallas, as he produced his 14th career hat trick in a four-point performance, leading the Penguins to a 5-3 victory.

Blake Lizotte scored the late game-winner for the Penguins, who took advantage of a collision between two Dallas players to break a late tie.

Bryan Rust tied the game in the third with his 28th goal of the season, which evens his career-high. It was also the 200th goal of his career.

The day, however, belonged to Crosby.

His head coach didn’t disagree with the idea that Crosby, who leads the NHL in scoring since the 4 Nations Face-Off, has been hockey’s best player in the past couple of months.

“I’d be hard pressed to think of one,” Sullivan said. “He’s the heartbeat of this group. He drives the pulse. When he’s on top of his game the way he is right now, he gives us a chance to win every game.”

Since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, Crosby has a point in 19 of 21 games, which includes his current 12-game scoring streak, which evens the longest that an NHL player has ever produced at age 37 or older. In the 21 games since he led Canada to a championship over the United States, Crosby has put up 13 goals and 28 points. During his 12-game scoring streak, he has managed 11 goals and 20 points.

Crosby took his typical, modest approach when asked how he’s been able to display such a stunning brand of consistency late this season.

“Good linemates,” he said. “Just trying to approach every game the same way. It’s a long season. There are some nights you feel better than others.”

His chemistry with Rust is a known commodity.

Crosby is quickly starting to show some chemistry with young Rutger McGroarty, too. On Crosby’s second goal, Rust started the play with a forecheck that created a turnover. McGroarty then made a quick, perfect pass to the captain.

Crosby said that some nights he feels better than on others. It’s pretty clear that he’s feeling pretty good every day right about now.

Ten postgame observations

• Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, of course, are indelibly linked for as long as people are discussing hockey.

I pulled Crosby aside for a moment after he spoke with reporters following his hat-trick performance in Dallas. He confirmed that, even though he and his teammates were out to dinner in Dallas during Washington’s game on Friday against Chicago, they found a television when Ovechkin was one away from the record entering the third period.

Crosby said he respects the fact that Ovechkin has no apparent interest in scoring the record-breaking goal into an empty net.

“It was pretty exciting,” Crosby said. “Just that last couple of minutes, when he kept pushing, trying to get that next one. For anyone who is a fan of the game and appreciates what he’s doing, it’s pretty cool to see. I thought he was going to get it last night. It’s just a matter of time. What he’s done this year is pretty incredible. Matter of time.”

I think there was a time when Crosby and Ovechkin truly didn’t care for one another. That time, though, seems to be long in the rearview mirror.

• I sincerely think Crosby has been the best player in the world since the 4 Nations break. Who’s been better? Anyone?

Every facet of his game is locked into a frightening extent at the moment. Every pass is perfect. He usually is a second ahead of everyone else on the ice, but right now, he’s two seconds ahead.

Crosby could have had six points in this game.

He put it away with an empty-netter, one that you could feel coming because of the hat-trick opportunity.

He started the scoring in the first period when he blistered a power-play shot past Casey DeSmith.

It was set up beautifully by Evgeni Malkin, who was back in the lineup for the first time in almost two weeks.

This, by the way, marks the 13th time that Crosby has scored at least 30 goals in a season. That number would be much higher if not for the seasons he lost because of a concussion, strike-shortened seasons and COVID-shortened seasons.

Extraordinary stuff we’re seeing from him right now.

• Malkin wasn’t perfect, but in general, I thought he was pretty effective in his first game back in the lineup.

What has been clear about Malkin since the 4 Nations break — and it was clear again against the Stars — is that he’s currently very much in possession of his legs. His skating looks completely different than what it looked like earlier this season.

Load management is a big deal in the NBA and frowned upon in the NHL. The Penguins should probably consider it with Malkin moving forward. I’m serious. If you play him 60 games a season, he’d play at a much higher level in those 60 games.

• I don’t have much else to add about Rust. What a player.

That’s 200 career goals and it was a beauty to even the game. It was a classic Rust goal.

There is a consistency to his game that is impressive.

“He’s earned every opportunity that he’s gotten,” Crosby said. “He’s earned every bit of it. It’s a great example for everyone, no matter how long you played in this league. He brings it every single night.”

• Say this for Erik Karlsson: He is who he is and seems very much committed to playing the game the way he sees fit. I suppose there is something admirable about that kind of belief in yourself.

I’ve never seen a more gifted hockey player regularly produce bigger, more avoidable blunders. It was a reasonable risk to acquire him a couple of years back. I’ll never criticize Kyle Dubas for that move because he was able to rid himself of dead money and Karlsson was worth taking a chance on.

But I’m sorry, it’s not working. Check out what he did on the first Dallas goal. Unacceptable.

• Kris Letang’s struggles continued as well. He was assessed a penalty on the game’s first shift.

Then, in the second period, he took another penalty that led to a Dallas goal.

Letang was fine the rest of the afternoon, but he’s struggling badly.

• McGroarty was absolutely outstanding in this game. He keeps getting better.

I literally heard from three people in the Penguins’ organization within 20 minutes of the game, all heaping praise on McGroarty and how impressive they believe he has been.

I’d agree. He’s so smart. He’s so good defensively. He’s outstanding on the boards.

My only criticism of him — and it’s not a big deal, just an odd quirk — is that, for a big kid, he certainly gets knocked to the ice frequently. I think he needs to learn to play with a lower center of gravity. But that will come in time, and again, I’m being picky. That’s literally the only facet of his game that hasn’t been exceedingly impressive.

He’s a night-and-day better player than he was in October. It would appear that the Penguins handled him to absolute perfection. He will play for Wilkes-Barre in the AHL postseason. I suspect he will never play another AHL game after that point.

• Phil Tomasino has really struggled the past few games. Not good enough at all. He needs to do more to stay on this roster next season.

• I realize Dallas had just won seven straight games, but how good are the Stars? Oh, they’re good. On paper, they’re really good. But they were thoroughly outplayed by the Penguins this afternoon and I can’t say anything about Dallas’ game that was the least bit impressive.

The Stars are likely getting Colorado in the first round of the playoffs. As good as Dallas is, it’s a series the Stars could lose.

• The Penguins close out this road trip with a game on Sunday in Chicago. Crosby will be shooting for a point in 13 straight games and Alex Nedeljkovic figures to get the start.

Another win would feel good for the Penguins, to be sure. It will also potentially do even more damage to their draft standing, which is the one unfortunate downside to their current impressive play.

(Photo: Jerome Miron / Imagn Images)





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