![]() ![]() They pushed back in the end of the second and in the third. “I thought tonight we were the better team for the most part tonight," Sullivan said. ![]() The Penguins kept the pressure on after the Blues tied the game, Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. ![]() We were more physical, (It) looked like we were hungrier on pucks.” “I think we just had more urgency,” Berube said. Barbasev poked in the rebound of Brandon Saad wraparound attempt.īlues coach Craig Berube was pleased his team rebounded from being down 2-0. Keep up with the Pittsburgh Penguins all season long.The Blues tied it at 2 in the third period when Barbashev scored his 19th goal at 1:49. “It’s playoff hockey,” Crosby said, “so you just try to go out there and compete the best you can.” His 16th career three-point playoff game matched teammate Evgeni Malkin for second-most among active players, and his 20th career postseason power-play goal tied Kevin Stevens for third-most in Penguins history. His 129th career playoff assist on Monday tied Nicklas Lidstrom for fifth in NHL history. He reached 200 career playoff points Monday, one behind Jaromir Jagr for fifth all-time. So we just want to continue the same way.”Ĭrosby’s tear of a series has strengthened his Hall of Fame statistical résumé, too. “I thought (in Game 4), we generated some good chances as a line and executed on a few. “I think everybody wants to play well in the playoffs, and I am just trying to go out there every night and compete,” Crosby said. Mike Sullivan on the play of Sidney Crosby in this series /4hFTHXDlCL ![]() In many of those metrics, the only players (or among the only players) ahead of Crosby are those with whom he most often shares the ice: linemates Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel and/or defensemen Kris Letang and John Marino. He led the playoffs in assists and faceoffs won and was fourth in the league in minutes played and sixth in faceoff win percentage.Īccording to, Crosby ranks among the top five of all players in the postseason in myriad possession metrics measuring team performance when a player is on the ice at 5-on-5: goals, shot attempts, shots on goal, scoring chances, “high-danger” scoring chances and “expected goals for.” When Monday’s game ended, Crosby had a wide three-point lead in NHL playoff points at even strength (eight). Sullivan did allow, though, that Crosby “is playing really well for us.” “He’s played some real good hockey in the playoffs in my time here,” Sullivan said in response to an inquiry along those lines, “so that bar is really high.” It’s not entirely a coincidence the Penguins went 3-11 in games and 0-3 in series over that span.Ĭrosby is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner as NHL postseason MVP, but that didn’t stop some Monday from positing that he might be playing the best playoff hockey of his career in this series. (Later Monday night, Colorado defenseman Cale Makar had a three-point game to move ahead of Crosby and Marchand with 10 playoff points.)Ĭrosby accumulated a mere three goals and three assists over the past three postseasons combined. Sidney Crosby on his play in this series on a night he moved into a tie for the NHL playoffs scoring lead /zxoDvfk9AwĬrosby has nine points in four games, a total that moved him into a tie with the Boston Bruins’ Brad Marchand for the NHL postseason scoring lead when Monday’s game ended. “He’s playing an inspired game I think he inspires the group just through his actions when he’s on his game the way he is right now.” “He’s playing a real complete game on both sides of the puck,” coach Mike Sullivan said. Crosby has had at least two points in each of the games of the series, a major reason why the Penguins lead it 3 games to 1. No wonder the Penguins are winning again in the playoffs.Ĭrosby had a goal and two assists during Monday’s 7-2 Game 4 first-round playoff series win against the New York Rangers. In less than a week this postseason, Crosby has already blown way past that. Over the prior three playoff runs from 2019-21, Sidney Crosby combined for six points. For all the talk about goaltending or matchups or that speed and age have been working against the Pittsburgh Penguins in recent postseasons, perhaps their captain serves as the proverbial weather vane for the team’s fortunes. ![]()
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