theathleticuk
Sidney Crosby recorded two goals, moving past Los Angeles Kings legend Marcel Dionne into sole possession of sixth place on the NHL's all-time points list, and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Kings 5-2 at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday night.
Tommy Novak contributed two goals and Egor Chinakhov added another for the Penguins, who ended an 0-6-1 slump in road games. Goaltender Sergei Murashov secured his second NHL win, and his first on North American ice after earning his initial victory last season in Sweden.
Pittsburgh largely dictated the play, cutting down on defensive-zone errors and displaying a more opportunistic offensive approach, though the performance was not flawless.
Crosby's milestone dominated conversations in the Penguins' locker room. "Probably a little bit cooler because it was here (where Dionne played most of his career)," Crosby said. "Just him playing here, and probably how long it took. Haven't gone in easy (for me this season). So, just nice to get that one, nice to get a win."
Coach Dan Muse, who has felt the weight of the Penguins' early-season struggles, was beaming with pride for Crosby. "What an accomplishment," Muse said. "To do it here? Pretty cool. I'm happy for him. It seems like it's every week that it's a new (milestone)."
Muse paired Crosby with Evgeni Malkin on the same line, and the move paid off. Two of Malkin's three assists came on Crosby's goals. The Penguins next play at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday in Anaheim.
Key Analysis
Crosby's greatness and achievements have become so routine that many may be guilty of overlooking certain aspects. Additionally, his uncharacteristic start to the season has drawn attention. But let's pause to acknowledge what he accomplished. In Los Angeles, where Dionne spent the bulk of his extraordinary and often overlooked 1,771-point career, Crosby reached 1,773 points. The only players ahead of him are Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr, Mark Messier, Gordie Howe and Ron Francis. Let that sink in. Crosby trails Francis by 25 points for fifth place.
Rarely has an athlete been as hyped as Crosby and lived up to every bit of it. His career has paralleled LeBron James, a reasonable comparison in the history of their respective sports. Both have met expectations, precocious from the start and still great more than two decades later.
Crosby's first goal was not a highlight-reel effort. A blast from Malkin caught a piece of Crosby's jersey on its way into the net. It was perfectly appropriate that Malkin figured in on Crosby's historic goal considering how great the duo has been for so long. The magic of that play was very much the result of Erik Karlsson's brilliant feed to Malkin. Karlsson, 48 hours removed from a brutal performance against the Boston Bruins, was considerably better in this game. His ability to attract defenders, see the ice and make great passes was on display on that play.
In classic Crosby fashion, he didn't want credit for the goal. Crosby said after the game that he told officials while in the penalty box not to credit him with the goal because he didn't believe he had touched the puck. The goal was initially credited to Malkin, but TV replays appeared to show the graze of Crosby's jersey. He said he doesn't like taking credit for goals that aren't his. Crosby's humble reputation is well earned. He said he was just trying to avoid Malkin's shot. "He crushed it," Crosby said.
Muse made the decision to play Crosby and Malkin, both future Hall of Famers, on the same line. That should continue. The second line of Novak, Chinakhov and Ben Kindel was superb, and Crosby and Malkin know how to play together. Playing with Malkin triggered a Crosby hot streak two years ago. Perhaps it will again. And although Muse is focused on winning rather than symbolism, this could be Crosby and Malkin's final season as teammates. The idea of them playing together is definitely appealing.
Novak stayed hot by scoring twice in the first period. It seems like whatever line Novak skates on produces. This doesn't seem to be a coincidence. Novak and the Penguins front office deserve credit. The team has believed in him from the moment it acquired him, and it's paying off. This is the best hockey he's played with the Penguins. Impressive stuff.
Sometimes, you just need a goal. That's how Chinakhov must have felt before he finally buried one in the second period. The funny thing is, nobody was sure it counted. His shot caught the bar inside of the net but caromed out so quickly that the on-ice officials deemed it no goal. After a review, however, Chinakhov was credited with the goal. He entered with only two in his previous 14 regular-season games. There's no question he's been pressing. Let's see if he can get hot. The Penguins badly need him.
All of that said, the Kings were terrible, and aren't particularly good. For that matter, the bottom half of the Western Conference isn't nearly as good as the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. The Penguins still had plenty of issues defensively, starting with Kris Letang and Sam Girard. Girard struggled in the defensive zone probably more than he has in any game this season. Murashov was forced to deal with a caved-in defense in his face much of the evening but handled it well.
Murashov's economical play stood out. He wasn't swimming all over the place and exclusively relying on athleticism. He was in control. The second win of his career came over the team for whom he made his debut last season. Perhaps it's a performance to build on. You never know what Murashov is going to say. After the game, he was asked what facet of his game he was pleased with. He then spoke of Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley and how his interview answers revealing vulnerabilities about being an NHL goaltender have inspired him. "I think most goalies (are) going through something like he's talking about, but not a lot who actually speak aloud," Murashov said. "What he's saying, it helps."
Originally reported by theathleticuk.