The Pittsburgh Penguins allowed five goals in their loss to the Montreal Canadiens, but it didn’t stop Sidney Crosby from making history.
Per NHL.com’s Sean Farrell, “Sidney Crosby scored with 3:11 remaining in the third period to draw the Penguins within 5-4 and tie Marcel Dionne for sixth on the NHL points list with 1,771.”
That was impressive, and it further solidifies Crosby’s status as arguably an eventual top-five player in league history. But defenseman Spencer Stastney’s comments regarding Crosby following the game made the milestone more memorable.
Stastney said, “It’s crazy. I grew up with a Fathead of him on my wall.”
In many ways, it’s a reminder of how long Crosby has been in the league. His career dates back to the 2005-06 season. So, many players like Stastney grew up watching and idolizing players like Crosby.
It is a bonus for these players to be skating alongside Crosby and become part of his latest records and milestones. In Stastney’s case, he was five years old when the Penguins drafted Crosby.
Stastney was drafted in 2018 when the Nashville Predators selected him in the fifth round. By then, Crosby had been a cornerstone for the Penguins for the past 13 seasons.
Crosby’s Milestones Are Just Part Of The Story For The 2026-27 Penguins
While it is satisfying for players like Stastney to get a front-row seat as Crosby continues to rewrite the history books, it would be even better if it translated into another playoff berth. Now in his age-39 season, Crosby won’t be in the league much longer.
So it’s up to players like Stastney to do all they can to help the Penguins get back into the playoffs as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang enter their career twilight. That won’t be a simple task after Pittsburgh allowed five goals against the Canadiens.
Pittsburgh may rank in the middle of the league with 46 goals scored, but goaltending has been an issue all season. That said, they haven’t been completing sequences as well as they should. Pittsburgh heads into November with 35.9 expected goals for (xGF) at 5-on-5 but has scored just 31 times.
Their expected goals allowed (xGA) is 31.8 in the same situation. But they have watched 35 cross into the net. At some point, finishing sequences and preventing opponents from finishing sequences at 5-on-5 must improve if the youth movement wants to give veterans like Crosby another chance at the Stanley Cup.
Pittsburgh also finds itself in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division with 12 points. That puts them three points behind the fifth-place New York Rangers.
Things Won’t Get Easier For Crosby, Stastney, And The Penguins
The Penguins will take the ice again on Nov. 3 and Nov. 5 vs. the Vegas Golden Knights and Boston Bruins. Vegas is second in the Pacific Division with 19 points, and Boston leads the Atlantic with 21 points.
Still, both games serve as opportunities for the Penguins to knock off some talented hockey teams and string together momentum before they embark on a road trip against the California teams. All three of which should be winnable games.
Crosby may get closer to a few milestones in the upcoming slate, and those who grew up watching him could be a big part of them. But turning the season around would be even more rewarding for Crosby, Stastney, and the rest of the Penguins.
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