Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are powering the Penguins' playoff push, and rewriting NHL history with milestone performances. Can the dynamic duo carry the Pens to what could be a final deep playoff run in the Crosby/Malkin era?
As the Pittsburgh Penguins steam toward their first Stanley Cup playoff appearance in four years, their two superstar centers and franchise legends, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, are doing their part and making NHL history in the process.
In his past 10 games, Crosby has 11 assists and 13 points. The Penguins’ superstar center now leads the team in points, with 72 points in 66 games this season. And with a two-point performance against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, Crosby generated his 1,756th-career regular-season point, pushing him past Detroit Red Wings icon Steve Yzerman (1,755) for seventh-place on the NHL’s all-time points list.
With another three points on Sunday against the Panthers, Crosby now is just 12 points behind L.A. Kings legend Marcel Dionne, and he’s 39 points behind Hockey Hall of Famer Ron Francis. He also recorded his 21st consecutive season of averaging a point per game, an NHL record.
Crosby has also been every bit the offensive force the Penguins needed him to be this season. But the same can be said for Malkin. The Russian star center recorded his 1,400th career point on Saturday, adding his 1,401st, 1,402nd, and 1,403rd points in a spectacular three-goal, four-point performance.
He also added two points on Sunday, and his 1,405 points put him in fifth place on the all-time points list for a European-born player, trailing just Jaromir Jagr (1,921), Alex Ovechkin (1,684), Stan Mikita (1,467), and Teemu Selanne (1,457).
Saturday’s hat trick was Malkin’s first in four years, but it came at a time when the Pens are battling to get into the playoffs.
Malkin now has 41 assists and 59 points in 54 games this year, already topping the 50-points he had in 68 games last season. And Crosby’s now has 72 points, eclipsing the 70-point mark for the 16th time in his 21-year NHL career. That’s a staggering stat. So it’s not hyperbole to say Crosby and Malkin are rewriting the record books with every point they produce.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have combined for three Hart Trophies, three Conn Smythe Trophies, four Art Ross Trophies, and four Ted Lindsay Trophies. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)Indeed, the Penguins haven’t locked up their playoff spot yet, and they have only four games left in the season to avoid a heartbreaking collapse. Another big win over the Panthers on Sunday gives them 96 points, a seven-point lead on the New York Islanders, and an eight-point lead on the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets.
If Crosby and Malkin continue on their hot streak, the Pens are going to be difficult to overtake for second place in the Metropolitan Division. The second spot in the Metro is still open, but Malkin and Crosby give the Penguins the experience and high-end talent that teams battling for a playoff spot right now would kill to have.
A lot is going to have to go right for Malkin and Crosby to add a fourth Cup to their collection before they head into the sunset of retirement. But Penguins fans are no doubt grateful to Pittsburgh’s dynamic duo for what could be one final run of high-stakes hockey in the Crosby/Malkin era.
Crosby and Malkin have already earned a magnificent legacy, and clearly, they have gas left in their competitive tank. The Pens are likely only to go as far this season as Crosby and Malkin can carry them, but there’s no question they’re currently capable of those carrying duties.
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