Pittsburgh Penguins teammates are still amazed by the work of Sidney Crosby and his newest achievements.

PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins have found themselves back in wild card position after a massive win over the Detroit Red Wings. It was a far-from-perfect game, with overtime being needed, but the Penguins were elevated to a win on a memorable night for their captain.

With three points against the Red Wings, Sidney Crosby continued to set himself apart in NHL history. When Crosby assisted on Erik Karlsson’s overtime winner, he became the 14^th player in NHL history to reach 1,000 assists and secured sole possession of 10^th all-time in NHL scoring.

In his 1,269^th game, Crosby is the seventh fastest player to hit 1,000 assists and joins a list that includes Mario Lemieux (1,033), Steve Yzerman (1,063), and Jaromir Jagr (1,155) as some of the only players in NHL history to reach the milestone.

“To be in that company with all those players,” Crosby said. “That means a lot. I grew up watching those players.”

Whether they’ve known him for years or are still getting to know him, Crosby's teammates are always amazed by his work.

“It’s been something special, especially these last couple of weeks,” Alex Nedeljkovic said. “Watching him play, he’s a man on a mission. It’s not surprising.”

Bryan Rust has been one of Crosby’s best linemates over the years, and they have built solid chemistry on the ice. Of Crosby’s 1,000 assists, Rust is credited with 49 goals.

“It’s been a heck of a ride playing with him for as long as I have,” Rust said. “He’s a special player and an even more special person. He’s leading this team right now. I think we’re all just kind of getting in line behind him.”

Head coach Mike Sullivan is always open to talking about Crosby and his greatness. In his ninth season as Penguins coach, Sullivan has seen Crosby reach plenty of milestones, but they keep getting more special.

“I never get tired of answering questions about Sid’s milestones and his legacy,” Sullivan said. “I think this one is a huge milestone. There aren’t too many guys in the game that are at 1,000 assists. I think he’s in 10^th place all-time in points in the history of the game. Just think about that for a second. That puts him in real elite company.”

The milestones are great and almost come with the territory for Crosby, as he is doing everything he can to help the Penguins win. Winning has always been the key to Crosby’s game and what drives him to be one of the best in the world. His teammates see that and know they are right in the thick of the race, thanks to him.

“He’s a big part of our game and a big reason we are in the situation we are in,” Erik Karlsson said. “If there’s one thing he’s done throughout his career, it’s delivering when you need it the most, and today was nothing different.”

The Penguins have three games left in the season and will need Crosby to continue his play to stay alive in the playoff race. Currently holding the second wild card spot is great, but there are still tough tests ahead and other teams right next to them in the hunt.

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