Crosby, Acciari Take Penguins Team Awards

It should come as no surprise that Sidney Crosby has been, once again, recognized by his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates. 

On Monday, the Penguins announced that Crosby was the recipient of the Penguins' Most Valuable Player award for the fifth consecutive season, as voted by his teammates. It is the 13th time he's been named Team MVP, which breaks Mario Lemieux's previous franchise record of 12.

He was also given the Player's Player Award by teammates, which is awarded to the player whose leadership shines through both on the ice and away from it.

Crosby, 37, surpassed Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL's all-time leader in point-per-game seasons with 20 on Thursday in a 7-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. The captain's 27 goals and 81 points in 73 games pace the Penguins once again, and he ranks third in the NHL in five-on-five points with 53.

In addition, forward Noel Acciari was named by teammates for the Penguins' Unsung Hero Award, which is given to the player who best exemplifies extreme effort despite little recognition. 

Acciari leads the Penguins in both hits (168) and blocked shots (98), and he is well on his way to earning the second 100-block season of his career. He also has 179 shorthanded minutes this season, which also leads the team. 

He registered seven hits and two blocked shots in Sunday's 1-0 win over the Ottawa Senators. 

"He's an important player for us," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think a lot of his contributions don't always show up on the highlight reel or they don't show up on the scoresheet. Those are the 'thankless jobs' that we're talking about.

"He pays a price. There's a cost to winning, and he's willing to pay it. I think Noel's been an invaluable player for us throughout the course of the year."

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!