Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a goal on an empty net for a hat trick against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/15305284-ac44-46ed-8718-4232131fdcd6.jpeg] Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a goal on an empty net for a hat trick against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) There is a certain NHL winger about to break Wayne Gretzky's goal record [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/players/the-supporting-cast-ovechkin-tying-gretzky-isnt-just-a-milestone-for-him-but-also-for-his-capitals-teammates] who is - rightfully - garnering a ton of attention across the league. And there's another guy who showed on Saturday why folks, once again, shouldn't forget about what he's doing this season, either. Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins] captain Sidney Crosby recorded a hat trick, and his four points powered the Penguins past one of the NHL's best teams in the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/], 5-3. Pittsburgh's win snapped Dallas's seven-game winning streak [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/latest-news/late-blunder-costs-stars-in-5-3-loss-to-pittsburgh], which was the second-longest active winning streak in the NHL. Crosby also extended his league-best active point streak to 12 games, and he has a whopping 11 goals and 20 points in that time. "Obviously, he's done some awesome things in this league," said Bryan Rust, who scored his 200th career goal against Dallas. "And there were a couple times earlier this year where he had two, and I kept trying to get him the puck, and I couldn't get them over there for the hat trick. So, it was definitely good to see him get it." The Penguins opened the scoring early in the first period on the power play, as Evgeni Malkin fed a pass from below the goal line to Crosby in the slot, who one-timed it top-shelf past Stars goaltender and ex-Penguin Casey DeSmith to give Pittsburgh the 1-0 lead. Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov responded a few minutes later to tie the game at 1-1 heading into first intermission, but the Penguins carried play for the most of the first. And the same was the case in the second, despite Dadonov registering his second goal of the game on the power play off a beautiful feed from Matt Duchene. Pittsburgh, again, was controlling offensive zone possession and taking it to the Stars every chance they got. But DeSmith was up to the task, making several ten-bell saves. Then, just 20 seconds into the third period, Rust came in hard on the forecheck below the goal line and got the puck to Rutger McGroarty, who knew Crosby approaching the back door. He quickly and instinctively fired a perfect backhand pass to a breaking Crosby, who put it home to - once again - tie the game. However, Dadonov continued his dominance in this game, scoring less than three minutes later to cap off a hat trick and put the Stars back ahead, 3-2. Then, a few minutes later, Crosby fed the puck to Rust, who did one of his signature power moves across the goal crease to slide the puck past DeSmith on the backhand for his 200th career goal. The game remained in a 3-3 tie until late in the third period when an unfortunate mishap by Dallas cost them the game. Stars defensemen Cody Ceci and Thomas Harley collided in the defensive zone, and the puck was coughed up to the Penguins for a two-on-one. Danton Heinen, along the left wall, fed a perfect pass to Blake Lizotte in the slot, who one-timed it past DeSmith with just 1:43 remaining in regulation to give the Penguins the 4-3 lead. McGroarty Scores First NHL Goal In Penguins 5-4 Overtime Loss To Blues [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/c2f6f64c-d30a-4e0d-b37b-458a95fbfd84.jpeg] McGroarty Scores First NHL Goal In Penguins 5-4 Overtime Loss To Blues The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' 5-4 overtime loss to the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues">St. Louis Blues</a> on Thursday - which gave the Blues their whopping 11th straight win - obviously wasn't the desired result. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/game-day/mcgroarty-scores-first-nhl-goal-in-penguins-5-4-overtime-loss-to-blues] And then, with the empty net, Crosby picked up a loose rebound right in front of Tristan Jarry, firing the puck the length of the ice and right into the middle of the net for his third goal of the game. The Penguins outshot the Stars 40-24, and they attempted 76 shots. They were the better team throughout, and head coach Mike Sullivan was pleased with the team's effort. "I was really happy for the team," Sullivan said. "I thought we played really hard all night. I thought we were down in the game most of the game, but I thought we were playing extremely well. We just tried to encourage them to stay with it and just keep competing, keep playing the game the right way, and we'll climb back into it. But, I thought, to a man, it was one of the more complete efforts we've had all year long." Sullivan was also asked if there's been a better player in the league than Crosby since the 4 Nations Face-off break. "I'd be hard-pressed to think of one," Sullivan said. "I just think he's bringing a certain effort every night. He's the heartbeat of this group, and he drives the pulse. When he's playing on top of his game the way he is, he gives us a chance to win every game. "He's competing on both sides of the puck. His line has been really good, he's been great with the kids... he's doing a great job with Rutger [McGroarty] on his line and with Ville [Koivunen] on the power play. I think those guys are having a lot of fun being around him, and I think he's having a lot of fun working with them. So, I think he's just playing terrific hockey right now." Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a power play goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/3b453c9f-4e4e-484d-9bae-71a09cef1bed.jpeg] Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a power play goal against the Dallas Stars during the first period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are a few other thoughts and observations from this one: - Bryan Rust is officially a 200-goal scorer in the NHL. He also recorded his 28th goal of the season, which ties the career-high he set in only 62 games last season. And after beginning his career as a third and fourth-line grinder, he worked his way into a top-six role and now has six consecutive 20-goal seasons. What a story Rust has been. And even Rust never thought he'd get to this point. "I'm really proud," Rust said. "I didn't think I'd ever get to say that I'd score 200 goals in the NHL. I think when the first time I came into this league, I was like, 'I hope I can just stick around for a couple years'... and now, here I am, 200 goals later. I think back, and I'm obviously really blessed, and there's obviously more to do." Sullivan has said time and time again that Rust's journey embodies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. And he said it again Saturday. What a player he is. - I don't know what else to say about McGroarty right now. He's been very, very good through three games with the Penguins and is scoring at a point-per-game pace since his recall (one goal, three points in three games). Koivunen has certainly had his moments, too, and I really liked how he looked alongside Rickard Rakell and Evgeni Malkin - playing in his first game since Mar. 23 - against Dallas. This actually resembled a formidable top-six for the Penguins. But McGroarty has been the standout. He was driving play down low throughout the game - as he's known to do - and he is such a smart player. He's always in the right spot, he's got eyes on the back of his head, and he sees a lot of plays before they happen. His hockey sense has been unreal, and it feels and looks like he's on the same wavelength as Crosby. Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate after center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a gol against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/80b3f3d9-a7ce-465e-8c44-bd3da998767f.jpeg] Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate after center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a gol against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) Just really impressive stuff from a kid who has only played six NHL games. He looks advanced beyond his age, and that pass to Crosby was pure instinct. If he continues to play like this down the stretch, he absolutely has to be on this team full-time next season. It's early, but there are just so many things he does that you simply cannot teach. There's no reason to think those things won't translate in full-time NHL top-six minutes. - Jumping back to that second line, it was clear to see that there is some degree of chemistry already building between Koivunen and Malkin. I think Koivunen's creativity and hockey sense marries well with Malkin's playmaking ability and east-west style of play, and his forechecking ability opens up some opportunity for Malkin and Rakell, too. I like having Rakell on that line in theory, as he is the finisher on it. However, it seems pretty clear to me that Rakell is most comfortable - and at his best - playing with Crosby, as he has developed some real chemistry with 87. It's hard to argue with the results of the first line, but heading into next season - assuming everyone is still around - I'd think about switching Rakell and Rust. But it feels like, in the earlygoing, that McGroarty fits with Crosby and Koivunen fits with Malkin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-notebook-malkin-practices-with-team-bemstrom-optioned]. - I've mentioned a few times in the past month or so how much better Matt Grzelcyk has looked in the second half of the season. Well, I think Saturday's performance was, arguably, his best of the season. Which UFAs Should The Penguins Bring Back? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9d71d6d6-36ea-4c15-9864-0b0ca62b5bab.jpeg] Which UFAs Should The Penguins Bring Back? Although the Pittsburgh Penguins shipped out most of their unrestricted free agents before the NHL trade deadline on Mar. 7, there are still a few remaining on the roster. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/which-ufas-should-the-penguins-bring-back] It seemed like he was making something happen in the offensive zone every time he touched the puck. He made a few nice defensive reads and recovery plays. His skating along the offensive blue line is smooth, and he's decisive. His puck-moving ability in the transition game was on display. For as poorly as he started the season, he has really rounded into form over the last two months. His glaring defensive mistakes are fewer and farther between, and - as usual - his work on the power play from the blue line has been unmatched on this team this season. Again, don't be surprised to see the Penguins extend him for another year or two [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/which-ufas-should-the-penguins-bring-back] while they wait for some of their younger defensive prospects to develop. It wouldn't be the worst thing, as he's certainly revitalized his career in Pittsburgh. - This was one of the best 60-minute efforts of the season from the Penguins against one of the top-three teams in the NHL. They dominated offensive zone possession. They rolled four lines. They were manufacturing high-danger scoring chances in all three periods and didn't take their foot off the gas. They didn't fold when Dallas responded. Even if they're not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, their season is all but over. However, this game really goes to show how much character is in that locker room. This is the exact kind of character environment that guys like McGroarty, Koivunen, Owen Pickering, and other Penguins' prospects need for their development and their transition to the NHL level. And it starts and ends with 87. You can't say enough about the guy who has been the heartbeat of this team for two decades [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/when-he-speaks-everyone-listens-how-sidney-crosbys-mentorship-has-passed-on-to-multiple-generations-of-teammates]. He's still playing like he's 26 - and he doesn't seem to be slowing down. 'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of Teammates [https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/deweb-519a7.appspot.com/o/posts%2FNHLPP%2Fcontent-images%2Fb9a9fc26-018d-41e1-8971-2b3bef50798d.jpeg?alt=media] 'When He Speaks, Everyone Listens': How Sidney Crosby's Mentorship Has Passed On To Multiple Generations Of Teammates Following the team's regular practice on Dec. 16, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' captain Sidney Crosby took some extra time out of his day to do something pretty much everyone around him is accustomed to witnessing on a day-to-day basis. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/when-he-speaks-everyone-listens-how-sidney-crosbys-mentorship-has-passed-on-to-multiple-generations-of-teammates] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwquDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
