In Pittsburgh on Sunday night, Sidney Crosby surpassed Mario Lemieux’s franchise scoring record as the Penguins edged out the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout, snapping an eight-game losing streak. Crosby, starting the game just one point shy of Lemieux’s record, scored a goal and an assist in the first period, bringing his totals to 645 goals and 1,079 assists, accumulating 1,724 points over 1,387 games. This achievement also put him past Lemieux for the eighth-most points in NHL history.
Crosby, who has reached the 20-goal mark for the 18th time this season—a milestone only six NHL players have surpassed—was pivotal alongside Rickard Rakell, who scored both a regulation goal and an assist. Noel Ashari also contributed to the Penguins’ offense. Goalie Arturs Silovs made 23 saves, claiming his first victory since November 6th after a string of challenging games.
For the Canadiens, Oliver Kapanen, Ivan Demidov, and Noah Dobson scored, with Jakub Dobes making 28 saves. Montreal saw its winning streak end at two games but holds a record of 4-1-2 since a heavy loss to Tampa Bay on December 9th. Kevin Hayes scored for the Penguins during the shootout, while Cole Caulfield netted one for Montreal. After Rakell secured the lead in the shootout’s third round, Silovs made a critical save on Montreal’s last attempt by Nick Suzuki.
The Penguins, coming off back-to-back shutout defeats against Ottawa and Montreal, managed to secure their first shootout win of the season despite a recent 1-4-4 run in their last nine games. Notably, Phillip Danault, newly acquired by Montreal from Los Angeles, did not play in this game but is expected to debut against Boston on Tuesday. With Pittsburgh leading 3-2 entering the final period, Dobson tied the match before Crosby’s power-play goal helped them regain the lead.
Crosby further set NHL records by surpassing Phil Esposito with his 449th even-strength goal and tying Adam Oates for the eighth-most assists in a single period. The Canadiens will continue their seven-game road trip in Boston on Tuesday, while the Penguins travel to Toronto.
Fan Take: This milestone cements Sidney Crosby’s legacy as one of the greatest players in hockey history, inspiring both current and future generations. For fans, Crosby’s record-breaking performance highlights the enduring excitement and evolving history of the NHL, showcasing the sport’s rich tapestry of talent and competition.
