The Pittsburgh Penguins showcased their offensive prowess once again, with Sidney Crosby leading the charge by extending his point streak to six games. In Friday's victory over Columbus, Crosby added another goal and assist, bringing him closer to a historic milestone: surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most 20-point-per-game seasons in NHL history. Alongside other standout performances from Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson, the Penguins continue to dominate against key rivals such as Florida. This article delves into the remarkable achievements of these players and highlights their contributions to the team’s success.
Friday night saw Sidney Crosby further cement his legacy as one of hockey's greatest players. With two additional points in the Penguins' triumph over Columbus, he now boasts an impressive six-game point streak. Only Connor McDavid and Artemi Panarin can claim longer active streaks than Crosby at this moment. Over the past six games alone, dating back to March 9, Crosby ranks tied for first in both goals and overall points among all skaters. Moreover, Crosby remains just four points away from achieving his 20th consecutive season averaging a point per game—an accomplishment that would break Gretzky's record.
Crosby’s scoring versatility is unmatched, having found the back of the net against 156 different goaltenders during his illustrious 20-year career. Among those goalies is Sergei Bobrovsky of the Panthers, against whom Crosby has scored seven times. Interestingly, only two other active netminders have conceded more goals to Crosby than Bobrovsky. According to NHL records, only five players throughout history have breached more individual goalies than Crosby, placing him within striking distance of tying Ron Francis for fourth place in this category.
Evgeni Malkin also continues to shine post-his return from international play. Across 15 games since the Four Nations break, Malkin has accumulated 11 points (five goals and six assists). Recently, he achieved parity with Anze Kopitar regarding assists within a single franchise, standing merely one assist shy of equalling Henrik Sedin's tally for twelfth position historically. Meanwhile, defenseman Erik Karlsson leads all blueliners on his squad with 49 points this term, including ten goals and thirty-nine assists. He stands three points away from matching Markus Naslund for ninth place among Swedish-born scorers.
Karlsson edges ever closer to several significant milestones. Just one assist separates him from recording his tenth 40-assist campaign, which would tie Brian Leetch and Brad Park for seventh place in terms of such seasons by defensemen. Additionally, Karlsson requires only one point to hit the 50-point mark for the ninth time in his career, joining an exclusive group of fifteen NHL defensemen who have accomplished this feat nine or more times. Finally, Karlsson needs but one goal to reach the 200-goal plateau, where he currently trails only Brent Burns among active blueliners and Nicklas Lidstrom amongst Swedish-born ones.
Against Florida specifically, the Penguins boast formidable firepower through Crosby and Malkin. Ranked third and fourth respectively among active scorers versus the Panthers, they form part of a quartet contributing significantly to Pittsburgh's dominance in this matchup. Furthermore, Karlsson and Kris Letang rank highly among defensemen when facing Florida historically. Since 2015-16, Crosby averages 0.70 goals per game against the Panthers, leading the league over this span.
Other notable performers include Blake Lizotte, whose teams maintain an undefeated record when he plays against Florida. Danton Heinen enjoys a strong track record too, while Conor Timmins consistently contributes positively defensively. Collectively, when both Crosby and Malkin score in a game, the Penguins boast an extraordinary win-loss-draw ratio of 404-92-49.
As the Penguins continue their quest for excellence, the contributions of Crosby, Malkin, and Karlsson remain pivotal. Their relentless pursuit of personal milestones mirrors the team's broader aspirations. With each passing game, these stars not only enhance their legacies but also propel Pittsburgh toward greater heights in the competitive world of professional hockey.