It’s no secret that Pittsburgh Penguins franchise center Sidney Crosby is talented.
Crosby has shown Pittsburgh Penguins fans and everyone else in the world a fair share of highlight reel plays. From spinning backhand dishes to winning impossible 1 on 1 battles, it’s clear Sid excels at every aspect of the game.
But the goals Crosby has amassed over the years are the highlights they’ll play at his Hall of Fame induction.
Think back on some of the classics, like the one-hander against the Sabres in 2017.
I mean that is disgusting. Pure filth. There should have been a NSFW tag on the title of this post, cause it only gets more obscene.
How about this gem form 2006. Sid still has the most elite backhand in the league, and the unorthodox shot makes this one for the ages. (Sorry about the video quality, it looks like it was filmed with a Motorola RZR. Remember those?)
You gotta love when the defending team looks at each other like “But…how did that happen?” Pure gold while wearing vegas gold. Thank God those jerseys are gone by the way
But let’s stop basking in the Sidney Crosby of yesteryear and focus on the here and now. Sid has been running the gauntlet less and less, and I honestly can’t remember the last time he did it in the 2017-2018 season. Chalk it up to trying to avoid hits or not finding an opening or something like that. While his 15 goals this season aren’t as breathtaking as the two above, there are definitely some highlight reel shenanigans to discuss.
Here are Sidney Crosby’s three best goals from the first half of the 2017 – 2018 season. Each one is special for a different reason, and shows off a different tool in Sid’s goal scoring arsenal.
Dec. 1, 2017 vs Buffalo Sabres
This goal is a great representation of a) Sid’s ability to read a play, and b) his quick release.
Notice when he pops into frame, there is zero hesitation about where he is going. There are four Sabres in their own zone, with no clear outlet for their D-man to ditch the puck. As Kuhnhackl pressures, the Buffalo defenseman forces a pass to the middle instead of retreating behind his net or dumping it off the glass on his right side.
Sid is ready and in position, and easily picks off the pass causing the Buffalo goalie to quickly adjust his position and hastily jump to the top of his crease.
Sid doesn’t dally, it’s a quick move to set up his forehand shot, which is in the back of the net in an instant. He has the puck for a solid “one Mississippi” before he hits twine.
A solid read and quick action led to that goal. Let’s look at number two, which showcases another nifty talent of Sid’s.
Oct. 14, 2017 vs Florida Panthers
This is another one of those “shake your head” type goals.
At first glance, it doesn’t seem like much. The Florida Panthers are struggling in their own zone, and the Pittsburgh Penguins force a turnover. The defense throws the puck in front, Sid gets involved, the puck clumsily hits the netminder, the Pens score.
But watch the replay. In slow motion, you can see why it’s Sid’s second best of year (so far). As the puck comes his way, he adjusts his hands on the stick. By pulling that lower hand up, the blade of the stick is able to more effectively “chip” the puck toward the Florida goal. The lift and spin on the biscuit definitely surprises James Reimer, who lets it bounce off his equipment past the goal line.
While you might want to chalk this up to luck, you can’t deny there is skill and hand eye coordination at play. If you watch Crosby’s head, this redirect is his intent the entire time. He doesn’t glance at Penguins player buzzing towards the net. His body turns and follows the puck after this deliberate chip shot, in case there is a rebound.
Crosby’s ability to prepare for different redirect scenarios is unprecedented. He’s scored them every which way, and even manages to make ’em look pretty.
The third goal, and best of season (remember…so far) is just a wonderfully smart play. Some players love ripping pucks as soon it touches their stick, no matter the angle or improbability of a scoring chance *cough* Tyler Kennedy *cough*. Sid shows us patience is a virtue.
Oct. 17, 2017 vs New York Rangers
Let’s talk about the setting for this goal. The Pittsburgh Penguins are down one, and playing with six skaters on the ice, no goalie.
There is less than one minute on clock. At this point in the game, you’re gripping your stick extra hard, half wanting to be the hero, half just not wanting to make a mistake.
The puck bounces into the hands of Patric Hornqvist, who tries to drop it to his own stick for a quick turning shot. However, Horny whiffs, and the puck bounces to the corner near Crosby.
This is where the brilliance of the play begins. Noting that Hornqvist has touched the puck but wasn’t able to put his own stick on it, Sid avoids wrangling the puck himself. Doing so would have resulted in a hand pass, and a stoppage of play. So he turns his body to establish position on the puck instead. A New York defender puts a stick on the puck, meaning Sid is now able to make a play without punishment. He then flips it towards an unsuspecting Lundqvist, tying the game at four.
The fact he has the sense to NOT touch that puck when he’s that close to goal, when there is less than a minute left in the game, when there are defenders draped all over him – is truly mind bottling. Just listen to Bob Errey get all types of excited at the tail end of the video.
