Sid The Kid Masterclass
In what started out as a close game after two periods Tuesday night between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets tied 2-2, Sidney Crosby continued to do what he does best which is owning the Blue Jackets and showing up in the clutch. Crosby had a hat trick and an assist accounting for the Penguins four out of five goals.
Crosby’s efforts helped the Penguins extend their winning streak to five games. He will look to extend that win streak to six with another Metropolitan Division rivalry game Thursday night at home against the New Jersey Devils.
Sidney Crosby Owns Columbus
There are many teams Crosby loves playing against as after a 19-year and counting career, there are teams you generally do very well against, one of them being the Blue Jackets. Out of the 31 other teams in the NHL, he has the 14th most points against the Blue Jackets. In 39 games against the Blue Jackets, Crosby has 20 goals and 37 assists for 57 points total and a +/- of +11.
Crosby also has recent success over the Blue Jackets as in his last nine games against his division rival, he has 11 goals, 22 assists, and two hat tricks, which is absurd. In his last ten games, Crosby and the Penguins have a record of 9-0-1 against the Blue Jackets, which is very impressive. In addition to that record being impressive, it is also important for the new playoff format as top three teams in each division automatically get into the playoffs.
With the Penguins being in the Metropolitan Division, which is and has been for at least a decade the most stacked division in hockey. The Penguins, New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils are not only playoff contenders but also Stanley Cup contenders. Also, despite the Washington Capitals goaltending being an issue and a crushing injury to Nicklas Backstrom, as long as Alex Ovechkin is healthy, the Capitals are playoff contenders as well. With that being said, it is always important to win games in the NHL and pick up two points, but it matters even more when you win and control those division rivalries.
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