CROSBY RETURNS AS PENS BEAT STARS
Captain’s goal, two assists help put torch to slump that included four losses in row and 1-7-2 free fall
Sidney Crosby said Wednesday morning he didn’t anticipate hitting top speed or feeling like himself five shifts into a key game against the Dallas Stars.
Yeah, well, so much for that. Crosby is better with pucks than predictions.
After a three-game absence because of an upper-body injury, it took Crosby pretty much no time to inject some life into the Penguins, and his three-point night carried them to a 5-1 victory at PPG Paints Arena, one they’re hoping may turn their season around.
“I think our team gets a foot taller when he’s in our lineup because of the inspiration that he is for our group,” coach Mike Sullivan said.
The timing of what Crosby did Wednesday was ironic, too. It was on the seven-year anniversary of when he returned from a concussion and clobbered the New York Islanders with two goals and four points.
Flanked by familiar wingers Jake Guentzel and Patric Hornqvist, Crosby contributed a goal and two assists
while his line put together a seven-point effort.
It was a continuation of dominant play from Crosby, who had eight goals and 14 points in 10 games before sitting out to rest what he said was a cumulative injury.
“He’s one of the best players in the world,” Hornqvist said. “Every time he steps on the ice he makes a difference. He was carrying us here [Wednesday]. I think the other guys, we did a good job, too.”
One of the Penguins’ best offensive games of the season plus terrific defense and goaltending helped them to just their second win since Oct. 30, when they returned from a four-game Canadian road trip.
That was back when the Penguins were noticeably fast, when they piled up 23 goals in four games and looked like the offensive juggernaut their fans have come to know and love.
What has occurred since then — a 1-7-2 record and a minus-15 goal differential — has created plenty of tense times around the team, but the Penguins are optimistic this will help to extinguish those.
“Got to keep building, keep improving,” Jack Johnson said. “The good thing is, there’s a ton of hockey left to be played.”
Sullivan tinkered some with his team’s breakouts during practice Tuesday, and the results were noticeable. The Penguins got out of their zone as quickly as they have all season.
Although the Stars aren’t on the same level as, say, the Toronto Maple Leafs, this might have been the Penguins’ biggest win yet because of circumstance.
The Penguins needed a win in the worst way and got it in tremendously decisive fashion, allowing Dallas next to nothing. Through two periods, the Penguins held the Stars to just 16 five-on-five shot attempts. Dallas finished with 32 and put a total of 19 shots on goal.
“Over 60 minutes, I think this is the best game we played all year,” Hornqvist said. “We didn’t give them much, and we controlled the territory all night. We were the better team.”
In goal, Casey DeSmith seemed to respond to Sullivan’s bold decision to start him in a game many had pegged for Matt Murray.
Although he wasn’t challenged a ton, DeSmith made 18 saves in the winning effort, the type of goaltending performance that has eluded the Penguins for large chunks of this season.
Early in the second period, DeSmith denied Dallas center Tyler Seguin on a breakaway. Shortly thereafter, Hornqvist made it 4-0 and put the game out of reach.
“A lot of times when you make a big save it shifts momentum,” DeSmith said. “If your team can capitalize on it, it’s a big shift in the game.”
Crosby was authoritative from the outset, zipping a backhand pass to Guentzel for the Penguins first goal. Evgeni Malkin added a power-play tally — his first in nine games — before Crosby took over the highlight reel.
After powering past Dallas defenseman Esa Lindell, Crosby fired a backhand shot at goalie Anton Khudobin. Crosby kicked the rebound to his forehand and banked the puck off Khudobin’s body.
“I had some room to take it to the net,” Crosby said. “Sometimes they go in, sometimes you get a save, sometimes you draw a penalty. It was good to see it go in.”
Nobody on the Penguins will dispute that. It was also good for them to welcome Crosby back. As the Penguins try to dig out of one of their worst funks in years, there’s no bigger card they can play than reinstalling a red-hot Crosby into the lineup.
“Not only is he a great player — I think that’s obvious; everybody sees that — but he’s a terrific teammate,” Sullivan said. “He cares so much about the Penguins and trying to help this team win. I thought his game [Wednesday] was inspiring. … He’s a big part of the success we had. Certainly when he’s in our lineup, I think it’s a huge lift for the rest of our guys.”
Around the boards
The Penguins have won nine of their past 11 home games against Dallas. … When he’s returning midseason from an injury, Crosby has eight goals and 20 points in 16 games. … The Penguins improved to 6-0-1 against the Western Conference this season.