Back from injury, Crosby helps power Penguins
Sidney Crosby watched the Penguins thrive in his absence. The longtime captain pledged he would simply focus on doing his part to keep the team rolling in his return from a two-month layoff.
Crosby held up his end of the bargain, collecting a goal and three assists in his first game back from abdominal surgery as the Penguins rolled past the Wild 7-3 on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.
Crosby needed less than eight minutes to pick up his first point since before Halloween when he assisted on Evgeni Malkin’s first goal of the night 7:57 into the game. Crosby added his sixth goal of the season in the third when he slipped a backhand past Devan Dubnyk as the Penguins rolled to a fourth straight win. Malkin tallied two goals and an assist. Crosby skated 17:53 after missing 28 games and looked just as dangerous as ever as the Penguins pulled within four points of first-place Capitals in the Metropolitan Division.
Caps give Backstrom extension: The Capitals signed Swedish center Nicklas Backstrom to a five-year, $46 million contract extension through 2024-25.
There was little doubt Backstrom and the Caps would get a deal done before the 32-year-old could become an unrestricted free agent July 1. Along with captain Alex Ovechkin, Backstrom has been a cornerstone of the franchise for more than a decade. He was a key part of the 2018 Cup run and his No. 19 jersey will someday hang in the rafters.
Backstrom is the Caps’ franchise leader in assists and has put up 908 points in 934 regular-season games. He recorded 23 points in 20 playoff games during the Caps’ Cup run and has been a part of 11 playoff appearances in 12 years.
This season, Backstrom has nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points. He’s the only active player to have 50-plus assists in each of the last six seasons.
Rask exits Bruins loss: Elvis Merzlikins recorded his second consecutive shutout and the host Blue Jackets beat the Atlantic Division-leading Bruins 3-0 on Tuesday night for their fourth win in five games.
Jaroslav Halak entered the game at 1:12 of the first period after Bruins goaltender Tukka Rask was inadvertently struck in the head by an elbow in the crease. Halak stopped 24 shots in relief as the Bruins lost their second straight and were shut out for the first time this season.
Islanders roll: Brock Nelson scored twice and the Islanders routed the visiting Red Wings 8-2.
The Isles scored three times in the first eight minutes, a rousing response after a lopsided road loss to the crosstown Rangers a night earlier. The league-worst Red Wings were out of it early.