Sidney Crosby had a goal and two assists to move into ninth on the NHL's career scoring list as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers 5-3 on Thursday night.
The Penguins captain tied Hall of Famer Joe Sakic at 1,641 points with an assist on Bryan Rust's first-period goal. Crosby then moved past Sakic with an assist on Drew O'Connor's sixth goal of the season later in the period as the Penguins raced to a 4-1 advantage.
Rust also had a goal and two assists for Pittsburgh, which snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Oilers for the first time since Dec. 20, 2019. Alex Nedeljkovic made 40 stops for the Penguins and Rickard Rakell scored his team-high 21st goal as Pittsburgh won without injured center Evgeni Malkin.
McDavid finished with three assists. Leon Draisaitl scored twice to boost his season total to an NHL-best 31, but the Penguins beat Stuart Skinner four times in the first 14 minutes. Skinner settled down to finish with 21 saves but it wasn't enough as the Penguins ended Edmonton's four-game winning streak.
Crosby's 12th goal 5:42 into the second put the Penguins up 5-1, some welcome wiggle room for a team that has struggled to hold multiple-goal leads.
23 Comments
Matzomaster
Good riddance to the Oilers. Hopefully, they can find a way to lose in the first round of the playoffs again this year.
Karamba
Nedeljkovic was a brick wall in net! Those 40 saves were crucial to securing the win.
Rotfront
Love seeing the Oilers lose! Always a joy to watch them crumble under pressure.
Karamba
McDavid may have had a good game, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Penguins' dominance.
Matzomaster
So embarrassing to watch the Oilers crumble against a mediocre Penguins team. Are they even trying?
The Truth
I'm still a die-hard Oilers fan and I believe in this team. They'll overcome this adversity and come out stronger.
Jordan
the Oilers are a one-man show. Without McDavid, they're nothing.
Answer
It's great to see the Penguins finally snap their losing streak and get back on track.
Jordan
Draisaitl is a superstar and he'll bounce back from this tough night. He's too talented not to.
The Truth
Draisaitl needs to wake up and start scoring consistently. 31 goals is good, but not good enough when you're supposed to be the MVP.
Jordan
How many times does this team have to lose before they realize they need drastic changes? Fire Tippett already!
The Truth
Who would have thought that the mighty Penguins would struggle against the Oilers this season? What a joke.
Habibi
McDavid robbed again! That's what happens when you leave him all alone against a porous defense like Pittsburgh's.
ytkonos
Crosby's milestone overshadowed by another pathetic defensive effort. Can't this team EVER learn to protect a lead?
dedus mopedus
What a huge win for the Penguins against a tough Oilers team! So proud of Crosby and the boys!
lettlelenok
It's always the same story with the Oilers. They dominate early, then fall apart in the second half.
Africa
Can't believe I wasted my time watching this pathetic display of hockey. Oilers fans deserve better.
Comandante
Crosby moving into the top 10 all-time scorers is absolutely incredible! What a legend!
Muchacha
Every team goes through rough patches, and this is just a temporary setback for the Oilers.
Raphael
Let's go Pens! This win proves they still have what it takes to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Leonardo
Crosby is a true leader and his impact on this team is undeniable. He's the heart and soul of the Penguins.
Donatello
Can't wait for the playoffs so we can see this team choke again. They're the definition of regular season warriors.
Michelangelo
Another night, another Oilers loss. This team is all flash and no substance.