SIDNEY CROSBY’S MVP FORM LEADING THE PENGUINS

After getting blown off the ice 4-0 by a game against the San Jose Sharks on February 23rd, Sidney Crosby has been a man on a mission for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

A goal and at least two points in each of the four games since that low-point against San Jose. Down three of the team’s best four defensemen to injury, it couldn’t have happened at a better time for a team desperate for Crosby’s all-around game and production.

As usual, Crosby’s modesty about “little things” don’t paint the full picture of his own contributions with all these goals and multi-point games.

The timing has been incredible too - Crosby scored the game’s first goal against Philly and Montreal. He assisted Jake Guentzel’s game opening goal against Columbus. That’s making a big opening impact and scoring the first goal is critically important to getting a result. Consider that Pittsburgh is 22-11-6 in games when they score first this season, and just 12-11-3 when they go down 1-0 in a game. That makes a big difference and Crosby factoring into three of the first goals these past few games is a real and big value add.

This scoring hot streak of 10 points in four games has pushed Crosby to a tie for fourth in the league’s scoring race, giving him 83 points (29 goals + 54 assists) in 62 games. Crosby won’t be winning the Art Ross trophy this year, Tampa’s Nikita Kucherov is doing some special things not seen in years and years with 106 points (31g+75a) in 66 games.

But as The Athletic found with an anonymous NHL player poll, there’s no doubt who the league considers to be the game’s best all-around player.

Whether or not Crosby wins any individual awards this season is clearly in the back seat right now priority-wise for a team just scratching to stay in the playoff hunt.

The Pens are definitely being driven by #87 right now, and Evgeni Malkin has three goals in the last four games as well. The star players are certainly doing their part in the playoff push.

How’s this for a stat - Crosby’s points last night ensured he will end the season with more points than games played, his 14th consecutive season where he’ll score more than a point-per-game. The only players in NHL history to have more PPG+ seasons to start a career are Mario Lemieux (15) and Wayne Gretzky (also 15). Always cool to see Sid put his name in the realm of the all-time greats.