Sidney Crosby Gets 1,000th NHL Point, Scores In OT To Lift Penguins To 4-3 Win Over Jets

Sidney Crosby had a great night on Thursday for two reasons: he notched his 1,000th NHL point and then scored in overtime to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 4-3 home victory over the Winnipeg Jets.

Sidney Crosby Notches 1,000th NHL Point, Scores In OT

“He’s a tremendous player,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “The fact that he scored 1,000 points in [757] games that he has, I think is just a testament to the player that he is and the character of the person. He’s an ultra-competitive guy. He loves to win.”

After Egeni Malkin gave Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead 59 seconds into the game, Crosby reached the 1,000-point mark with an assist on Chris Kunitz’s goal–which made it 2-0– at 6:28 of the first period. Crosby tipped the puck away from Jets forward Blake Wheeler in the crease before fighting him off in the left face-off circle and feeding Kunitz, who one-timed a shot past goalie Connor Hellebuyck. 

Crosby is now the 86th player in NHL history and 12th fastest to reach 1,000. It took him six fewer games than it took Jaromir Jagr to reach the milestone with the Penguins. The 29-year-old is also the second-youngest active player to reach 1,000 points behind Jagr, who was 28 when he did it.

“I was hovering around it for a while, so it’s nice to get it and nice to get a win,” Crosby said. “You get that early and you want to make sure you win the game. … We hung in there and found a way to get it.”

Crosby scored in overtime at PPG Paints Arena– formerly the Consol Energy Center– with a wrist shot for his 1,0002nd point with 21.1 seconds remaining in overtime.

The Penguins (36-13-7, 79 points) are two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for second in the Metropolitan Division.

After Kunitz’s goal, Winnipeg rookie forward Patrik Laine scored with 2:50 left in the second to cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 2-1, and then Paul Postma tied it 2-2 on a slap shot at 4:22 of the third.

Laine has 27 goals, four behind Crosby for the league lead.

Dustin Byfuglien wrapped a shot around the left post and past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to give the Jets a 3-2 lead at 8:24 of the third, and then Pittsburgh’s Phil Kessel tied it 303 on a power play with 6:05 left.

Winnipeg (26-29-5, 57 points) are four points behind the Calgary Flames for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference.

“It was a real good battle,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “Really, really hard-fought game.”

Fleury made 44 saves in his first home start since Jan. 8, while Hellebuyck had 35.

Pittsburgh played with four defensemen after Justin Schultz and Olli Maatta were injured in the second period. The team did not provide an update on either player after the game.

The Jets next visit the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, while the Penguins will visit the Blue Jackets on Friday.

PITTSBURGH, PA – FEBRUARY 16: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins handles the puck as Dustin Byfuglien #33 of the Winnipeg Jets defends in the third period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on February 16, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena