On Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins edged the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 in a shootout, but the real headline was Sidney Crosby’s historic point surge that pushed him past Mario Lemieux for the franchise’s all-time points lead.
Crosby’s Record-Breaking Moment
Crosby began the night one point behind Lemieux, with 645 goals and 1,079 assists for 1,724 points in 1,387 games. He tipped Erik Karlsson’s point shot at 7:58 of the first period for a goal that tied the franchise record. He then broke the mark with 7:20 left in the period when his shot on a power play hit Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell tapped the rebound behind Jakub Dobes.
After the goal, Crosby, Rust and Rakell embraced behind the net, and the Penguins spilled over the bench to congratulate their captain. Later in the period, a 30-second video message recorded by Lemieux congratulating Crosby on the accomplishment was played.
“I don’t think you can put a stat line or a number on what he means to this team and to hockey, so yeah, in my mind, he’s still No. 1,” Crosby said.
Lemieux’s Tribute
In the video, Lemieux said, “I knew when we played together in 2005 that you were going to be a very special player and accomplish a lot of great things in your career,” and added, “Here we are 20 years later, you’re now one of the best to ever play the game.”
A hush fell over the arena as fans intently listened to Lemieux’s message. Crosby later remarked, “Seeing the crowd go quiet when Mario’s message come on, that was pretty special,” and continued, “If you don’t understand the impact he’s had here and you were here tonight, I think you understand it a little bit better given how quiet it got.”
Historical Context and Career Milestones
Lemieux, a Hall of Famer who also owned the franchise following his second retirement, became the Penguins’ all-time points leader, surpassing then-assistant coach Rick Kehoe on Jan. 20, 1989, when Crosby was 17 months old. Lemieux, who was in the lineup when Crosby recorded his first NHL point, finished his career with 1,723 points in 915 games.
Crosby, the No. 1 overall pick in 2005, is the seventh outright all-time points leader in 58 years of the franchise’s history and the ninth active player to lead a franchise in points. He previously broke Lemieux’s record for most assists in franchise history on Dec. 29 against the New York Islanders. Crosby is 45 goals behind Lemieux’s franchise record of 690.
On the league-wide stage, Crosby is now third on the NHL’s all-time points list with a single franchise, behind only Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Gordie Howe (1,809), both with Detroit. He also passed Phil Esposito (449) for sole possession of the ninth-most even-strength goals in NHL history, and tied Adam Oates for the eighth-most assists in NHL history during the first period. With 20 goals this season, Crosby has achieved his 18th 20-goal season; only six players in NHL history have more.
Key Takeaways
- Sidney Crosby surpassed Mario Lemieux for the Penguins’ all-time points lead during a 4-3 shootout win over the Canadiens.
- Lemieux’s 30-second video tribute highlighted his lasting influence on Crosby and the franchise.
- Crosby’s career milestones place him among the elite in franchise and league history, including third on the single-franchise points list and ninth in even-strength goals.
Crosby closed the night by saying, “Having an opportunity to play on the same line and connect on a few goals … those are things that I’ll always remember,” adding, “The impact he’s had on me, this team and hockey in general is pretty amazing.” The night underscored the deep respect between the two Penguins legends and cemented Crosby’s place in the club’s storied history.
