Sidney Crosby Islanders Comeback Game Sees Pittsburgh Win 5-0
Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby shined in his first NHL game Monday since he suffered a concussion in January.
"It was a memorable night for sure,” Crosby said in a post-game news conference.
Crosby finished the game with two goals and two assists in the team’s 5-0 win against the New York Islanders.
“You have a sense that is going to happen because it has happened on more than one occasion,” Pittsburg coach Dylan Bylsma told USA Today.
“Certainly, he showed another knack for coming up big when the spotlight is on,” he added.
It was announced Crosby would play in Monday’s game on Sunday afternoon. The young player has been referred to as the face of the National Hockey League, and die-hard Pittsburg fans feared the concussion he received 11 months ago would threaten his promising career.
He is now being referred to as "Sid the Comeback Kid" after yesterday's performance.
“I expected fans to be loud, but that was far beyond what I expected,” Crosby said.
After Crosby’s first goal, he let out a loud scream, revealing his excitement to be back in the game.
“I had a lot of different things going through my mind. But the main thing was just enjoying playing. That's what I've missed the last 10 months,” he added.
The crowd proved riotous as Crosby played 15:54 minutes of the game.
“The atmosphere was very electric,” Pittsburg goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said.
This is Pittsburgh’s 13th consecutive victory at home against the Islanders.
“We just don't compete hard enough -- that's a basic thing,” Frans Neilsen of the New York Islanders said.
We're losing so many one-on-one battles out there,” he added.
Crosby is the NHL’s 2007 “Most Valuable Player” and a 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist for Canada.
