SALT LAKE CITY — The good news? The Penguins have not collapsed without Sidney Crosby.
They’ve picked up nine points in the nine games he’s missed and technically sit in the same playoff spot they occupied before his Olympic lower-body injury, despite Evgeni Malkin also missing the past four games with a suspension.
kAm%96 325 ?6HDn (9:=6 E96 !6?8F:?D C6>2:? D64@?5 😕 E96 |6EC@A@=:E2? s:G:D:@?[ E96:C >2C8:? 7@C 6CC@C 😀 5:D2AA62C:?8] %96J’C6 E:65 H:E9 E96 }6H *@C< xD=2?56CD 2?5 92G6 A=2J65 E96 D2>6 ?F>36C @7 82>6D] !:EED3FC89 9@=5D E96 E:63C62<6C H:E9 C68F=2E:@? H:?D]k^Am
kAm|@C6 EC@F3=:?8=J[ E96 r@=F>3FD q=F6 y24<6ED ;FDE <66A 4=:>3:?8] %96J’C6 ?@H H:E9:? EH@ A@:?ED @7 E96 !6?8F:?D 2?5 xD=2?56CD]k^Am
kAm!:EED3FC89’D D4@C:?8 56AE9 92D 4@?E:?F65 E@ D9:?6 H:E9@FE :ED EH@ =6256CD 😕 A@:?ED A6C 82>6] qFE 5676?D:G6 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ 92D 6=F565 E96 E62> H96? :E H2D >@DE ?66565]k^Am
kAmxE 5@6D ?@E 2AA62C E96 !6?8F:?D H:== 36 H:E9@FE rC@D3J 2?5 |2=<:? >F49 =@?86C] |2=<:?’D DFDA6?D:@? 6?5D 27E6C $2EFC52J’D 82>6 2E &E29] rC@D3J 92D A2CE:4:A2E65 😕 E96 E62>’D A2DE EH@ >@C?:?8 D<2E6D[ 6G6? E2<:?8 D@>6 4@?E24E 😕 5C:==D %9FCD52J]k^Am
kAmw6C6’D H92E s2? |FD6 2?5 9:D E62> 92G6 =62C?65 23@FE E96>D6=G6D H:E9@FE E96:C w2== @7 u2>6 5F@ik^Am
kAmz2C=DD@? A=2J:?8 =:<6 2 DE2Ck^Am
kAm%96 !6?8F:?D EC2565 7@C 2 E9C66\E:>6 }@CC:D %C@A9J H:??6C 367@C6 E96 a_ab\ac D62D@?] %92E’D ?@E E96 A=2J6C E96J 8@E 😕 tC:< z2C=DD@?’D 7:CDE EH@ D62D@?D H:E9 E96 E62>]k^Am
kAmqFE 96’D 366? E92E 8FJ 7@C >F49 @7 E9:D D62D@?[ A2CE:4F=2C=J D:?46 E96 ~=J>A:4 3C62<]k^Am
kAmw6 92D ?:?6 A@:?ED 😕 E96 A2DE 6:89E 82>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 E9C66 >F=E:\2DD:DE 4@?E6DED] tG6CJ 82>6[ 96’D >2<:?8 F?36=:6G23=6 A=2JD E92E 5@?’E D9@H FA @? E96 D4@C6D966E — DA:??:?8 A2DE 5676?56CD E@ @A6? A2DD:?8 =2?6D[ >2<:?8 DA64E24F=2C <66AD 2E E96 3=F6 =:?6[ 7=J:?8 5@H? E96 :46 E@ 5:DCFAE @55\>2? CFD96D]k^Am
kAmz2C=DD@? 😀 A=2J:?8 =:<6 2 DE2C H96? E96 !6?8F:?D ?66565 9:> >@DE] w6 =@@2? 282:?]k^Am
kAm|2?E92[ r9:?2<9@G 2C6 =68:Ek^Am
kAmxE H2D 72:C E@ H@?56C H96E96C p?E9@?J |2?E92 2?5 t8@C r9:?2<9@G 4@F=5 <66A FA E96:C >2;@C D4@C:?8 FAE:4:?8 E@ !:EED3FC89 W:? E96 @77D62D@? 7@C |2?E92 2?5 G:2 2 =2E6 s646>36C EC256 7@C r9:?2<9@GX]k^Am
kAm}@ ?665 7@C BF6DE:@?D 2?J>@C6] |2?E92 92D E9C66 8@2=D 2?5 2? 2DD:DE 😕 E96 =2DE E9C66 82>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 EJ:?8 E96 82>6 EH:46 😕 E96 E9:C5 A6C:@5 282:?DE q@DE@? @? $F?52J] w:D D:=2E6D]k^Am
kAmp?5 r9:?2<9@G 😀 3=@DD@>:?8 :?E@ 2? 2==\2C@F?5 H62A@? 7@C E96 !6?8F:?D] w:D D<2E:?8 D66>D E@ D9@4< @AA@?6?ED — 96 2=>@DE DE@=6 2 8@2= %F6D52J 😕 r2C@=:?2 8=:5:?8 5@H? E96 :46 😕 AFCDF:E @7 2 AF4< 8@2=:6 uC656C:< p?56CD6? 925 4@>6 H2J @FE @7 9:D 4C62D6 E@ A=2J]k^Am
kAm“u@C 2 A=2J6C H:E9 9:D @776?D:G6 82>6[ :E’D 8C62E E@ D66 9@H 5:=:86?E 96 😀 😕 E6C>D @7 9:D A=2J 2H2J 7C@> E96 AF4<[ 2D H6==[” |FD6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6’D 7=2D965 5J?2>:4 A=2J>2<:?8 E@ 8@ 2=@?8 H:E9 E96 H:4<65 C6=62D6] $@ >F49 @7 9:D D4@C:?8 D66>65 E@ 36 E:65 E@ |2=<:?] qFE 😕 E96 7@FC 82>6D H:E9@FE 9:D 4@F?ECJ>2?[ r9:?2<9@G 92D 7:G6 A@:?ED] w:D :46 E:>6 92D D@2C65] w6 56D6CG6D :E]k^Am
kAm#FDE[ #2<6== DE6A FAk^Am
kAm}@ @?6 H@F=5 D66> E@ 36 >@C6 27764E65 3J rC@D3J’D 23D6?46 E92? 9:D =@?8E:>6 =:?6>2E6D] p?5 #:4<2C5 #2<6== 46CE2:?=J DECF88=65 😕 9:D 62C=J 82>6D 2E 46?E6C] qFE 96 2?5 qCJ2? #FDE 92G6 A:4<65 FA >F49 @7 E96 D4@C:?8 D=24< C646?E=J]k^Am
kAm#FDE 92D 9:E E96 d_\A@:?E E9C6D9@=5 7@C E96 7:7E9 E:>6 😕 9:D 42C66C] w6 92D `_ A@:?ED 😕 E96 A2DE 6:89E 82>6D[ :?4=F5:?8 5C288:?8 E96 !6?8F:?D E@ @G6CE:>6 H:E9 EH@ 8@2=D 2?5 2? 2DD:DE 😕 r2C@=:?2 @? %F6D52J]k^Am
kAm#2<6== 92D AC@323=J A=2J65 9:D 36DE 9@4<6J @7 E96 D62D@? 😕 E96 A2DE 7@FC 82>6D] w6’D AFE FA 7:G6 A@:?ED H9:=6 >2<:?8 4C27EJ A=2JD 2C@F?5 E96 ?6E[ AC@G:5:?8 2 DE625J 5676?D:G6 AC6D6?46 2?5 =@@<:?8 >@C6 4@>7@CE23=6 😕 E96 >:55=6 @7 E96 :46]k^Am
kAm%96 7:CDE =:?6 92D D=:89E=J F?56CH96=>65 E9:D D62D@?] (:E9 E96 >@>6?EF> #FDE 2?5 #2<6== 92G6 3F:=E[ E92E =@@
kAm%@@ >2?J >:DE2<6Dk^Am
kAmvC:E 92D ?@E 366? 2 AC@3=6> H:E9@FE |2=<:? 2?5 rC@D3J] %96 !6?8F:?D C67FD65 E@ 8@ 2H2J 😕 >F=E:\8@2= 4@>6324
kAm%96J’G6 >256 A2:?7F= EFC?@G6CD — r@??@C s6H2C’D A2DD 5:C64E=J E@ |:E49 |2C?6C 😕 E96 ?6FEC2= K@?6 %9FCD52J 282:?DE ‘682D DE2?5D @FE 2D A2CE:4F=2C=J 68C68:@FD]k^Am
kAm%96J’G6 2==@H65 BF:4< 6BF2=:K6CD] %9C66 E:>6D 282:?DE !9:=256=A9:2 @? $2EFC52J[ E96 !6?8F:?D DFCC6?56C65 2 EJ:?8 8@2= H:E9:? 7:G6 >:?FE6D @7 E2<:?8 E96 =625 WEH:46 H:E9:? 2 >:?FE6X]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m%96J D66> E@ 36 @G6CE9:?<:?8 @776?D:G6=J]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm“%2<6 E96 D9@ED H96? H6 92G6 E96>[” t=56C $@56C3=@> D2:5 H96? 2D<65 23@FE 9@H E96 !6?8F:?D 4@F=5 3C62< E9C@F89 282:?DE 2 DE:?8J 5676?D:G6 E62> =:<6 ‘682D] “s@?’E A2DD FA 2?J D9@E @AA@CEF?:E:6D 3642FD6 @?6 D9@E 42? =625 E@ D@ >2?J E9:?8D]”k^Am
kAmp?5 E96 !6?8F:?D 92G6 8:G6? FA E@@ >2?J vC256\p 492?46D 56DA:E6 ?@E DA6?5:?8 >F49 E:>6 😕 E96:C @H? K@?6 W@FED:56 @7 E96 D9@@E@FE =@DD 😕 r2C@=:?2[ H96C6 8@2=:6 $EF2CE $<:??6C AFE @? 9:D 42A6X]k^Am
kAm$6G6C2= E:>6D C646?E=J[ @AA@?6?ED 92G6 H@? 4@C?6C 32EE=6D 2?5 DF556?=J 6?565 FA H:E9 >F=E:A=6 F?4@G6C65 2EE24<6CD] %96 !6?8F:?D D66>65 E@ >2?8=6 =:?6 492?86D @? 2 4@FA=6 @7 @442D:@?D %9FCD52J 😕 ‘682D[ H96C6 E96J 2=D@ 5:5 2 A@@C ;@3 @7 D=@H:?8 @55\>2? CFD96D]k^Am
kAm“*@F 82G6 D@>6 C62==J 8@@5 D9@@E6CD D@>6 C62==J 4=62? =@@
kAmkDEC@?8m$E2CED ?@E 2D 4C:DAk^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm~?6 @7 E96 !6?8F:?D’ 8C62E6DE DEC6?8E9D E9:D D62D@? 92D 366? E96:C C6>2C<23=6 23:=:EJ E@ 7:?5 E96 7:CDE 8@2=] %92E 92D?’E 366? E96 42D6 C646?E=J[ 2?5 :E’D 7@C465 E96> E@ A=2J 7C@> 369:?5 H:E9@FE EH@ @7 E96:C @776?D:G6 6?8:?6D]k^Am
kAm!:EED3FC89 92D 2==@H65 E96 7:CDE 8@2= 😕 7@FC @7 E96 A2DE 7:G6 82>6D] q67@C6 E92E[ E96J’5 D4@C65 7:CDE 😕 bg @7 e_ 4@?E6DED Web]bTX]k^Am
kAm%92E 92D AC@323=J 4@?EC:3FE65 E@ E96 6CC@CD C676C6?465 23@G6]k^Am
kAmxE 2AA=:6D E@ E9:C5 A6C:@5D[ E@@] %96 !6?8F:?D 82G6 FA E9C66 F?2?DH6C65 8@2=D 😕 E96 7:CDE “ia` @7 E96 7:?2= A6C:@5 %F6D52J 😕 r2C@=:?2] %96J 2==@H65 E96 v@=56? z?:89ED E@ EFC? 2 E:89E 82>6 :?E@ 2 C@FE H:E9 EH@ F?2?DH6C65 E2==:6D 😕 E96 7:CDE eia_ @7 %9FCD52J’D E9:C5 A6C:@5]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m!@H6C A=2J DF776C:?8k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm!C:@C E@ E96 ~=J>A:4 3C62<[ E96 !6?8F:?D 925 E96 7@FCE9\36DE A@H6C A=2J 😕 E96 =628F6] xE’D DF?< E@ 2 E:6 7@C a`DE 😕 E96 ?:?6 82>6D D:?46]k^Am
kAm%96 7:CDE F?:E =@@@C6 ;F>A 3FE 92D?’E 4@?G6CE65 E92E :?E@ >F49 AC@5F4E:@?] q@E9 8C@FAD 2C6 A2DD:?8 @FE @7 8@@5 =@@
kAm%9:D EC6?5 D9@F=5 36 62D:=J C6G6CD65 @?46 E96 3:8 8F?D C6EFC?] p?5 E96 !6?8F:?D ?665 :E]k^Am