CALGARY — We will analyze the Penguins’ first couple of weeks in another mailbag later this week.
For now, let’s reflect on some good times. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin enjoyed a special night against the Buffalo Sabres last week, spawning several questions about the Penguins’ dynamic duo.
Away we go.
If you had to pick a defining game (their all time best game) for Crosby and Malkin this far in their career, what would that be for each of them? (I excluded Kris Letang because it’s tougher for a defenseman I feel but include him if you would like) — @tibolds87
I’ll give you all three. But let’s stick with “defining game” and not “best game.” Picking their respective “best games” is impossible. So, I’ll give you the games I’ll recall when I think of their careers many years from now.
Crosby: June 8, 2017 — Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against Nashville
Just go back and watch a replay. It’s the greatest game he ever played. Crosby didn’t score a goal that night, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t need to score to control the pivotal moment of the Stanley Cup Final. The Penguins had lost two straight in Nashville and the series was even.
Back in Pittsburgh, Crosby drew a penalty on the game’s first shift and never looked back. Just a startling performance where his peak physicality, mental acumen, competitive drive and experience converged. The Predators never had a chance.
Malkin: June 12, 2009 — Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in Detroit
Malkin didn’t score a goal in his pick, either, but that’s OK. When pondering Malkin’s greatness, we have to consider his bizarre tendency to elevate his game when Crosby is hurt. He becomes an entirely different player.
Malkin is an offensive genius, a Hall of Famer, so many things. Above all, he’s a competitor of rare magnificence. Everything was on the line that night in Detroit. Then Crosby got hurt. Malkin played a mesmerizing two-way game, and, when I think of his career, I’ll always think of that night.
Letang: June 12, 2016 — Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in San Jose
He scored the winning goal in the Cup-clinching game, but that tells only part of the story. He was a different player before his neck injury, which required surgery the following season. The 2015-16 version of Letang is the one that will get him into the Hall of Fame. He was extraordinary that season and that series in particular.
Letang seemingly never left the ice against the Sharks, which was a good thing for the Penguins.
I think it says something for the Big Three that all of the games I picked came in the Stanley Cup Final.
Which team or teams were most victimized by Sid and Geno? — @JDemuro23
The easy answer is Philadelphia. What Crosby does to them — especially in the Flyers’ building — never ceases to amaze. He dislikes the Flyers and is a different person when he plays them. He sees red. And he devours orange and black.
I don’t know if Malkin’s dominance against one team in particular pops into my mind, but I imagine the 2009 Hurricanes still see him in their nightmares.
Where do you think Sid finishes on the all time points list? Same question if he hadn’t dealt with the concussion issues for parts of three seasons? — @Ruffings96
I think there’s a real chance he catches Jaromir Jagr for second place on the all-time list. He needs 319 points, which is more than you might think, especially at his age.
But he’s still great, and I’m not at all convinced he’ll retire after his new contract is up. So, if he can stay healthy, I think he’ll catch Jagr and I think 700 goals and 2,000 points are conceivable.
What’s your favorite moment while covering the Pens? — @MinkahsGoat
This is a tough question because there have been so many. Getting to cover a team that wins the Cup is special. I could tell Crosby stories for days, off and on the ice.
I might come across as a macho sportswriter, but I’m a softie at heart. About 30 minutes after Chris Kunitz’s knuckleball won Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference final in double overtime against the Ottawa Senators, I strolled through the event level of PPG Paints Arena and headed back to the press box to write about the classic game.
Sometimes you see things you’re not really supposed to see but you can’t help but appreciate. As I walked toward the press box, I heard a noise. I looked to my right and saw Kunitz sitting on the floor and crying while holding his children. Some images you never, ever forget. Good man. Good player. Great, great moment.
Did you observe any cool behind the scenes moments of teammates interacting with Sid or Geno after achieving their milestones in the locker room last night? — @skiab94
Funny you should ask. I was sick and stayed home. Ha ha.
I couldn’t pick some random games against the Devils to feel like crap. It had to be that night. So, no, nothing of substance to report, but I sure was happy for them.
How many Penguins milestones have you seen in person? Do they all stand out? Do you have a favorite – either for personal reasons, or just how the milestone maker and team reacted — @stefdin
Oh, I’ve seen a bunch. I knew Sid was getting No. 500 against the Flyers because he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to do it against them. So I bought tickets for my lady friend and sat with her for a chunk of the game, including when he scored, because I wanted to experience the crowd reaction up close. The press box serves its purpose, but it’s in another zip code. I’m an adrenaline junky. I love being around crowds in moments like that. It was so cool.
But my favorite …
My mom has seen Sid play only once in person. She’s a baseball person, so those are the only games she likes to attend. But I took her to see Sid years before I covered the team. It was Nov. 11, 2005. That was the night that Crosby scored a shootout winner for the first time in his career against the Canadiens.
Earlier that night, Mario Lemieux scored his final NHL goal. We didn’t know it would be at the time, of course. But he developed a heart condition (atrial fibrillation) and had to call it quits. As a Pittsburgh guy who grew up idolizing Mario in my childhood, I’m glad I got to be there to see that with my mom.
Have you ever an experienced a time where the locker room was incredibly fractured/broken/disconnected? Losing streak, trade, guys at odds with each other…I’d imagine the Hagelin trade, guys arguing about the C when Sid was out with concussion(s) but anything outside of that? — @tylershred
Those are all legitimate examples. There were lots of big egos on the Penguins around 2010-14, which caused some problems. But Crosby is such a good captain that I wouldn’t say the locker room has ever really been fractured.
Two questions: Favorite Geno non-goal hockey play (because everyone says the Flyer or Carolina goal)? Favorite Geno off-ice story (that you can repeat or edit for this family hockey column)? — @Itsspelledgraig
Probably when he snapped on Henrik Zetterberg after Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2009. Always funny stuff when he loses his mind.
Favorite story? He didn’t know that Gary Agnew was the Penguins’ assistant coach. It had been months and he still didn’t recognize him or know his name. So one night, Agnew stopped him in a hallway and said, “Hey Geno, my name’s Gary. I’m one of your coaches.”
Malkin just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking.
The next night, they passed each other again in the hallway. Malkin stopped and, very dramatically said, “Hi, Gary.” Then kept walking. Hearing Agnew tell the story is much funnier, but you get the point.
In honor of Sid and Geno, how did you know prior to Game 6, Tampa, 2016, that these two guys were locked in, and no way the Pens were losing that night? — @cmupensfan
I tell the story a lot, and for you, Clint, I’ll do it again.
Earlier, we discussed each member of the Big Three’s defining game. But if I had to pick a game that was the defining moment for the three of them collectively, it was, without question, Game 6 of the 2016 Eastern Conference final in Tampa.
Letang was a minus-4 in the previous game. Crosby and Malkin hadn’t played great. At this point, the Penguins had not won the Cup in seven years and were one-hit wonders. The Lightning were up in the series, 3-2, and were on home ice with a chance to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for a second straight year.
I stayed late in the locker room after the morning skate. I was the only reporter left when a team official kicked me out of the room. On my way out the door, I turned around and saw only two Penguins remaining in the locker room: Crosby and Malkin. Crosby often hung around late. Malkin never did. But that morning, they did. They were sitting beside each other in the locker room, but staring ahead like someone had just insulted a family member.
I departed the locker room and called a friend and said there’s no way they’re losing.
It was their legacy game. They did not disappoint.
(Photo of Crosby and Malkin: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)