Crosby, Penguins need 'urgency and desperation' in chase for playoff berth

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Sidney Crosby practiced as normal on Friday.

Joining the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins just before noon ET, the center did a few laps speaking with coaches and teammates. After several drills, the Penguins captain took his customary spot on the top power play.

But, to Crosby, there was a difference. Pittsburgh (29-27-9) sits five points behind the New York Islanders and the Detroit Red Wings for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Now, he said, the Penguins can’t afford to trip on the path back to contention, starting against the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN1, TVAS).

“I think you get excited for those opportunities, especially this time of year,” Crosby said. “I think the points are so important. Every game becomes more and more important. So I think with that, I think the urgency and desperation, and everything, kind of elevates. Those are the fun ones to be in. As a player, and as a team, you have to elevate.”

Crosby remains the best chance for the Penguins to do that; he leads them with 32 goals, on pace to reach 40 for the first time since scoring 44 in 2016-17, the most recent of his three seasons winning the Stanley Cup.

But the 36-year-old has five assists in a 10-game goal drought.

Pittsburgh is 3-6-1 in that stretch, capped by a 6-3 home win against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. Before that, they were outscored 17-2 on a four-game losing streak (0-3-1) and had lost seven of eight (1-6-1), inlcuding being held to one goal three times and being shut out three times.

"I think Sid understands the circumstance we're in," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said, "and I think his intentions are in the right place, as far as doing what he can to try to help this team win.

"It's been an emotional couple of weeks for all of us for obvious reasons, no one more so than Sid. He cares so deeply for this team and this organization, and trying to continue to compete. So I think his intentions are certainly in the right place from that standpoint.”

Some of that emotion stems from the departure of Jake Guentzel Crosby’s longtime linemate, in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on March 7. Michael Bunting, acquired in the trade, has one goal in four games as Guentzel’s replacement at first-line left wing.

Guentzel sustained an upper-body injury Feb. 14, effectively ending his tenure in Pittsburgh.

Crosby, 18 goals from 600 in the NHL, scored three goals in the first two games following Guentzel’s injury. He reached 31 goals in 52 games, on pace for 48 this season, but has one in 13 games since.

Still, even when not producing, Crosby drives the game, Sullivan said.

"I think Sid, obviously, when he scores, it helps us,” Sullivan said. “But he does so many other things. He's good on both sides of the puck. We rely on him defensively. He's really good in the face-off circle. He's creating opportunities for his linemates.

“Does the same on our power play. He has an impact on so many different levels. Regardless of whether he scores a goal or not, he certainly makes us a better team."

Crosby has 65 points (32 goals, 33 assists) in 65 games this season, his 19th in the NHL. He averaged at least a point per game in his first 18 seasons and could tie Wayne Gretzky (19) for the most consecutive seasons at that rate to begin a career.

That streak staying intact could have a direct correlation to the Penguins' fortunes in their final 17 games.

“I think he's understanding of where we're at,” Sullivan said. “He understands what his role is here in trying to help us compete and, ultimately, make the playoffs, acknowledging that we're in a tough spot right now. But it's not insurmountable. For me, that’s the most important thing is just understanding that we're not eliminated until we're eliminated.

“We've got to control what we can and do everything in our power to stay competitive and win games, give ourselves an opportunity to play meaningful hockey. I think Sid understands that. He wants to lead us in that regard."

And the door is still ajar; on Thursday, the Islanders lost 4-0 at the Buffalo Sabres and the Red Wings lost 4-1 to the Arizona Coyotes.

It’s up to Pittsburgh to walk through, Crosby said.

“I think there should be a little bit of a spark and a certain energy, I think, you get from that, understanding you're a little bit closer and you got some help,” Crosby said. “It's up to us to make the most of that opportunity. So it doesn't always work out that way, that you get help. We've got to make the most of it.”