The Two-Headed Monster is Already in Beast Mode

After being without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin at the start of last season, the Penguins kicked off the 2022-23 campaign with the Two-Headed Monster in their usual beast mode.

The captain had a goal and two assists while Malkin scored and registered five shots in Pittsburgh's 6-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. But it wasn't just that they got on the stats sheet - it was that both players looked simply dominant, and their play drove home the point that Mike Sullivan has been repeatedly making.
"We're getting a bit older, but we're not old," the Penguins head coach said back in the summer. "There's a big difference. There's still elite play in these guys. They've shown it year in and year out."
That was evident as they began their 17th season together with Kris Letang, which isn't just the most by a trio in the National Hockey League - it also ties the New York Yankees' Derek Jeter,Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada (1995-2011) as the longest-tenured trio of teammates in the four major North American sports leagues
That incredible stat was announced as the Big Three skated out for their player introductions at PPG Paints Arena, and as Malkin took the ice, he went around the center ice circle where everybody was lined up - fist bumping all of his teammates while acknowledging the cheering fans.
It was a cool moment to witness from the superstar center, who is in a completely different place than he was a year ago. Malkin was still recovering from the major knee surgery that would keep him out for the first three months of the 2021-22 campaign, while also entering a contract year and dealing with big questions about his future.
Now that he's signed a long-term extension to remain in Pittsburgh forever - and is coming off a summer where he was able to actually rest and recover - everyone in the Penguins organization had been talking about how strong and fit Malkin looked during training camp.
They also pointed out that after such a tough situation (where he still managed to pile up 20 goals in 41 games), Malkin might have a bit of a chip on his shoulder to prove that he's still got it and can still be an elite player in this league, which is something that he confirmed.
"I'm still a good player. I believe in myself. I believe in my teammates. And again, I'm here to win," Malkin said. "I do everything at my best, and I will be ready the first game."
He certainly was, as Malkin looked strong from the first shift, really driving play and having the type of game where he possessed the puck all night long.
"He's such a dangerous player," Letang said. "Anything you would have tried to do to replace him, you would lose that trade off. So to have him on our side and being able to witness what he does every night, he's a magician out there. He does things that nobody can. You want him on your team."
While Crosby didn't have to deal with contract issues like Malkin did, he also had an injury that sidelined him for the start of last season, missing the opening seven games and having to play catch-up from there. And while of course, the captain always finds a way to find his best game as quick as possible, it's been beneficial for him to hit the ground running for once.
"I haven't really been in a real camp in basically a couple years, because we had a shortened one (during the pandemic)," Crosby said. "So it's been good. I'm ready for the start of the season."
It took all of one minute and 27 seconds for Crosby to get on the board in this one, when he buried a beautiful no-look pass from longtime linemate Jake Guentzel to open the scoring. It was actually the first time in his career that he scored the first Penguins goal of a season.
"Took me a while," the captain said with a grin.
He then returned the favor with a secondary assist on Guentzel's goal, before later setting up Malkin. Crosby finished with three points in a season opener for the second time in his career (2G-1A in 2014-15), with only one Penguins player - Jaromir Jagr - accomplishing the feat more than twice.
"He's just a generational player," Guentzel said. "The best player to ever play. You're still in awe of him to this day when you see him. His longevity in the league and to play at a high level for that long is very unique, and doesn't happen very often. We see it day in and day out with how hard he works and what he brings to this team."