Pittsburgh leads the best-of-7 series 3-2. It has not advanced past an opening-round series since 2018.
Crosby last missed a game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 3, 2017, a 3-2 win for Pittsburgh against the Washington Capitals in Game 4 of the second round.
The 34-year-old leads the Penguins with nine points (two goals, seven assists) this series. He scored six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 games the previous three postseasons.
"He's been awesome. Not just this series, but the entire year," forward Bryan Rust said before Game 5. "He's been phenomenal. He just kind of leads by example. Every time I'm asked about this, I feel like I keep saying the same thing. When you have a leader like that, who's your hardest worker, who goes out there and does everything the right way, I think it just has the team follow suit.
"I can't really say enough about the guy. … I'm not sure that he has the same clock as the rest of us. His time might go a little bit slower than ours."
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Crosby scored 84 points (31 goals, 53 assists) in 69 games this season, tied with linemate Jake Guentzel for the most on the Penguins. Pittsburgh was 5-4-4 in 13 games without its captain.
After having offseason wrist surgery, Crosby was sidelined seven games before making his season debut against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 30. He missed the next five games while in NHL COVID-19 protocol. Crosby also did not play in a 3-0 loss to the Rangers because of a non-COVID-19 illness on April 7.
"He's obviously the best player in the world," Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues said. "He rises to the occasion, whatever it may be. He's been incredible for us. There's really not enough good things you can say about him. It's a treat to play with him."
Crosby helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017, being voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in the latter two postseasons. He became the sixth player in NHL history to reach 200 playoff points (71 goals, 129 assists) with a goal and two assists in Game 4, a 7-2 Penguins win Monday.
"He's a great leader. He's the standard," Sullivan said Thursday. "He personifies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. So he's not only a leader through his actions, but he's a leader through his demeanor and how he carries himself. He's a voice of reason through an emotional, turbulent game.
"So that's what he brings to our team. He's just a great leader, both on the ice and off the ice. I'm probably stating the obvious, but he means a lot to this organization. He means a lot to this team."
Evgeni Malkin will take Crosby's spot on the first line with Guentzel and Rust, with Rodrigues moving from fourth-line right wing to second-line center. Drew O'Connor will enter the lineup on the fourth line, playing for the first time since Game 2.
"This isn't anything that our team isn't accustomed to," Sullivan said. "We played a fair amount of this season in these circumstances and these situations. It's a great opportunity for guys to step up and play more significant roles, and contribute in other ways to help the team win. I think our players are excited about it. They've shown an ability to rise to the occasion. We've done it for a lot of this year."
