Crosby remains upbeat for Penguins despite 10-game goal drought

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Sidney Crosby didn’t want to shy away from his goal drought reaching 10 games.

Actually, it being mentioned several times recently might have relieved the Pittsburgh Penguins captain.

“Usually when I'm asked about it, that's usually when it starts to change,” Crosby said with a smile Wednesday. “So, thank you. What took you so long?”

Crosby leads the Penguins with 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in 33 games entering their matchup at the Nashville Predators on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, SN-PIT, TVAS), but the 37-year-old center hasn’t scored since Nov. 23. He got his 600th NHL goal that night in a 6-1 home loss to the Utah Hockey Club.

“It’s not enjoyable, obviously,” Crosby said of reaching the milestone after that loss.

Since then, Pittsburgh (14-14-5) is 7-2-1, moving within a point of the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Penguins have scored 41 goals in that 10-game span.

It’s been done without Crosby scoring, but not without him having an impact.

Crosby has 10 assists during his drought and is six from tying Mario Lemieux (1,033) for the most in Penguins history. Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, his usual linemates, have scored seven goals each in the past 10 games. Rakell leads Pittsburgh with 14 goals; Rust is second with 12.

And Crosby hasn’t been overly passive. He’s had 30 shots on goal in the past 10 games, just behind Rust (32) and ahead of Rakell (24).

“I think when the chances are there, and especially, I'd say, the last three games, [I] had some really good looks that haven't gone in, hit some posts, things like that,” Crosby said. “So, I wouldn't say it's easy, but like I said, when you're winning games, it makes it a little better. ... I don't think you can start to force it or start cheating. I think you've got to play the right way and trust the pucks will go in the net."

On Tuesday, Crosby didn’t score on six shots but might have been the primary reason Pittsburgh rallied for a 3-2 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings. With his team trailing 2-1 in the third period, he sent a backhand, cross-ice pass to the left face-off circle, setting up Matt Grzelcyk's first goal this season at 14:25.

“I know he's probably a little frustrated he hasn't scored, but he's been playing really well for us,” Grzelcyk said after the game. “Such a good player, amazing vision. And I know from playing against him for so many years, he's always got his head up and he can put guys on his back, draw a lot of guys in coverage and find you. That play was all him."

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan saw it the same way.

"I think he's so close. He could've had three tonight,” Sullivan said. “He could've had three in the third period alone. So, I think it's a matter of time. It's going to go in the net for him. I think he's getting inside more. He makes a terrific play to [Grzelcyk] for the game-tier. He's probably the only guy in the rink that could make that play. It's a backhand [saucer pass], lands flat right on the tape. There aren't a lot of guys that can make that type of a play. I just think it's a matter of time.

“He still has an impact on the game, even when he doesn't score, in so many ways. The way he drives our offense. ... He's just a complete player. He's got a mature game. For me, he's so close to scoring and we're hoping when he breaks through here, it'll come in bunches for him."

It did last season. Crosby didn’t score in 11 straight games from Feb. 27-March 16 before finishing with 10 goals in the final 16 games.

He isn’t alone this time when it comes to having trouble scoring.

Evgeni Malkin reached 500 NHL goals in the same game when Crosby hit 1,600 points, a 6-5 overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16. He has five goals in 28 games since, including two in the past 17. The 38-year-old center scored his seventh of the season Tuesday, ending a five-game drought.

The Penguins winning without many goal contributions from those two could be reassuring. And, like Crosby, Malkin is given the benefit of the doubt.

“These guys, they’re proud guys,” Sullivan said. “They work extremely hard at their game. For me, the biggest thing is just the process. If they’re getting looks and the puck’s not going in the net for them, in a lot of ways, we don’t think that’s sustainable. If they weren’t getting looks, that’s a different conversation, right?

“[Malkin] is getting some high-quality looks. The same could be said for Sid.”

If Pittsburgh hadn’t found some footing, maybe it would be different. For now, though, Crosby can deal with goals being elusive.

“You always want to score and, obviously, when there's some good looks like I've had lately, you're feeling like it's just a matter of time,” Crosby said. “I wouldn't say it's easy, but it's slightly easier when you're winning games. So, I think I'm grateful that we're still finding ways to win games even with some of those opportunities missed that maybe would've gone up or put games away. Hoping that there's a chunk that are due to go in here soon."