Crosby gets ‘unique’ chance to play preseason game with Penguins in Nova Scotia

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- When the Timbit minor hockey kids came out on the ice at Scotiabank Centre during the first intermission of the Nova Scotia Showdown to play a truncated five-minute game Monday, each one of them was wearing No. 87.

Much like many of the fans in the stands who were watching them.

This, after all, was the first time in 17 years that center Sidney Crosby -- No. 87 in your programs for the Pittsburgh Penguins, No. 1 in the hearts of most hockey fans here -- was playing an NHL game in his hometown area, and the entire region was stoked. Wearing his jersey was their way of paying tribute to their local hero.

Message received.

Crosby is a native of Cole Harbour, 10 miles from downtown Halifax, and had been champing at the bit for months in anticipation of the Penguins’ preseason game against the Ottawa Senators, much like his legions of supporters here. His previous NHL appearance here came in a preseason game in 2006 when the team, in Crosby’s words, “was in and out of town.”

It was a Sidney Crosby love-in.

Only the Senators didn’t follow the script, shutting out Pittsburgh’s captain and his teammates 3-0.

After the final horn had sounded and he’d emotionally acknowledged the crowd upon being named the game’s Third Star, a grateful Crosby addressed his teammates in the cramped dressing room.

“Just to thank them,” he said. “I know it’s training camp and it’s pretty busy and there’s a lot going on, but I thought whether it was from my family or just from everyone here and what it meant, I wanted to say thank you. That was basically it.”

His teammates, while disappointed they couldn’t have helped produce a win for Crosby on this special night, were just as appreciative of what the 36-year-old and his family and friends had done for them during their three-day visit here.

It started when the players arrived in Halifax on Friday and were greeted with gift bags in their hotel rooms that included homemade banana bread courtesy of Sidney’s mom, Trina.

On Saturday, a morning golf game was followed by a scavenger hunt through the streets of Halifax that included activities such as eating haggis, shucking oysters, and taking shots at a dryer, replicating what Crosby did as a kid in his basement.

Sunday featured a Penguins practice in front of hundreds of kids at Cole Harbour Place, the arena where Crosby and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon grew up playing, albeit almost a decade apart. That was followed by an hour-long on-ice clinic led by Crosby, teammates Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Graves and coach Mike Sullivan, for a group of young minor league players, some of whose families lost their homes in the fires that ravaged the area during the summer.

The icing on the cake for the Penguins’ visit to Atlantic Canada was going to be a win for Crosby in the actual game.

The anticipation in the city was reflected by the lengthy lineup of people waiting to get into the arena hours before the game, many donning Penguins garb. Tickets on the secondary market were going for as much as $2,000 as game time approached.

Inside the building, dozens of handmade signs could be seen pasted against the glass in support of Crosby. And when he stood on the ice when the starting lineups were announced, his name was greeted by a minute-long standing ovation, causing him to wave his stick in acknowledgement.

Then the game started, and the Senators spoiled the party.

But Crosby was gracious in his postgame comments. Deep inside, though, as Malkin pointed out, he was disappointed.

And then some.

“He was happy before, but after the game I think he was a little mad,” Malkin said. “He wants to win. He probably wanted to score.

“But again, he’s a great leader.”

One who was appreciative of the opportunity to play here, even in defeat.

“Like I’ve said many times, you don’t expect to get an opportunity like this,” Crosby said. “It’s unique.

“Growing up here, it sometimes [felt] like the NHL was a different planet.”

It certainly didn’t feel that way the past few days. Not for Crosby or the locals who love him so.