It’s tough to imagine Sidney Crosby lighting up the New York Rangers like he destroyed the New York Islanders, but you could feel a bit of that magic from the moment he stepped back on the ice. (Sure, there was a lot of profane “magic” from Rangers fans, but that just adds to the atmosphere.)
In fact, Crosby’s interesting “third” line created the game’s first goal - on his first shift back. Crosby will only receive a +1 for his trouble, but he created a little havoc while Tyler Kennedy collected an assist on a weird Matt Cooke goal.
I’d be surprised if that trio sticks together long-term, yet if they produce results like that often enough, the Pittsburgh Penguins might prove me wrong.
With the score 1-1 through the first period, Crosby played just under five minutes (4:56) and fired one shot on goal. That line also generated a power play for the Penguins.