Penguins’ Sidney Crosby scores 600th goal of NHL career

One of the greatest players to ever lace up his skates has achieved another milestone.

On Saturday night, in a game against the Utah Hockey Club, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored the 600th of his illustrious NHL career.

The tally came minutes into the second period when Crosby, appropriately, one-timed a feed from longtime teammate Kris Letang by Utah netminder Karel Vejmelka.

Crosby became the 21st player in NHL history to reach the milestone and the first since longtime foe Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 600th in 2018. Crosby is one goal behind Hockey Hall of Famer Jari Kurri for 20th all-time.

The goal also put the Penguins in a select class. With Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux’s 690 goals, Pittsburgh became the first non-Original Six team to have two 600-goal scorers with one team.

It was Crosby’s eighth goal of the season and first in three games. Outside of a couple of rare instances, the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native has been an efficient goal scorer since entering the league 19 years ago. He has hit the 40-goal mark three times in his career, including a career-high 51 markers during the 2009-10 campaign, winning his first of two Rocket Richard Trophies. The second came in 2016-17, when Crosby potted 44 goals in 75 games.

Even though he is getting closer to 40, Crosby is still one of the best players in the game. Even over the past couple of years, when the Penguins have been mediocre, he has done everything he could to keep Pittsburgh in playoff contention. The 37-year-old has registered over 90 points in each of the last two campaigns.

In his 19 seasons, Crosby has also posted 1,017 assists and 1,617 points–which has him 10th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list. He has won three Stanley Cups and two Conn Smythe Trophies with the Pens. Crosby has also won the Art Ross Trophy twice, is a three-time Ted Lindsay Award, taking home the Hart Trophy in 2006-07 and 2013-14.