Rangers' top line won't have Sidney Crosby to worry about in Game 6
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins plays with the puck during warm-ups prior to Game 5 vs. the Rangers on May 11, 2022. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby’s elite, turn-back-the-clock performances were a significant factor in the first five games of the Rangers’ first-round series against the Penguins.
But Sid the (Once Again) Kid was missing from the Penguins’ lineup for Friday night’s Game 6 at PPG Paints Arena as the Rangers tried to stave off elimination for the second straight time. And his absence was an opportunity for the Rangers’ top trio of Mika Zibanejad between Chris Kreider and Frank Vatrano, which had been out of sorts as they drew the main defensive assignment against Crosby’s line.
“We haven’t created offense maybe enough,” Zibanejad said. “Maybe a little bit too worried about the line we’re playing against. The best way to stop their offense is to create some of your own. I think maybe the focus has been too much on them. But we’re trying to work through it. It’s not easy. It’s not an easy opponent. We’re trying to play our game.”
Crosby exited the Rangers’ 5-3 win in Wednesday’s Game 5 at Madison Square Garden in the second period after an inadvertent but high hit from defenseman Jacob Trouba, now Public Enemy No. 1 in Pittsburgh.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Crosby skated on Friday morning with skills coach Ty Hennes but listed him out with an upper-body injury.
“I’ve spoken with Sid,” Sullivan said. “He’s in a good place.”
Crosby, 34, has a history of concussions but hadn’t missed a playoff game since May 3, 2017.
He was the Penguins’ leading playoff scorer through five games with two goals and seven assists, but, more important, was controlling play with his stickwork, skating and seeing-eye passing. Linemate Jake Guentzel had seven goals to go with one assist while Bryan Rust had a goal and five assists.
Evgeni Malkin, who entered Friday with two goals and three assists, was elevated into Crosby’s spot for Game 6.
Meanwhile, Zibanejad entered Game 6 with four assists, Kreider had two goals and two assists and Vatrano had two goals and three assists.
“It’s a funny sport that we play sometimes,” said Kreider, who took 15 shots in the first five games. “There’s duality to it. It’s a game of inches. One of our chances goes in and maybe one of their chances doesn’t, the narrative flips.
“For us it’s continuing to try to do the right things: Support each other, talk and work through it and work for our chances. I’m a big proponent of the harder you work, the luckier you get. Their first line has certainly worked for their bounces. We need to work for ours.”
But the Rangers tried to approach Game 6 the same way, regardless of Crosby’s status.
“I always talk to our guys about it’s not just one guy is going to watch Sidney,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “When he’s on the ice, all five guys on the ice have to be aware of him. But I still want us to play our game. I never once told them, ‘Let’s be in a defensive shell and make sure they don’t get chances.’ They’re going to get chances anyway. They spent a lot of time in the offensive zone.”
Zibanejad, who had 14 shots in the first five games, said the key for his line was to “do the things that we did all year.”
“The focus is really on us,” said Zibanejad, while acknowledging the focus has really been on stopping Crosby’s line.
Vatrano took 18 shots in the first five games. But the line, too often playing in its own end, has not looked nearly as dangerous as it did in the regular season when Kreider scored a career-high 52 goals with 25 assists and Zibanejad had 29 goals with 52 assists.
“I think execution is a lot of it,” Zibanejad said. “Not getting out of the zone, I think it’s getting open for each other. Helping each other out. Maybe just making the easy play to get the puck out and restart and not just give them anything for free. That has everything to do with execution and help. It’s just attention to details and execution.”
And, perhaps, not having to worry about Crosby.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
