Penguins’ Crosby scores 600th NHL goal

DAN SCIFO, Associated Press

Updated: Nov 23, 2024 / 09:58 PM CST

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (87) gets a shot behind Utah Hockey Club goaltender Karel Vejmelka (70) for his 600th career goal in the NHL during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby would’ve liked his 600th NHL goal to come in a win

Crosby became the 21sth player to reach the mark when scored in the second period of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 6-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday night.

“It’s not enjoyable, obviously,” Crosby said after Pittsburgh lost for the 14th time in 18 games. “It was a nice reception and a cool moment. I thought we got some momentum and we were doing some good things and (Utah) got one shortly after. Even with that, we were still in the game, but it got away from us.”

Crosby got his 600th with 10 seconds left on a 5-on-3 power play to make it a 2-1 game when he finished a one-timer from the right side of the net, set up by a pass from Erik Karlsson at 3:11 of the second. The Penguins’ bench emptied following the goal, which was also his first against Utah. He has seven goals in his last 12 games and eight this season.

After the goal was announced, the crowd gave Crosby a standing ovation and the Penguins’ captain acknowledged the fans and raised his stick in the air. His parents Troy and Trina Crosby were in attendance for the moment.

“I’ve been fortunate for some of those milestones to be here at home and to have family here and for it to be in front of the home crowd,” Crosby said. “I think it’s even more special to be able to do it at home.”

Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin are the only active players to have scored at least 600 goals in the NHL. Ovechkin scored his 600th on March 12, 2018, and now has 868 — 26 behind Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record. Crosby is the seventh player in NHL history to score 600 with one team.

Crosby, playing in his 1,295th career game, also surpassed Patrice Bergeron for the 18th-most games played with one franchise in NHL history.

Crosby joins Mario Lemieux (690) as the only two players to score 600 goals with the Penguins franchise. Pittsburgh is just the second team in NHL history with multiple 600-goal scorers, joining Detroit’s Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman.

Crosby and Gretzky are the only players in league history with at least 600 goals, 1,600 points, three Stanley Cups and two Conn Smythe trophies.

“It’s a nice number,” Crosby said of scoring 600. “I think that’s something you probably think about more after the fact when you’re done playing.”

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