ARLINGTON, Va. – By one flawed measure, at least, it was among the worst games Sidney Crosby has ever played in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The minus-3 beside his name on the official scoresheet certainly looked out of place following Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Washington. It was just the third time in 106 post-season games he’s posted that career-low mark.
However, the underlying possession numbers told a much more positive story about how the Pittsburgh Penguins top line fared in a power-versus-power matchup – a view Crosby shared after taking some time to reflect on the series opener.
“You don’t like being on for goals (against),” he said after Friday’s practice. “Definitely not. (But) I’ve had a lot worse games and didn’t end up dash-3.”
It was a textbook example of why the plus-minus stat doesn’t accurately reflect the tilt of the game. Crosby and linemates Patric Hornqvist and Conor Sheary were on for all three of T.J. Oshie’s goals – one of which was the direct result of a turnover by defenceman Olli Maatta, and another which was scored six seconds after Crosby jumped on the ice from a line change.
Absent finding the back of the net, Pittsburgh’s top line had reason to feel encouraged.
The team controlled more than 57 per cent of even-strength shot attempts when the captain was on the ice and are banking on a better result if that happens again in Game 2 on Saturday.
“I thought we generated some good chances,” said Crosby. “Obviously they end up on the right side of things and we’re on for three goals against, but I thought we did a lot of good things. Sometimes it goes like that.”
One of the more interesting aspects of the thrilling Game 1 at Verizon Center is that both coaches were more than willing to have their best players go up against each other.
The Crosby unit saw Nicklas Backstrom, Alex Ovechkin and Oshie more than any other line. It certainly proved that all of the Crosby-Ovechkin talk leading into the series was more than just an easy storyline.
“I think it’s a good challenge with a couple of superstars going head-to-head,” said Capitals coach Barry Trotz. “Everybody knows what I think of Nick Backstrom. Crosby’s had a fantastic offensive year, just a complete year. I thought it was a good challenge for them to go head-to-head.”
If the pattern holds, the series could be decided by the big boys. That’s certainly a dream scenario for any neutral observer following along.
It would also give Crosby an opportunity to show off his underrated ability to excel at both ends of the ice – something that earned him a spot on this writer’s Selke Trophy ballot this season, but has never had him among the three finalists for an award dominated by Patrice Bergeron in recent years.
Mike Sullivan has certainly come to appreciate that aspect of No. 87’s game since being hired as Penguins head coach in mid-December.
“I really think Sid’s game, for most of the time that I’ve been here, has been a real complete goal-line to goal-line game,” said Sullivan. “If he does play against another team’s top line he has the ability to force them to have to play defence. He has the ability to make plays and put those guys under pressure away from the puck.
“And so sometimes that can be advantageous for our team.”
The biggest area where the Hornqvist-Crosby-Sheary line will be looking to improve in Game 2 is controlling the puck for longer stretches in the offensive zone. They felt there were too many one-and-done scenarios in the opener.
“They won the matchup last night,” said Hornqvist. “They scored three goals. It’s a good matchup, they’re really skilled players. We have to make sure we get back in the middle of the zone when we turn the puck over.”
Crosby had a standout offensive performance with eight points in a five-game series win over the Rangers and will be counted on to do the same thing against Washington.
That requires a balancing act while keeping tabs on Backstrom and Ovechkin – “they’ve got a great playmaker and a guy that doesn’t need a lot of room (to score),” Crosby observed – not to mention Oshie, who can also burn you if given the opportunity.
With Pittsburgh looking to even the series before heading home, Crosby’s plan is to put those players on the defensive.
“We’ve got to go out there and have the attitude that we’ve got to score too,” he said. “That’s why you work on all year playing good defensively, playing as a unit out there, and kind of letting the offence take care of itself.
“But I don’t think we need to change a thing.”
That’s a more telling statement than his plus-minus rating in Game 1.