The Pittsburgh Penguins hung six goals on their old goalie on Thursday night, beating Tristan Jarry and the Edmonton Oilers 6-2 at Rogers Place in Alberta.
It's the final time Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby will play as opponents before the pair of superstar forwards lead Team Canada into the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan next month.
“It’s nice to answer questions about playing together as opposed to always playing against him,” McDavid said before the game, per NHL.com's Derek Van Diest. “With it being the Olympics, the biggest sporting event in the world, and to be able to represent our country and be on a bigger level than just our sport, and to be part of Team Canada as a whole, it’s special.
“Crosby was my idol growing up. So, to be able to play with him and represent our country together on the biggest stage, it’s exciting.”
McDavid and Crosby played together at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February, with the former scoring the overtime winner against the United States in the championship game in Boston.
The latter, who scored on Thursday night, has won Olympic gold twice in his career in 2010 and 2014. He'll be looking to add a third to the collection — and he's happy McDavid will get the opportunity to win his first.
“It’s going to be a lot better than playing against him,” Crosby said, per Van Diest. “He’s so dangerous for so many different reasons, and I had a great time playing with him at 4 Nations. I think everyone is excited to finally be back at the Olympics, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
McDavid's Oilers, Crosby's Penguins going in different directions
Thursday night marked the 17th NHL game between Crosby and McDavid, and each's performance was emblematic of his teams as of late. Crosby scored and was plus-two, while McDavid — who is tied for the league lead with 85 points in 52 games — was uncharacteristically held off the scoresheet.
The Penguins have now won six of 10, vaulting into second place in the Metropolitan Division at 25-14-11. Pittsburgh is eyeing a postseason berth in the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2021-22.
Meanwhile, the Oilers have lost four of six following Thursday's 6-2 defeat. Edmonton is still second in the Pacific, but have watched the lead shrink on the Anaheim Ducks, Seattle Kraken, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings, who are all within five points.
With the National Hockey League pausing for the Olympics on Feb. 6, the Oilers and Penguins only have a handful of games each before the two-and-a-half week break.
McDavid and Crosby will try to help their respective clubs bank some points at a critical time of year before they become teammates — and potentially linemates — in a couple of weeks.
