Penguins’ Sidney Crosby Has Second Career Matching Hat Trick

Penguins star Sidney Crosby recorded his 14th career hat trick Saturday in Pittsburgh’s 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center.

Adding an assist to his productive output, Crosby extended his scoring streak to 12 games with a four-point night.

Across the ice, Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov potted three goals of his own, but the Penguins would best Dallas with tallies from Bryan Rust and Blake Lizotte to break the dueling hat tricks.

Crosby and Capitals star Alex Ovechkin each had a hat trick in Game 2 of the Penguins’ 2009 playoff series against Washington, in one of the several meetings between the longtime rivals who both debuted in 2005. Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s career goals record in Washington’s win over the Chicago Blackhawks less than 24 hours before. Crosby brushed off any connection between his three-goal output and Ovechkin’s milestone.

“I think like everyone else, we knew it was a matter of time and obviously a pretty cool night,” Crosby told ESPN’s Leah Hextall after the game. “He had some looks there late to (break it) with the hat trick. Like I said, it’s a matter of time, but really, really special.

“For us, it was nice to come out here and get a win. We felt like we played pretty good in St. Louis, and followed it up with a good effort here tonight.”

Crosby has 86 points in 75 games for his 20th season scoring at least one point per game, something no other player in league history, including Gretzky, has achieved. Crosby hasn’t had a single season with less than one point per game, dating all the way back to his rookie year. In the 2005-06 season, an 18-year-old Crosby put up 102 points (39 goals and 63 assists) in 81 games. Unfortunately for Crosby, fellow rookie Ovechkin scored 52 goals and added 54 assists for 106 points, earning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year.

Even at 37 years old, Crosby is putting up Hall of Fame numbers, which has allowed the Nova Scotia native to not consider hanging up his skates anytime soon.

“I feel pretty good,” Crosby said. “It’s one of those things you got to keep adapting and trying to evolve. … It’s better not to think too far ahead. That’s served me pretty good to this point. I’ll keep approaching it that way.

“I still love it. So, as long as I still love it and I’m willing to put in the work and the time, then I’ll be playing.”

More Penguins: Penguins Star Evgeni Malkin Takes Big Step Toward Return