CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Sidney Crosby has played in 999 regular-season games in the NHL.
He Is so details-oriented and committed to his craft that he probably remembers every shift he took in all of them.
At least the ones when he wasn't concussed.
But after all these years -- and all those moments of magic and majesty he has created -- there are a few that stand out for Crosby as he prepares to play in No. 1,000, Saturday against the New York Islanders at 7:08 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena.
The three he discussed after practice Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex all came during the embryonic stages of his career.
The first was his NHL debut, a 5-1 loss at New Jersey on Oct. 5, 2005, when Crosby recorded his first assist as a pro and the Continental Airlines Arena crowd taunted him with a sing-song chant of "(Zach) Parise's bet-ter." (Turns out, those fans were wrong. Just a little.)
Then there was his home debut three nights later, when Crosby got his first NHL goal -- assists to Mark Recchi and Ziggy Palffy, if you're keeping score at home 15-plus years later -- during a 7-6 overtime loss to Boston. That made an indelible impression, too.
But the game on which Crosby lingered most was the final one at Mellon Arena in 2005-06, the end of a fairly miserable season for the Penguins.
They had been eliminated from playoff contention since, oh, roughly the third weekend in October, so they hadn't been playing for anything except draft position for quite a while.
That didn't matter, however. Crosby was closing in on a 100-point season, and 17,084 souls wedged into the building on April 17, 2006 to let him know they wanted him do it.
"I think we were in 29th place (in the overall standings) and didn't really have a reason to have an atmosphere like that," he said. "But everyone came out and was so supportive that you would have thought it was a playoff game."
Those wouldn't return until the following spring, but Crosby made sure the crowd went home happy, as the last of his three assists (all primary ones) in a 6-1 victory against the Islanders got him into triple-digits in points.
That wasn't the first time Crosby pleased his fans, and it proved to be far from the last. Everything from his commitment to his conditioning, his captaincy to his collection of Stanley Cups, long ago put him on a path that will end with induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Fact is, the only thing tougher than playing against Crosby might be trying to single out one trait or talent that is his most striking, although Mike Sullivan settled on his ability to operate effectively below the goal line.
"Just his ability to play in traffic and create offense through that trench warfare in the battle areas," Sullivan said. "He's the best player I've ever witnessed in the game, just his ability to protect pucks and hang onto pucks and create opportunity out of that chaos in the battle areas."
Part of the reason Crosby does so well there, he added, is the way he prepares himself when he's not in a game.
"Not too many players can hang with him, from a fitness standpoint, when he's protecting pucks and he hanging onto pucks underneath the hash marks and below the goal line," Sullivan said. "He just wears people down with his fitness level."
That's one manifestation of Crosby's work ethic, which reflects a level of tenacity that would humble a sled dog.
"When your captain and your best player is also your hardest worker and also believes in the approach that you're trying to take every day with the team to try to put it in a position to be successful, as a coach, it makes your job a whole lot easier," Sullivan said.
He described trying to neutralize Crosby while coaching for other clubs as a "nightmare," in part because of how driven Crosby is.
"He has an insatiable appetite to be the best," Sullivan said, characterizing him as "ultra-, ultra-competitive."
Yeah, kinda.
Still, Crosby appreciates that he plays a team sport, which might be why -- in addition to his genuinely friendly demeanor -- as captain, he's always made a point of making newcomers feel wanted and valuable.
"The way he immediately makes you feel welcome breeds a sense of comfort and confidence," Bryan Rust said.
That's important, because some of the world-class talents on the Penguins' payroll -- and the championship they have won -- could make it a challenge for players joining the roster to feel as if they belong.
"If anyone is intimidated coming into our dressing room, it certainly doesn't last very long, because he makes the feel comfortable," Sullivan said. "He makes them feel like they're a big part of it right away."
With 468 goals, 808 assists, three Stanley Cups and a couple of Olympic gold medals, among numerous other individual and team accomplishments, the only thing separating Crosby from the Hall of Fame is the mandatory three-year waiting period.
Of course, that particular clock won't begin to tick until he retires, and leaving the game doesn't have a spot on his to-do list just yet.
And might not for a while.
"It's an impressive resume, and I don't think he's finished," Sullivan said. "I think he's got a lot of hockey left."
Crosby also has a lot of contract left, since his current one doesn't expire until 2024. And that won't necessarily be his last.
"As long as I feel good, I think I'd love to play as long as I can," he said. "I don't really have an idea of what that age is, or number is. I'm focused on playing out my contract, and seeing where I am then."
It's safe to assume that will be the same place Crosby has been since the first of his 999 NHL games: On the road to hockey immortality.
ALSO FROM THE PRACTICE
• Rust, who moved from Crosby's line to one centered by Evgeni Malkin Thursday, said he believes that he, Malkin and Jason Zucker can be a productive unit. "We just have to keep working as a unit. As long as we're skating and supporting each other, good things are going to happen."
• The Penguins' penalty-kill still isn't as effective as expected, but has made progress of late. "Things are starting to click a little better," defenseman Cody Ceci said. "Guys are starting to understand a little more what we're trying to do, and that always helps."
• Defenseman Juuso Riikola, who has missed the past 11 games because of an unspecified injury, participated in the 45-minute practice, albeit in a gray (no contact) jersey.