Sidney Crosby reached two big milestones in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Devils.
Crosby recorded his 55th point of the season in the win, ensuring that he will have at least a point-per-game season for the 16th straight year, since 55 games is the maximum he could potentially play this season after missing one game due to COVID protocols earlier in the year.
Crosby moved into third all-time for the most point-per-game seasons in NHL history, passing Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Ron Francis, Marcel Dionne, and Joe Sakic, who are all tied with 15 straight point-per-game seasons.
The only players with more? Gordie Howe, who had 17, and Wayne Gretzky, who had 19. Only Gretzky and Crosby have began their careers with 16 or more consecutive point-per-game seasons.
"It's nice," Crosby said of the mark. "Anytime you're mentioned with Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky, that's pretty neat. It's also a reminder of how long I've played, too. I think it's a compliment being in that company."
The point that secured the extension of the streak for Crosby was an empty net goal, but in true form, it was one of the more impressive empty net goals you're ever going to see. He scored it from the complete opposite end of the ice, beating the buzzer with a tenth of a second left on the clock:
The goal was Crosby's 20th of the season, giving him his 13th season with 20 or more goals for the Penguins, the most 20-goal seasons in franchise history. Lemieux and Evgeni Malkin are tied for second with 12 20-goal seasons.
Both milestones are a testament to Crosby's longevity as he nears the end of his 16th NHL season, and his consistency in that time.
"He's just a terrific player," Mike Sullivan said of Crosby. "He's a generational talent. All these milestones that he's achieving along the way here are just more evidence of the legacy that he's built and the stamp that he's put on the game. Some of the milestones he's reaching now are in such elite company, he is -- in my mind -- building a real compelling argument for being one of the greatest players of all-time. We believe he is. But with each milestone that he reaches, it just provides the hard evidence that he deserves to be in that conversation."