PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin made history together Wednesday night.
Crosby recorded his 1,600th point and Malkin his 500th goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena.
Crosby’s secondary assist on Bryan Rust’s power-play goal in the opening period made him one of only 10 players in NHL history with 1,600 points. Malkin’s sprawling goal in the third period made him the 48th player with 500 goals.
Sidney Crosby becomes the 10th player in NHL history to record 1,600 regular-season points, reaching it in the fifth-fewest games.
It’s the first time this milestone has been reached by an NHL player since Jaromir Jagr on Oct. 6, 2011. pic.twitter.com/jBAFoBsArC
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 16, 2024
Fittingly, a sensational pass from Crosby set up Malkin’s goal.
EVGENI MALKIN GETS NUMBER 500 AND THE PENS CLEAR THE BENCH TO CELEBRATE 🙌🚨 pic.twitter.com/uaz16DghGG
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) October 17, 2024
Crosby and Malkin have formed one of the most successful partnerships in NHL history. One of them has led the team in scoring each season since they became teammates in 2006-07, and they trail only Mario Lemieux in franchise goals and points.
Crosby and Malkin have each won the Hart (MVP), Art Ross (top scorer), and Conn Smythe (postseason MVP) trophies. They’ve won the Art Ross twice apiece. Crosby has won the Hart Trophy twice and Malkin won the Calder Trophy (top rookie).
They also were the co-catalysts as the Penguins became the flagship franchise of the NHL’s salary-cap era. The Penguins ended a long playoff drought in Malkin’s rookie season, reached the Stanley Cup Final in year two of the Crosby/Malkin era, and won the Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
The 2016-17 Penguins were the first team in 19 years to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. The Penguins’ playoff streak of 16 consecutive seasons, which ended two years ago, remains the longest of the cap era.
Few duos can match the individual dominance of Crosby and Malkin with one franchise. But each player has also established himself as an all-time great.
This season, Crosby will likely pass Joe Sakic for ninth on the all-time scoring list and could break a tie with Wayne Gretzky for most consecutive seasons with a point-per-game average.
Crosby and Gretzky are tied at 19 seasons of point-per-game scoring. Crosby will need 82 points if he plays in every game, as he has the past two seasons. He entered the season needing only 46 points to pass Sakic.
Crosby started this season eight goals from 600 in his career. When he hits that total, Crosby will become only the ninth player with at least 600 goals and 1,600 points.
Malkin began this season two goals shy of 500 and four points from 1,300 — the latter a total only 36 players have scored. He was also only two assists from 800, a total amassed by only 33 NHL players.
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(Photo: Kirk Irwin / Getty Images)
