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Sidney Crosby’s Record-Breaking Night Ends Penguins Losing Streak

Sidney Crosby breaks a long-standing franchise record as the Pittsburgh Penguins end a brutal losing streak in an emotional night at PPG Paints Arena.
Samuel Len|
Dec 21, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save against Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Penguins

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, time works differently. Great players don’t just arrive, shine and leave. They stay. They grow older in the same colors, carry the same expectations, and slowly turn consistency into something historic.

That’s been the reality for the Penguins’ core for over two decades. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang have become more than franchise icons to the city of Pittsburgh, and watching them play together throughout all these years continues to feel special.

Early this year, things felt familiar again. Crosby and Malkin came out flying, leading the league in goals and assist, respectively. Pittsburgh looked sharp, confident and dangerous, like a team that still knew how to flip the switch.

Then the wheels came off. November exposed cracks that shouldn’t exist on a veteran roster. Details slipped, leads vanished, and head coach Dan Muse publicly challenged a group that has seen everything — and still expected more. What followed was a spiral that set the stage for one of the most unforgettable nights in Penguins history.

A Losing Streak That Defied Logic

When we last left off, Crosby sat at 1,721 career points, just two shy of tying Mario Lemieux for the most in franchise history. Somehow, that felt secondary. The Penguins were losing — badly, and often in ways that didn’t even seem possible.

It started with a shootout loss to the Dallas Stars, where Miro Heiskanen tied the game with under two minutes left. Then came another shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks, where Beckett Sennecke stunned the arena by scoring with just 0.1 seconds left, sending the game to overtime while Pittsburgh was on the power play. The Penguins failed to score in either shootout, extending their streak to nine straight shootout losses.

Then came the biggest shocker. Against the San Jose Sharks, Pittsburgh blew a 5–1 third-period lead, allowing five unanswered goals before losing 6–5 in overtime. The collapse was so stunning it brought longtime Sharks play-by-play announcer Randy Hahn to tears on the broadcast. Blowing multiple-goal lead like that hadn’t happened to the Penguins since 1976.

The very next night, it happened again. Pittsburgh surrendered a 3–0 third-period lead against the Utah Mammoth and lost 42 seconds into overtime.

The probability statistics made it worse. Pittsburgh had a 99.9 percent chance to beat San Jose and a 97.9 percent chance to beat Utah. Losing both games carried a 0.0021 percent probability.

Crosby's Milestones Lost in the Chaos

The losing streak continued against the Edmonton Oilers in an emotional game that featured Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner making their first starts for their new teams after being traded for each other. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl powered the Oilers to a 6–4 win, each posting four points, including Draisaitl’s 1,000th career point.

There was a brief bright spot. Crosby assisted on Erik Karlsson’s third goal of the season, pulling within two points of passing Lemieux. Still, the Penguins lost again.

The next day, another bombshell dropped. Fenway Sports Group agreed to sell the Penguins to the Hoffmann family, a Chicago-based investment group led by David Hoffmann, for $1.7 billion.

Crosby’s moment would have to wait. Pittsburgh was shut out in back-to-back road games against Montreal and Ottawa, losing both 4–0. The streak reached eight straight losses, setting up a third meeting with the Canadiens in just ten days.

The Penguins didn’t just want a win. They needed one.

Crosby Chooses the Perfect Moment for his Milestone

After being shut out by Montreal the night before, Pittsburgh fell behind 1–0 early. Less than 30 seconds later, Crosby decided enough was enough.

He tied Lemieux by scoring his 20th goal of the season, redirecting a perfectly placed shot-pass from Karlsson to make it 1–1 (video below). The building erupted — and barely had time to breathe.

Less than five minutes later, Crosby broke Lemieux's record. His slap shot on a power play hit Bryan Rust near the crease, and Rickard Rakell buried the loose puck at 12:40 (video below). Crosby earned the secondary assist, giving him sole possession of the Penguins’ all-time points record.

The bench emptied as the entire team skated onto the ice to celebrate with their captain. A video tribute followed, featuring clips of Crosby and Lemieux reflecting on a young kid drafted first overall over twenty years ago. Crosby’s parents were also in attendance, and got to watch their son make history in an arena packed with hometown fans.

It felt fitting. Crosby was quietly limited to just one point over his previous three games, all of which were on the road, allowing the moment to arrive at PPG Paints Arena, in front of the fans who’ve watched him do this his entire career.

This wasn’t just about passing Lemieux. It was about endurance, accountability, and a standard that never wavered. Crosby didn’t chase the record — with Malkin out for the entire losing streak, he carried the team until the moment came to him.

Still, the night wasn’t finished. The game went to a shootout, where the Penguins’ coaching staff finally tried something new by sending out Kevin Hayes first, and he delivered. Crosby was stopped moments later, before Rickard Rakell ended it with a slick backhand — a poetic finish that snapped Pittsburgh’s eight-game losing streak and nine straight shootout losses. It was a magical ending to a night defined by the captain, whose focus on winning and doing right by his team probably mattered far more than any personal milestone.

Now the question arises: what’s next for Sidney Crosby? With Lemieux behind him, the next number looms larger than all the rest — 2,000 career points, a milestone only one NHL player has ever reached: Wayne Gretzky.

Whether Crosby gets there or not almost feels beside the point. Nights like this are why Pittsburgh still believes — why banners feel close, why history never feels finished.

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Sam Len
SAMUEL LEN

Sam Len is a content editor, writer, and digital strategist with a lifelong passion for hockey. Growing up just north of Toronto, the game was never just background noise—it was part of everyday life. The Pittsburgh Penguins were the first team that captured his imagination, and he still remembers watching Sidney Crosby’s Golden Goal at the 2010 Olympics like it was yesterday. Over time, his love for the sport expanded to include the Tampa Bay Lightning, blending his appreciation for classic grit with modern speed and skill. Between 2024 and 2025, Sam worked as a content editor at Covers, where he helped shape sports and gaming content for top-tier brands including DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Bet99. He’s also written for Bolts by the Bay and Pro Football Network, covering everything from Tampa Bay Lightning analysis to trending stories across the NHL, NFL, and NBA.

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