It only took 18 seasons, but Sidney Crosby has finally earned his first game misconduct in the NHL.
Crosby lost his cool midway through the third period of Saturday’s 6-0 blowout loss to the Los Angeles Kings, and was promptly ejected from the game. Crosby had never previously been assessed a game misconduct since making his NHL debut in 2005.
Crosby lost his temper after he was cross-checked by Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson in front of the L.A net. The refs didn’t call Anderson for a penalty, so Crosby became upset. The Penguins’ captain began shoving Anderson, earning a 10-minute misconduct in the process.
Crosby’s punishment was upgraded to a game misconduct after the superstar center began screaming obscenities at the ref, such as “f**king embarrassing!”. When Crosby wouldn’t leave the ice, the ref signaled for his ejection.
As Crosby left the ice, Kings fans started serenading him with a rendition of “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.”
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Sidney Crosby earns the first game misconduct of his NHL career after getting cross-checked by Mikey Anderson pic.twitter.com/PzNWZBB07Y
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) February 12, 2023
While this was Crosby’s first game misconduct in the NHL, it marked the fifth time he’s earned at least 10 minutes of penalties in a game. Crosby’s career high for penalty minutes is 21 PIM, which he collected in a January 2009 game against the Florida Panthers. Crosby instigated a fight against Brett McLean in that game.
Crosby’s outburst against the Kings come the night after the center confronted Anaheim Ducks forward Trevor Zegras after the whistle in a game at Honda Center. Crosby didn’t like a late shot from Zegras, and he gave the Ducks’ youngster a good shove after the play.
It hasn’t been the ideal season for Crosby and the Penguins, as they sit fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 26-17-9 record. Crosby and the Pens certainly have high standards for themselves, as they’ve reached the postseason every year dating back to 2007. The Penguins’ epic playoff streak is in jeopardy due to the team’s inconsistent play this season.
Crosby’s first NHL game misconduct is a newsworthy story given his star status, but this is one of the weaker ejections we’ve seen in the NHL. The ref was likely just fed up with Crosby’s complaining and wanted a quick way to shut him up. We’ve certainly seen far worse behavior that has resulted in similar punishment.
The Penguins now get a couple days of rest before concluding their West Coast road trip with a matchup against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday. Crosby should be in a better mood next week, as he gets the chance to feast on one of the weaker defenses in the NHL.
