Crosby scores on PP for first goal of season

Entering their game against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night the Pittsburgh Penguins were still searching for their first power-play goal of the season while Sidney Crosby was still without his first point.

Both of those scoring droughts came to an end on the same play.

Midway through the first period the Penguins’ struggling power play finally capitalized when Crosby ripped a shot from the top of the circle past Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo.

Sidney Crosby goes top shelf for his first of the season. #FLAvsPIT https://t.co/x7hep7ZSH0

— NHL (@NHL) October 20, 2015

Two of the biggest issues for Crosby and his point total over the first five games of the season were the team’s poor performance on the power play and the fact that he seemed to be deferring to his teammates too much and not taking enough shots when he had the opportunity. For Tuesday’s game the Penguins made a minor switch to their top power-play unit by swapping Chris Kunitz in for Patric Hornqvist as the net-front presence (and Kunitz was right in front of Luongo on Crosby’s goal) while Crosby had seven of the Penguins’ 27 total shot attempts in the first period.

Eventually the points are going to start coming for Crosby in bunches and it’s only a matter of time until the first five games of the season are completely forgotten.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby scored his first goal of the season Tuesday night. (USATSI)

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