The Pittsburgh Penguins started off the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season on the wrong foot and the grass is not looking any brighter on the other side. The troublesome Metropolitan division is looking like a minefield for the hockey club in the Steel City. After an upsetting loss to the New York Islanders, goalie Alex Nedeljkovic sent a strong message to Sidney Crosby and the rest of the Penguins’ roster.



The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/pittsburgh-penguins">Penguins</a> have a 5-7-2 record over the first 14 games. Most concerning is the fact they’ve lost six games in a row over this inaugural stretch. Right when things seemed to be clicking for the team, carrying a two-game win streak and holding a 3-1 lead over the Islanders midway through the third period, the team collapsed again. The Islanders came back and won the game in a shootout.



The Penguins took home one point, too little a prize for the overall performance from the team. After the game, Nedeljkovic voiced his frustration and issued a wake-up call to <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/sidney-crosby">Crosby</a> and teammates.



“We played a great first two periods, I thought we took it to them… it’s a tough pill to swallow. Got a point out of it, I guess, try to take a positive away from it,” Alex Nedeljkovic told reporters postgame. “We got two more games left on this road trip to come away with a positive trip. So I mean, it sucks, but we got to put it behind us here.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241106_BUS_267449_Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-1024x576_267c845b.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on during the first period Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on February 29, 2024 in Seattle, Washington." class="wp-image-263614" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-during-the-first-period-Kraken-at-Climate-Pled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on during the first period Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena on February 29, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.</figcaption></figure>



“Teams are gonna push back obviously, and I don’t know if we handled it the best. We got away from what was making us successful the first two periods. It’s hard to play that way. It’s not like we were giving up a lot. It’s just what we were giving up wasn’t great.”


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<h2>Nedeljkovic and Crosby’s stats against Islanders</h2>



On the 4-3 loss to the Isles, Nedeljkovic posted a .885 save percentage (23 saves on 26 shots faced). The Penguins goalie was outplayed by the Islanders’ Ilya Sorokin, who was the third star of the game with 32 saves on 35 shots faced (.914 SV%).



Crosby opened up the scoring with his sixth tally of the season. The 37-year old legend cashed in on a loose puck with his signature backhander. Crosby’s six goals are tied for the lead on Pittsburgh’s roster, and along with his nine assists (15 points), they place him second for the most points on the Pens.



<h2>Coach Mike Sullivan on blown lead against divisional rival</h2>



This loss is hurtful. It can be sugarcoated with any cliché such as “the season has a long way ahead”, or the standard, “put it in the back burner and move on”, but it lingers. Losing to a divisional opponent in this fashion pushes a button on any team. It’s left for the Penguins to decide whether they rise back up or they sink on the defeat. Head coach Mike Sullivan made his thoughts clear.



“We just need to play better. We should’ve played the way that we played in the first two periods and we would’ve been fine,” Sullivan said, via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I think we weren’t as diligent with the puck. We weren’t as much north-south. Give the Islanders credit. They pushed back.“



<h3>Critical games to close out the roadtrip</h3>



In the jam-packed NHL schedule, teams don’t get much time to dwell on their defeats. Pittsburgh needs to have a short memory and focus on the upcoming games, which are no walk in the park for the struggling Penguins.



Up next, the Pens will take on the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh on Thursday. And immediately after they will travel up north to D.C. for a new edition on the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry. Friday’s clash with the Washington Capitals will be the last game on the Penguins’ roadtrip before they hold a two-game homestand.

NHL News: Alex Nedeljkovic sends Sidney Crosby, Penguins teammates a strong message after tough loss

NHL News: Alex Nedeljkovic sends Sidney Crosby, Penguins teammates a strong message after tough loss - Bolavip US

miniaturas

The Pittsburgh Penguins are going through a rough patch to start their 2024/25 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season. And it doesn’t look any better going forward. The Pens sit at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division, the glory days seem well past them. However, the team won’t take being ragdolled without a fight. As the Minnesota Wild came into town, they messed with star Sidney Crosby and rookie Jack St. Ivany had his captain’s back.



On Marc-Andre Fleury’s final game in <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh</a>, the Wild had the last laugh as they defeated the home team by a score of 5-3. The Penguins have now lost six games in a row. Pittsburgh is no longer the juggernaut it once was. Many teams have lost the respect for the Black-and-Gold. 



Mid-way through the second period, Wild’s Brock Faber got tangled up with <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/sidney-crosby">Crosby</a> and shoved the Penguins captain. Immediately after, rookie Jack St. Ivany came flying in and dropped the gloves with fellow young defenseman Faber. After the game, St. Ivany broke down what happened.



“I just kind of noticed there was a little bit of a scrum,” St. Ivany told reporters. “I didn’t really know what started it or anything. But I just saw one of their guys shoving Sid. He’s our best player. He shouldn’t have to deal with anything like that. I just figured I’d step in and it ended up being a fight.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241031_BUS_263578_Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-1024x576_7adc6e78.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-263616" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-looks-on-against-the-Chicago-Blackhawks-during-the-thir.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at the United Center on February 15, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>The rookie speaks on Enforcer role</h2>



As a young rookie in the NHL, standing up for teammates and dropping the gloves could turn into a double-edged sword. Players can earn the respect from teammates, coaches, and even opponents, but at the same time they can be seen as enforcers, and nothing more. If that’s the case then a young player finds himself on nightly scuffles and that is not a recipe for healthy, lasting careers.


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On that note, St. Ivany made it clear what his role is and whether he looks forward to putting his body on the line for the team day in and day out.



“I feel like there’s more to that side of the game that I can continue to work on. It’s definitely not something that I’m looking to do going into any game or anything like that. But there’s certain situations where you need to step up, and I just felt like at that moment somebody was giving it to him. It’s a no-brainer to step in.”



Through the first nine games of the season, St. Ivany’s 23 hits are second for most in Pittsburgh. Although he has yet to record a point this season, the third-line defenseman has done a good job alongside Ryan Graves.

NHL News: Penguins rookie sets record straight on standing up for Sidney Crosby against Wild

NHL News: Penguins rookie sets record straight on standing up for Sidney Crosby against Wild - Bolavip US

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan faces a critical season in the Steel City. The Penguins look to make the playoffs with an aging roster still reliant on the skills of <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> veterans. After a historic night, the Pens head coach made something clear on the team’s leaders: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.



After a horrific season opener, Pittsburgh is finding their rhythym and looking to sneak in between the Metropolitan Division leaders. On Wednesday night, <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/sidney-crosby">Crosby</a> and Malkin accomplished historic feats in the league and head coach Mike Sullivan made a clear statement on the two players.



“When you look at the championships the Penguins have won while they’ve been here, their fingerprints are all over it,” Mike Sullivan said, via Sportsnet. “When you win Stanley Cups, it has a way of galvanizing relationships. I think Malkin has had a really strong start to the season. When he’s at his best, the puck seems to follow him around and that’s what he’s doing right now.”



During the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/pittsburgh-penguins">Penguins</a> 6-5 win over the Buffalo Sabres, Crosby recorded a goal and two assists, surpassing the 1,600 points mark. In his 20th NHL season, Crosby is the 10th player and the only one active with at least 1,600 points. Malkin joined the party and scored his 500th goal. Crosby humbly reacted to his accomplishment and Malkin’s.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241017_BUS_254847_Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-1024x576_c6a17c4c.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-254886" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-Connor-McDavid-97-of-the-Edmonton-Oiler.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against Connor McDavid #97 of the Edmonton Oilers in the third period during the game at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 10, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Crosby and Malkin’s reactions</h2>



“I think whether it’s moments like tonight or things we’ve shared, good and bad, it’s been pretty incredible to be part of the team and play with him over this amount of time,” Sidney Crosby said. “I think we just care a lot about the team. We want to win. We expect a lot of each other. But I think there’s a lot of respect there too.“


 

 

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Malkin, on the other hand, showed his emotion after his feat and confessed it had been in the back of his head for a long time. “I really wanted to score (the 500th goal) last year,” Malkin commented. “All summer, I was probably thinking too much about it. It was a long way to 500 and I’m glad to finally do it. We probably deserved to share this night together. It’s a great story.”



The Penguins now hold a 3-2-0 record. While the fact that they haven’t beaten any playoff teams yet is concerning, Pittsburgh has shown improvement from last season and appears poised to compete for a postseason spot.

NHL News: Penguins HC Mike Sullivan makes something clear on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin

NHL News: David Pastrnak sends strong message to Boston Bruins teammate

NHL News: Winnipeg Jets teammates full of praise for Connor Hellebuyck’s great start to the season

NHL News: Penguins HC Mike Sullivan makes something clear on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin - Bolavip US

The Pittsburgh Penguins got off to their 2024-25 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season on the wrong foot. In what is expected to be a crucial campaign for their aging core, the Penguins were steamrolled 6-0 by the New York Rangers in their home opener. After the embarrassing loss at home-ice, team leader Evgeni Malkin issued a strong wake-up call to Sidney Crosby and rest of teammates. 



The <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/pittsburgh-penguins">Penguins</a>‘ first game of the season was far from a gimme as they hosted the reigning Metro Division champions. Still, the final score was unfathomable. The Pens were blown out by the Rangers, and their start to this pivotal season was a far cry from expectations. New York jumped out to an early lead and kept Pittsburgh in a chokehold for all 60 minutes.



This season could very well be the end of an era in Pittsburgh. Their core of <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/sidney-crosby">Crosby</a>, Letang, and Malkin is running out of time and the rebuild is imminent. However, fans in the Steel City keep their hopes up for ‘one last dance’. After their crushing loss to divisional rivals, those hopes began to simmer down. Veteran Evgeni Malkin addressed the Penguins’ poor start and issued a wake-up call to the guys in the locker room.



“We think we are ready to play, but we need to play better,” Malkin commented after the game. “I mean, that was a real game, not exhibition. It’s a tough loss and I hope tomorrow we play better. Long season. Stay together, it is the only way.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241010_BUS_249734_Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-at-UBS-Arena-on-A-1024x576_0c378c36.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-249784" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-at-UBS-Arena-on-A-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-at-UBS-Arena-on-A-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-at-UBS-Arena-on-A-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-at-UBS-Arena-on-A-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Sidney-Crosby-87-of-the-Pittsburgh-Penguins-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-at-UBS-Arena-on-A.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on April 17, 2024 in Elmont, New York. </figcaption></figure>



<h2>Sid the Kid doubles down on Malkin’s comments</h2>



Despite the Penguins being shutout in their catastrophic loss to the Rangers, the team captain Sidney Crosby had an all-around good performance. However, and as it has become the trend lately on Mike Sullivan’s team, the team did not help their best player and that’s not the recipe for success in the NHL. Crosby made his thoughts on the game clear.


 

 

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“They’re a team that if you take chances and give them those looks, they’re going to put them in. So we got behind and chased the game. This has nothing to do with last year. It’s a matter of, early on in the season, a little bit of adversity, and we didn’t find a way to stick with our game. We tried to get it all back at once and we found out the hard way.”



Pittsburgh will have a shot at redemption in Detroit. The Penguins face the Red Wings, looking to get back on track and avoid feeling a sense of urgency so early in the season.

sidney crosby - Page 2

NHL News: Alex Nedeljkovic sends Sidney Crosby, Penguins teammates a strong message after tough loss

NHL News: Penguins rookie sets record straight on standing up for Sidney Crosby against Wild

NHL News: Penguins HC Mike Sullivan makes something clear on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin

NHL News: Evgeni Malkin's strong wake-up call to Sidney Crosby, Penguins after ugly loss to Rangers