The Pittsburgh Penguins have set the standard when it comes to overcoming injuries this season. Of course, their formula of having a spare superstar in case one goes down isn’t particularly easy to emulate.
The Penguins won their fourth straight game without Evgeni Malkin and seventh overall, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Sidney Crosby.
He scored his 20th goal of the season and added two assists en route to a 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames this afternoon. He’s leading the league with 54 points in 38 games, which puts him on pace for about 116 points this season.
Unfortunately for the Flames, they lost more than two points. Forward Curtis Glencross reportedly suffered another knee problem while defenseman Kris Russell sustained a lower-body injury, according to the Flames.
Either one of those injuries would be a big loss for a team that’s playoff hopes already look bleak. Meanwhile, the Penguins are opening up a huge lead in the race for the Metropolitan Division title, which might make things a lot less stressful for them in the second half of the season.