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The Penguins did one thing vs. Oilers that turned heads fast after the game
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins torched the Edmonton Oilers 6-2, and it felt like proof this playoff push is real.
It was Thursday in Edmonton, and Pittsburgh came out like they owned Rogers Place. Three goals in 37 seconds, and the game was basically on rails.
Anthony Mantha struck twice in a 22-second blur. The Oilers were still blinking.
Crosby made it 3-0 only 15 seconds later, a nasty redirection that screamed "not tonight."
That early flood mattered because it took Connor McDavid's team out of structure. Edmonton spent the rest of the night chasing, not dictating.
The wild twist was in the crease, too. Tristan Jarry, facing his old club, wore the damage early.
Pittsburgh didn't turtle after the start. The Penguins kept their forecheck honest, rolled four lines, and made the Oilers' blue line turn.
Jake Walman's shorthanded goal finally got Edmonton on the board, but it didn't change the feel.
Sidney Crosby drives Pittsburgh Penguins belief
Pens fans have been waiting for this kind of swagger, because "exceeding expectations" only matters if you beat contenders like Edmonton.
Rickard Rakell restored the cushion, and Evgeni Malkin piled on with a goal and an assist. That's top-six finishing, not just vibes.
Arturs Silovs handled the push with 30 saves, and Pittsburgh stayed calm when the game got messy.
At 25-14-11, the Penguins are stacking points and stacking proof. Their point streak is six games now, and this one had teeth.
Edmonton dropped to 25-19-8, and the comments after hinted at urgency ramping up fast.
If Pittsburgh brings this same pace into the next one, the "surprise" label is going to die quickly.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 23|220 ANSWERS The Penguins did one thing vs. Oilers that turned heads fast after the game Did Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins just announce themselves as a real playoff threat? | ||
| Yes | 208 | 94.5 % |
| No | 12 | 5.5 % |
| List of polls | ||