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Sidney Crosby shuts down Olympic puck drama with stance Team Canada needed
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
JFreshHockey relayed The Athletic, Jack Hughes wants his Olympic winner back, and Sidney Crosby's response just split memory from legacy.
Hughes ended Canada's run with the overtime gold medal goal, 1:41 into OT in a 2-1 United States win, the Americans' first men's Olympic gold since 1980.
One superstar wants the artifact. The other treated the moment as enough.
For Penguins readers, this lands on a live news day because Crosby is set to return against Carolina after missing time with a lower-body injury suffered at the Olympics.
For Team Canada readers, it reopens the wound without turning into bitterness, because Crosby's answer was calm instead of territorial.
You can see the tension in the setup, Hughes talking family, the Hall talking permanence, Crosby talking pure moment.
"I didn't even think about it that way, to be honest with you," Crosby told The Athletic on Wednesday. "I was just happy that I scored the goal. I was happy that the puck was going to the Hall of Fame. I didn't even think about it that way."
- Sidney Crosby
- Sidney Crosby
Crosby has 27-32-59 in 56 games and still drives Pittsburgh's offensive rhythm, so his words carry more weight than a generic ex-player opinion.
The hockey reason matters too. Pittsburgh needs its captain back between the dots, on the man advantage, and in late-game details against a Carolina team sitting ahead of it in the Metro race.
Sidney Crosby centers the Pittsburgh Penguins message
Penguins fans will read this and think, yeah, that sounds exactly like Crosby.
He never sold the souvenir. He protected the meaning of the goal, even in defeat, and that is why the quote hits so clean.
Canada fans may hate the reminder of Hughes finishing that game, but Crosby's perspective keeps the story from turning into a grievance cycle.
There is still room for Hughes to want the puck back for his father. That part feels human, not staged.
"When I look back in time in my career, I don't collect too many things for myself, but my dad's a monster collector for the three of us. I know he would have a special place for it."
- Jack Hughes
- Jack Hughes
But Crosby's angle for hockey people adds interpretation, not just outrage. The play lives forever whether the puck sits in a case or not.
That is the real takeaway heading into tonight, Crosby is back in the fight, and he still sounds like the sport's steadiest voice.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Sidney Crosby back and Stuart Skinner starting stabilizes the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight
Sidney Crosby back and Stuart Skinner starting stabilizes the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
MARS 18|141 ANSWERS Sidney Crosby shuts down Olympic puck drama with stance Team Canada needed Did Sidney Crosby handle the Jack Hughes puck story the right way? | ||
| Yes | 136 | 96.5 % |
| No | 5 | 3.5 % |
| List of polls | ||