Crosby passes Lemieux for most points in Penguins history

Sidney Crosby passed Mario Lemieux for the most points in Pittsburgh Penguins history with a goal and an assist in a 4-3 shootout win against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

In his 21st season, Crosby has 1,724 points (645 goals, 1,079 assists) in 1,387 games, moving ahead of Lemieux (1,723 points; 690 goals, 1,033 assists in 915 games) for eighth in NHL history.

"It's really special," Crosby said. "You're trying to stay in the game, but also just trying to enjoy the moment, too. It’s hard to balance that sometimes, especially as you get older. You tend to look at things a little bit differently. Seeing the crowd go quiet when Mario's message came on, that was pretty special. If you don't understand the impact he's had here, and you were here tonight, I think you understand a little bit better now given just how quiet it got. And I think if there was any example of respect, I think it was that there. It was really cool to see that."

The 38-year-old center reached the mark by getting an assist on a power-play goal by Rickard Rakell at 12:40 of the first period. Crosby took a slap shot from above the left circle, and the rebound hit off Bryan Rust and deflected right to Rakell, who scored into an open net in front.

Crosby tied Lemieux with a goal at 7:58 of the first period, scoring in the slot by redirecting a slap pass from Erik Karlsson.

Crosby previously had pulled within one point of Lemieux with an assist in a 6-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday.

"It's kind of mixed emotions, I guess, because that number, I've been kind of hanging around," Crosby said. "The hockey gods made me earn it, I feel like, the last few games. But just to get the win, to get a win in a shootout, it all kind of lined up well tonight."

Lemieux held sole possession of the Penguins record since Jan. 20, 1989, when he had three points (one goal, two assists) on the road against the original Winnipeg Jets to reach 688 career points in 336 games and pass Pittsburgh’s then-assistant coach Rick Kehoe (636).

Crosby has the most games played and assists in Penguins history. He is second in goals to Lemieux.

"It didn't seem like [Lemieux] was playing in the same league, you know? Just the way that he saw the game, the way that he could make plays, just his presence. And there were so many different things, whether it was here in Pittsburgh or internationally, playing for Team Canada," Crosby said. "So many huge moments. I think when you think of him and Wayne Gretzky, you just think they're almost bigger than the game itself. That's how it felt. So, to be able to come here and learn from someone like that, to build a friendship, and for him to have that impact, I feel pretty lucky and pretty fortunate."

Crosby has averaged at least a point per game in each of his first 20 seasons since being selected No. 1 in the 2005 NHL Draft, the most in League history ahead of Wayne Gretzky (19 seasons).

As an 18-year-old rookie in 2005-06, Crosby played 26 games with Lemieux, who retired at the age of 40 after playing his final NHL game on Dec. 16, 2005. He lived with Lemieux and his family in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, for roughly five years after being drafted.

"I just have so much appreciation for one, having the opportunity to play with him. You grow up watching him. You never expect you're going to make the NHL, let alone play with him," Crosby said. "So I had the opportunity to play with him, live with him, learn from him, and just the impact that he's had here, on this team, on and off the ice, and the impact he's had on hockey in general, it's pretty amazing. So, I think there's just real appreciation. And obviously, the fact that he was a big part of helping me out and a huge influence on me, both him and his family, it makes it even more special. So, yeah, I could go on and on, but it definitely means a lot.

"He’s still No. 1 in my books. I don’t think you can put a stat line or a number on what he means to this team and to hockey. In my mind, he’s still No. 1."

Crosby's goal on Sunday gave him his 18th 20-goal season, which is the seventh-most in NHL history, behind Gordie Howe (22), Alex Ovechkin (20), Ron Francis (20), Brendan Shanahan (19), Dave Andreychuk (19) and Jaromir Jagr (19).

The Penguins captain became the first active player with at least 1,700 points on Oct. 27, when he had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 win against the St. Louis Blues. At the time it was his 498th multipoint game, which passed Lemieux (497) for another Pittsburgh record. Crosby now has 505 games with at least two points, which is sixth in NHL history, behind Gretzky (824), Jagr (540), Marcel Dionne (513), Mark Messier (513) and Gordie Howe (511).

“I think they’re in a whole other category of their own,” Crosby said before the game. “The points for a game doesn’t change the way I think about that. I just have so much appreciation and respect for what they did and just what they accomplished. I don’t look at it the same way.”

Crosby has a total of 1,925 points (716 goals, 1,209 assists) in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs, the most in Penguins history ahead of Lemieux (1,895 points; 766 goals, 1,129 assists). He is seventh all-time, trailing Gretzky (3,237), Messier (2,181), Jagr (2,122), Howe (2,010), Ron Francis (1,941) and Steve Yzerman (1,940).

"You're watching history. You're seeing it firsthand," Penguins coach Dan Muse said. "I mean, it's something you knew was coming, but just for everybody that was here today, everybody involved, it was incredible. For Sid, it's just, yeah, he's obviously such a humble person, but you know how special of a moment that has to be. I think back, even just conversations that I had with him just getting to know him, and you see how much pride he has in this organization and the history of this organization. What's been accomplished here for a team, especially a team that's not an Original Six team, but what's been won, the legends that have come through here, and now for him to break that record, yeah, it's nothing short of incredible. ... You see the process that he has, the drive that he has, how that rubs off on probably every other player that he's ever played with, which has been a lot. Then you see a day like today where he has that moment, and it's incredible and it's very well-deserved. It's no surprise when you see what he does on a regular basis, on an everyday basis."

Named to the 100 Greatest NHL Players in January 2017, Crosby has won the Stanley Cup three times. At the age of 21, he became the youngest captain of a championship team when Pittsburgh defeated the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final before winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2016 and 2017.

Crosby won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as the League’s leader in points in 2006-07 and 2013-14, the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the goals leader in 2009-10 and 2016-17, and the Ted Lindsay Award as the most outstanding player as voted by the NHL Players’ Association in 2006-07, 2012-13 and 2013-14.

“I love the game,” Crosby told NHL.com on Oct. 22. “I love the history of the game, you know, the tradition side of it. I think that you go throughout the history of hockey, everyone had people they looked up to or people that they feel like made an impact in the game. So, to be associated that way, I think that means more than anything, for sure.”

The native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, earned recognition on Dec. 29, 2022, as an Officer of the Order of Canada "for being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth." The Order of Canada is one of the country's highest honors, recognizing people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions.

“I think when you’re in the position we’re in, you have a pretty good opportunity to help make a difference on and off the ice,” Crosby said. “So, I think those things you try to keep in mind and those have been, regardless of in the NHL or not, those are things that I think when you grow up playing for teams or you’re playing for your community, your local team, you still try to represent them well and you try to help your community and represent your community.

“So, I think when you get to the NHL, it’s on a much greater stage, but it’s the same thing. So, I think that’s all part of it.”

NHL.com independent correspondent Wes Crosby and Sean Farrell contributed to this report.