PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby fed Erik Karlsson in overtime, his 1,000th NHL assist, and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-5 on Thursday night.
It was Crosby's third point of the game, which also edged out Phil Esposito for 10th place in points history with 1,591.
The Penguins captain is only the 14th skater to reach the impressive feat, in his 1,269th game.
Joe Sakic, with 1,641 points, is next in line at No. 87, while another Penguins legend, Mario Lemieux, is eighth with 1,723, and Steve Yzerman has 1,755.
“He plays his best hockey when the stakes are high, as all the best in the history of our sport have done,” said head coach Mike Sullivan. He is part of this group. »
” I did not watch [le classement des pointeurs de tous les temps] Crosby said after the close game. But being in the company of these players means a lot. I grew up watching these athletes play. »
By collecting this crucial extra point, Pittsburgh (38-30-12) gave itself a priority point over Detroit, as well as the Washington Capitals, who were beaten in Buffalo, and the Philadelphia Flyers, who beat the New York Rangers.
Authors of a 7-0-3 record in their last ten games, Sullivan's men are currently in last place allowing access to the playoffs in the East.
A month ago, the Pens were 13th in the East. The team now sits in eighth place with three games to play, thanks in large part to Crosby's brilliance.
“It's a big part of everything we do, and a big reason for where we are,” Carlson agreed. We'll need that level of play from him down the stretch [accéder aux séries]. »
Brian Rust, Kris Letang and Jeff Carter scored the other Penguins goals.
In the Wings' defeat, Lucas Raymond scored a hat-trick. He now has 29 goals.
The Red Wings were beaten for the third time in four games, but remained in the running to beat the Penguins on the other hand.
Pilots come out of their laziness
Bobby Brink scored the key goal early in the second period, and the Philadelphia Flyers ended an eight-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers.
Cam York, Travis Konecny and Noah Keates also scored for the Flyers, while Samuel Erson stopped 24 shots.
Ryan Boehling had two assists for the Flyers, one of four clubs vying for the final playoff spot in the East.
The Flyers will host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.
Artemi Panarin scores for Rangers. The latter maintained 53 victories, one victory away from achieving an organizational record.
The Capitals continue to sink
Oko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 22 shots as the Buffalo Sabers beat the Washington Capitals 4-2.
Alex Tuch, Zach Benson, Jack Quinn and Dylan Cousins scored for the Sabers into an empty net.
The Capitals also lost to Buffalo nine days ago, 6-2. The team has won only once in its last seven matches.
Connor McMichael and Tom Wilson scored in the loss. Charlie Lindgren allowed three goals on 16 shots.
Benson opened the scoring at the end of the first half.
Tuch doubled the Sabers' lead with his 22nd goal of the season at 12:37 of the first period.
McMichael responded by scoring 1:59 later for the Capitals.
Wilson found the back of the net with a minute to go.
Washington remains hopeful of clinching the last spot that would allow it to reach the playoffs in the East.
The division title will have to wait for Dallas
Laurent Brossoit made 24 saves, David Gustafsson scored on his 24th birthday, and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Dallas Stars 3-0.
The Jets were undefeated in five games, preventing the Stars from winning the Central Division title.
Nikolaj Ehlers opened the scoring with his 24th goal of the season late in the first half.
Gustafsson scored midway through the second half and Mark Scheifele completed it into an empty net.
Ranking second in the league in goals scored, the Stars were eliminated for the third time this season, their first since a 4-0 loss to the Lightning on December 4.
They were eliminated from home for the first time this season.
A walk in the park for cheetahs
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots for his sixth goal of the season, Sam Reinhart scored his 54th goal of the season, and the Florida Panthers beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0.
Bobrovsky, who has 44 career shutouts, is tied with Connor Ingram of the Arizona Coyotes and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins for most shutouts this season.
Matthew Tkachuk, Ivan Rodriguez and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored in the win. Oliver Ekman-Larsson had two assists.
Jet Greaves stopped 42 shots for the Blue Jackets.
Tkachuk opened the scoring after just 47 seconds of play.
The Panthers scored twice late in the second half to take a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes.
Tarasenko scored with a backhand kick to complete the score.
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