Stanley Cup Finals: Sidney Crosby scores equalizer early in Game 4 (Video)
Apparently giving Jake Guentzel a break from carrying the team, Sidney Crosby opened the scoring for the Penguins to tie things up in Game 4.
Many at this point in the Stanley Cup Finals just expect Jake Guentzel to be doing all of the scoring for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and forget that the defending champions have Sidney Crosby on their roster.
It seems like the Nashville Predators may have forgotten about Crosby and his capabilities, as they let the Penguins captain roll right in for a golden opportunity early in Game 4.
After a goal from Predators center Calle Jarnkrok to break things open and give the hometown team a 1-0 lead in the first period, the Penguins found the equalizer real quick. Crosby, after some lackluster defense from the Predators, tallied the tying goal almost immediately after Jarnkrok’s on a breakaway.
The goal came just 1:06 from the last goal, and Pekka Rinne was the victim in net for the Predators on Crosby’s pretty goal.
The goal was incredibly welcomed for the Penguins for many reasons, and not just the fact that it tied up a crucial game in the Stanley Cup Finals. Crosby’s goal, according to ESPN Stats and Info, was his first in a Stanley Cup Final game since 2009, which was a 12-game scoreless streak for the veteran forward.
Next: Each NHL Team's Biggest 'What if
Crosby was still a factor before his goal, however, as he registered three assists, averaging one a game through the series’ first three games. However, fans in Pittsburgh will surely be happy to see Crosby potentially get his scoring touch back, at a time where they desperately need to pull away in the series.
The game remained tied through the rest of the period, with two left to decide if the Predators can head back to Pittsburgh with a new three-game series, or if the Penguins will have a chance to close things out on Thursday night.