With the Winnipeg Jets up 3-0 early in the third period, Crosby, upset by a counter hit from Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor, dropped the gloves in a regular season game for the first time in over five years.
Pittsburgh came into the night having lost four of their last five games and sit at the bottom of the NHL’s Metropolitan Division.
Connor dumped Crosby to the ice with a hit in Pittsburgh’s zone, and the Penguins captain got up with revenge on his mind. After an initial crosscheck unsuccessfully affected Connor, Crosby caught the Jets winger near the teams’ two benches and connected with his second attempt, sparking a fight.
Neither player threw many punches before a linesman broke up the altercation. However, Crosby continued to try to punch Connor through the linesman. He also earned an extra minor penalty on the play for crosschecking.
Michael Bunting would score Pittsburgh’s lone goal of the game 5:11 after Crosby and Connor were sent to the penalty box. Winnipeg, though, would hold on to their 3-1 lead for most of the third period before Connor got the last laugh, icing the game with an empty netter at the 18:49 mark of the frame, netting a Gordie Howe Hat Trick.
Crosby did not record a point in the game and is below a point-per-game overall on the year with 20 points (7g, 13a) in 22 games.
With the 4-1 defeat, Pittsburgh fell to 7-11-4 on the season. The Penguins are expected to initiate a significant sell-off of pieces on their roster,
