PITTSBURGH — The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby, has once again established himself among the elite players in hockey, having achieved a remarkable milestone alongside his former teammate, Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux.

In a thrilling matchup on Monday, Crosby equaled Lemieux’s franchise record for most assists during a first-period power play goal, contributing to the Penguins’ impressive 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Crosby’s backhand pass found Philip Tomasino, who successfully scored at 17:44 of the first period, extending Pittsburgh’s lead to 4-1 and marking Crosby’s 1,033rd assist, a number that matches Lemieux’s all-time record for the franchise.

“My intention was to drive to the net,” Crosby shared about the play. “But at the last moment, I noticed he was positioned perfectly at the back door.”

Both superstars now share the same number of assists, placing them 12th on the all-time NHL assists leaderboard, with only three players having recorded more assists with one team than these two icons.

“I never entered this league thinking about records,” Crosby admitted. “Playing in the NHL has always been my dream, and I’m thankful for each moment. However, being tied with Mario is quite special — it’s a delightful surprise.”

In addition to tying the record, Crosby also netted an empty-net goal in the third period and provided assists on both Rickard Rakell’s and Bryan Rust’s goals during the first period, completing an impressive four-point night. This marks the 42nd time in his career that Crosby has recorded four points in a single game, doing so for the second time in just three matches. This season, Crosby has tallied 10 goals and accumulated 39 points in 36 games thus far.

“There are few players in NHL history that have reached the heights that both Mario and Sid have ascended to,” commented Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, acknowledging both legends.

Mario Lemieux concluded his remarkable career with 1,723 points, guiding the Penguins to their inaugural two Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992 as a player. When Crosby took up the captaincy, he led the team to championship victories in 2009, 2016, and 2017 while Lemieux owned the franchise.

“This achievement serves as further confirmation of Sid’s place among the greatest players of all time, as well as Mario’s,” Sullivan added. “Their legacies keep expanding.”