Another Not-So-Memorable First

There aren't a lot of "firsts" left on the things that Sidney Crosby can accomplish in hockey. He's won Stanley Cups, scoring titles, awards and accolades of all kinds, an Olympic gold medal, and a host of other things throughout his career, so the highlights have all been virtually crossed off the hockey bucket list. While it's impossible to win every year, the fact that Crosby continues to set personal, franchise, and league records speaks to the standard he has set for himself as an NHL player. Tonight, though, he crossed another first off his list that I don't think anyone, including himself, expected him to achieve.

In the game against the Los Angeles Kings tonight in La-La-Land, Crosby was crosschecked from behind by Mikey Anderson, causing him to fall into the path of Sean Durzi who tripped over Crosby. Plays like this are dangerous, but seen far too often in the hockey as defenders look for ways to bend the rules without breaking them in an effort to gain an advantage over their opponents. However, with the high crosscheck used by Anderson combined with Durzi unable to avoid Crosby, the chance of injury - possibly, a concussion - grows exponentially, and the time at which this crosscheck was delivered - the Kings led 5-0 - angered Crosby quite a bit.

Let's take a look at the hit and the fallout.
You likely heard the announcers referencing the battle that Evgeni Malkin and Drew Doughty had prior to this altercation, but Anderson was given the two-minute minor as he should have been. Crosby kept jawing at Anderson, though, and referee Garrett Rank looked to eliminate the trash-talking and potential build-up surrounding LA's five-goal lead that had led to the rougher play. By giving both Anderson and Crosby ten-minute misconducts, he removed two heated players from the powderkeg situation that was building.

Rank clearly had had enough of the jawing everyone was doing, though, and his order for Crosby to leave the ice should have been respected. Had head coach Mike Sullivan had questions, he could have sent over one of the Penguins' alternate captains to get an explanation from Rank rather than having Crosby pester him for answers. I get that Crosby usually can have a conversation with officials in most situations, but it seems as though Rank wanted none of the additional questions that Crosby was posing to him.

If you're watching this clip, kids, and you're confused as to why Sidney Crosby was ejected from the game, it's because he refused to leave the ice like the referee had instructed him to do, and the game misconduct he received for his refusal to comply with the referee's decision is, in my view, entirely justified. As a result, this would mark the first time in his NHL career that Sidney Crosby was ejected from a game. Had he not been chirping, he wouldn't have gotten the ten-minute misconduct, and his refusal to comply with the penalty resulted his dismissal from the contest.

Some may say that Rank stepped over the line, but I believe that Rank was doing what he believed was right in order to keep the game from breaking down further. It was clear that the Penguins weren't happy about being down 5-0, and they weren't about to allow the Kings to take liberties on any inch of the ice. The Kings, on their side, weren't going to stand for Pittsburgh upping their physical play without playing more physical themselves, so you can see why Rank was handing out misconducts like they were flyers.

Chalk up Crosby's first game misconduct penalty to his frustration with the misconduct call, Rank trying to re-establish order to the game, Rank being annoyed with how the game was spinning out of control, and Crosby's refusal to comply after chirping at Anderson. Crosby can say he's shocked and/or confused about how his first game misconduct came to be, but it was pretty evident that he was pushing the envelope.

While he has a number of impressive firsts in his career, I doubt this will make the Sidney Crosby highlight reel once his career is over.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!