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A heated moment took place during the game between the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden on Monday. In the second period, Rangers' goaltender Igor Shesterkin pushed Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby into the glass board and hit him.
The Penguins went on to win the game 5-2, halting New York's five-game winning streak. The incident sparked plenty of reaction from NHL fans on social media, with one fan commenting:
"Biggest baby in the NHL," in reference to Igor Shesterkin's hit.
Here are some other reactions to Shesterkin's hit:
One fan posted, "Typical just look past the initial chop by Sid."
Sidney Crosby scored twice and provided an assist, giving him 82 points for the 2023-24 season. The Canadian ice hockey center has now matched Wayne Gretzky's record for most seasons with a point-per-game average for 19 seasons.
Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic also played a key role by making 28 saves throughout the match.
Sidney Crosby’ Penguins 5-2 win over the Rangers
Bryan Rust scored two goals and Emil Bemstrom contributed one for Pittsburgh. This win snapped their four-game losing streak in New York, improving their record to 14-9-3 in their last 26 games versus the Rangers.
The Penguins (77 points) had lost both home games this season against the first-place Rangers (104 points) and were now playing their last game at Madison Square Garden.
“We know the circumstances. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us," Sidney Crosby told the media. ”You've got to find ways, whatever you have to do to get wins. That was a great team win."
Kaapo Kakko and Jack Roslovic found the back of the net for the Rangers while Igor Shesterkin made 16 saves.
“We knew it was going to be a tough test. That's a really good hockey team over there," Alex Nedeljkovic said to reporters. "They had a lot to play for but so do we. We're fighting for points and the guys did a great job."
Pittsburgh will miss the playoffs for the second straight season, something that has not happened in Crosby’s career since the 2005-06 season.
The Penguins (33-30-11) next face the New Jersey Devils (26-334-4) on Tuesday at Prudential Center. The game can be watched on MSG, ESPN+ and Fubo TV.
