Crosby - who was the face of the league for most of his career - knows a thing or two about the liberties taken against star players on a nightly basis

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin score milestone goals to lead the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-1 win, ending the Kings' nine-game home win streak.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby offered his perspective on Connor McDavid’s three-game suspension for cross-checking Conor Garland during Saturday’s Edmonton-Vancouver clash. Speaking to The Athletic on Monday, Crosby acknowledged McDavid’s actions but framed them within the physical nature of hockey.

As it stands, the Penguins are in fourth-to-last place in the Eastern Conference and carry a goal differential of minus-36. It's a Penguins season that is on pace to be the worst since Sidney Crosby's rookie year in 2005-06.

Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin says his struggling team needs to start playing harder if it wants to return to the playoffs.

Sidney Crosby has been one of the faces of the NHL since the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He was a phenomenal player then and has not looked back since. He continues to dominate the NHL with 1,644 points through 1,319 career regular-season games.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (20-21-8) were firmly in control until a pair of late second-period penalties. The LA Kings (30-11-5) converted on a two-man advantage to close within 3-1 and seize palpable momentum.