Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will be back, so it’s a whole new NHL season, with the same old jealousy. They face off against each other in the Metropolitan Division, and with their recent playoff track record isn’t just another faceoff, it’s an intriguing story.
Crosby continues to be a focal point of its competitiveness. With a very high-scoring and leadership-oriented career in the NHL since 2005, it has come as no surprise that the Penguins captain is the red, white and blue’s best in the scoring category.No surprise there, as the Penguins captain has been one of the highest-scoring and most leadership-oriented players in the red, white and blue since 2005 when he joined the N.H.L. For Pittsburgh, having him in the lineup always makes a difference when the chips are on the line, and every game with Philadelphia will be keenly watched with him at the helm.
This is the chance for the Flyers to gauge how big their stride has been when playing Crosby and the Penguins. Jakarta’s competition with Pittsburgh has certainly produced some exciting moments over the years, and sometimes with physical contact and tight contests.
The remnants of a playoff series angle creates a double-layered sense of importance to the open season game, as well. A playoff berth does not exist outside of the regular season and both teams know that onMPLATE points will eventually matter when playoff spots are determined.
The challenge Crosby faces is much the same one he’s encountered throughout his career: keep Pittsburgh competitive while keeping his skills at the same level that makes him one of the best players of his era. The question for Philadelphia will be to answer that challenge as a coalition and to build its own identity as early in the campaign as possible.
A showdown match is definitely a building block of a rivalry, and a season opener cannot be the final one. It’s a big match-up for the Flyers, with Crosby in the mix, and a great early test: it’s a new piece to the one of the most prominent rivalries in the history of the game.
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