Sid the kid, he flips his lid

The struggles of the Pittsburgh Penguins of late, are apparently beginning to take their toll, such is the growing friction in Penguinland that even star captain, Sidney Crosby is feeling the pressure these days.

The Florida Panthers were in town on Saturday night, a team which a quick glance at the standings will tell is almost a guaranteed cure for whatever ails a hockey team these days, yet, on Saturday the Panther were more than up to the challenge of Crosby and his Pens.

Florida found their scoring touch just in time for their appearance in Pittsburgh, scoring six times on the way to a solid and dominating thumping of the Penguins 6-1. While the pucks were going in the net, captain Crosby was seemingly doing a slow burn, as the Panthers were pulled ahead 4-1 in the final stages of the second period Crosby challenged Brett McLean to a fight, an uncommon for him move (it was but his second fight in the NHL), that resulted in some nineteen minutes of penalties to the Pittsburgh captain and all but banishment from the third period.


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Needless to say, it's probably a scene that we won't see repeated for a Timbits hockey commercial anytime soon.

Considering his penalty totals before the game, Crosby nearly doubled them Saturday night in less than a few minutes of scrapping, such as it was. Though his approach to the unsuspecting McLean has left a few of the more regular combatants of the NHL wars less than impressed.

While the league's tough guys may have their issues with Sid, he was being lauded by fellow team mates, McLean and even the Panther's coach for his efforts to spur his team to get more involved in the game, one simple fact should remain obvious, Crosby is probably best known for his scoring prowess as opposed to his punching abilities.

More importantly he probably is of more use to his team if he's on the ice looking to score goals, s opposed to motivating his team from the penalty box...

National Post-- Panthers add to Penguins' recent frustration
Globe and Mail-- Crosby blows his top
Miami Herald-- Nick Boynton calls Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby's behavior `embarrassing, childish'
Miami Herald-- Fists fly in Florida Panthers' victory over Penguins
Pittsburgh Post Gazette-- Penguins Notebook: McLean dupes All-Star Crosby into penalty box
Pittsburgh Post Gazette-- Rare Crosby fight can't spark Penguins, 6-1 losers
Pittsburgh Tribune-- A disastrous day for the Penguins