Freeze Frame: Crosby flashes his vintage grinder on Rakell's goal taken at PPG Paints Arena (Penguins)

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Sidney Crosby takes a faceoff against Bo Horvat of the Canucks on Friday in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Welcome to Freeze Frame -- our brand new quick-hitter analysis feature that we'll pump out after every game the Penguins play, with plans to do the same for Steelers and Pirates.

The goal of this feature isn't to go in-depth or even stress over the biggest or most impactful plays of any particular game but, rather, to highlight something specific from each event, typically an individual play or sequence, stat, or anything else along those lines. The door is open to have some fun with this.

Sidney Crosby was held without a point for the second consecutive game in the Penguins' 5-1 loss to the Canucks -- as Taylor Haase covered in Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday -- but he did make his mark on Rickard Rakell's power-play tally in the second period.

While Crosby no longer possess the same speed and acceleration he had years ago, his work along the boards remains as strong as ever:

That's vintage grinder Crosby.

Kyle Burroughs had a step on Crosby, inside positioning, and a straight-shot to the puck after Bryan Rust's attempt went to the corner, yet Crosby still managed to spring around to the outside at the last moment, whipping his stick at the puck to pressure Burroughs. With Burroughs unable to make a play on the puck, Crosby drove him into the boards with his superior lower-body strength and held him there until support came.

Rakell was the support that came, and as Crosby continued to pin Burroughs, the puck popped out to his right foot. As if he knew that would happen all along, Crosby swiftly swiped the puck with his skate right onto his stick blade and passed the puck along to Evgeni Malkin, who made the cross-ice pass to break down the Canucks' defensive coverage.

From the very second Crosby started his pursuit of the puck into the corner, he postured himself to be in the best possible position for the puck to wind up on his stick. Once it did, the puck was in the back of the net shortly after.

Check out the debut Freeze Frame, breaking down Sam Poulin's zone entry that led to his first NHL point in his debut against the Flames on Tuesday.

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