LAS VEGAS -- Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell haven't played on a line together at 5-on-5 in either of the Penguins' last two games after spending a considerable chunk of the season with one another.
They did, however, find themselves out on the ice together late in the Penguins' 5-2 loss to the Golden Knights on Thursday night here at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
It didn't have an impact on the outcome of the game, but they did team up for a nifty goal that served as a reminder of just how well they read off each other.
Take a look:
In case you've forgotten, Crosby is one of the best -- if not the best -- grinder of all-time. Somehow, the physical component of his game has always been a bit underrated. He still throws his weight around to great effect, and that's exactly what he did in on the forecheck during the final minutes of this one.
It wasn't some sort of bone-crunching check, but Crosby threw a hit into Ben Hutton near the corner and completely knocked him off balance. That's all that was necessary for Jake Guentzel to snag possession of the puck. Guentzel immediately primed himself toward open ice and identified Rakell, who was open in the slot.
Shifting focus back to Crosby for a moment, it really is incredible how strong he is on his edges. Even after knocking Hutton to the ice and running into the wall himself, Crosby didn't lose his balance or momentum at all. With Hutton down on the ice and trying to recover, Crosby quietly drifted backward behind the net before popping out on the other side completely unmarked.
Once Guentzel fed Rakell in the slot, Rakell -- somewhat unconventionally -- corralled the puck before spinning and releasing, but nobody for the Golden Knights knew he was dishing to a wide-open Crosby on the backdoor instead of ripping a shot on goal.
All of it fooled Adin Hill, as well, leading to Crosby's 20th goal in 38 games this season.
