LOS ANGELES -- There are very few things Sidney Crosby hasn't done or achieved throughout his 18-year NHL career.
But when the Penguins lost to the Kings, 6-0, Saturday night at Crypto.com Arena, he was assessed a game misconduct. That's right, first time ever, booted from a game.
Midway through the third period with the game well out of reach for the visitors, Crosby took a crosscheck to his upper back from Los Angeles defenseman Mikey Anderson:
While nowhere close to the nastiest crosscheck Crosby's taken, Anderson was assessed a minor penalty and made his way to the penalty box. Before actually entering the penalty box, though, Anderson started hollering at Crosby.
"I could tell he was saying something there, but I don’t know what he was saying," Crosby would say following the game. "We were pretty far from each other, so I got closer. And that happens pretty often, a lot of scrums that happens."
That nothing-burger of an exchange above somehow earned both Crosby and Anderson a 10-minute misconduct.
"Then next thing I know, I was told I got a 10," Crosby said, "which — I mean, can I really say what I think anyway, without — let’s be honest here."
The look on Crosby's face after finding out he received the 10-minute misconduct says it all:
Anderson then made his way to the Kings bench before departing down the tunnel to serve his misconduct. Crosby, however, was so perplexed about receiving a misconduct that he refused to leave the playing surface until he received an explanation from referee Garrett Rank. As the Penguins trotted out five skaters for the power play stemming from Anderson's initial crosschecking minor, Crosby continued to follow Rank around the east end of the rink.
It was the straw that broke the zebra's back:
Game misconduct.
"I honestly — I was shocked that I was getting kicked out of the game," Crosby said. "I had no idea."
Mike Sullivan was asked if he inquired with Rank about Crosby's misconducts, to which he responded with a hard "No."
Was that because the game was beyond the point of salvaging?
"No," Sullivan said. "I don’t think Garrett had any interest in giving us an explanation."
Sullivan was clearly frustrated by the call, and rightfully so. The entire game was littered with poor officiating. That ranged from errant offside calls to ghost icings and, while Crosby was pushing his luck by following Rank around after receiving the 10-minute misconduct, it's fair to say he never should have received it in the first place.
How many times have we seen sucker punches to the head after the whistle not even result in a minor penalty? But Crosby engaging with Anderson after he was provoked warrants a banishment to the locker room?
Come on.
This incident certainly takes the cake, but the Penguins weren't exactly fond of Rank's officiating even before the game began. The Penguins and Rank have had their differences in the past, and that might just have something to do with what unfolded Saturday night.
