Crosby Duped into Penalty

**BlacknGold Bleeder** · 01-04-2009, 10:21 AM

On the day Sidney Crosby was named a starter for the NHL All-Star Game, he had his second fight in the league. Or at least a one-sided version of a fight. Crosby, the Penguins' captain, and Florida center Brett McLean exchanged words in the first period yesterday at Mellon Arena and, with frustration mounting for the home team, Crosby decided he wanted to engage McLean. So, with his team trailing by three goals at 17:01 of the second period -- two seconds after the Penguins' Max Talbot fought the Panthers' Gregory Campbell -- Crosby asked McLean to fight. "He said 'yes,' " Crosby said. "Usually, yes means yes." In this case, Crosby punched, but McLean didn't punch back, so, while both players got five-minute fighting penalties, Crosby also got minor penalties for instigating (the first of his career) and unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10-minute misconduct penalty. He didn't get a chance to play again until the final two minutes of regulation. "I wouldn't have wasted 20 minutes in the box for that," Crosby said. "I guess he didn't take me seriously." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

**Deb** · 01-04-2009, 10:26 AM

Sidney Crosby's Fighting Style: Dirty as I Wanna Be, Part 2

Posted Jan 3rd 2009 3:30PM by Adam Gretz (author feed)
Filed under: Panthers, Penguins, NHL Fans, NHL Fights, NHL Videos

A couple of weeks ago Eric McErlain passed along the video of Penguins center Sidney Crosby punching an unsuspecting Atlanta Thrashers player in the goods. It didn't exactly go over well with hockey fans because, well, a lot of people may have been suspended for a similar move while Crosby went unpunished. On Saturday, with the Penguins getting their hats handed to them -- again -- on home ice, Crosby decided to take out his frustrations on Brett McLean and essentially jumped him right off the draw.

The scrap came just after Max Talbot and Gregory Campbell squared off in a mutually agreed upon bout. If Crosby wants to be a leader and stick up for his team -- and himself -- there are better ways to do it. Basically mugging the guy across from you and then wildly throwing punches with your visor on is not the way. Terribly weak on Crosby's part. Is it weaker than the Penguins collective team effort the past month? That's a toss up, my friends.

Both players received five-minute majors for fighting, while Crosby picked up a 10-minute misconduct and a double minor for roughing.

The Penguins ultimately lost, 6-1, dropping their fourth consecutive game -- and fifth straight at home -- while they are 8-13 since November 15. Even worse, with Buffalo's win in Boston on Saturday, the Penguins fall to the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference, meaning, if the playoffs were to start today, the defending Eastern Conference champions would be on the outside looking in. Fortunately, the playoffs don't start today. Though if the Penguins keep playing like this it's not going to matter when they start.

**popstaala** · 01-04-2009, 12:02 PM

wow crosby had him good...

**Koopa** · 01-04-2009, 02:06 PM

i lost respect for crosby, fighting a dude that wasn't even paying attention, that's some coward shit

**AZ_Steeler** · 01-04-2009, 02:46 PM

That was a little weak on his part... Looked like a girl trying to get in his cheap shot!

**Dee Mca** · 01-04-2009, 04:07 PM

Was it really cheap? Sid isn't known for being a fighter so if anyone I'd take a dive to would be him. I think McLean was pretty smart for what he did. Everyone knows the Pens love to play from behind and really no lead is safe. So McLean did his job and took out a big threat.