Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates his hat trick during the third period against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Russell LaBounty-USA TODAY Sports

Penguins' Sidney Crosby records his first hat trick since 2018

By Adam Stites | Last updated 1/21/22

Sidney Crosby has struggled to score goals this season, but the eight-time All-Star put together a vintage performance Friday night with his first hat trick since November 2018.

Crosby, 34, led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets with a goal in the first period and two more in the third. The final goal for Crosby was a bank shot off the boards into an empty net that looked like it may have intended to be a pass.

Um, did Sidney Crosby just score a hat trick... by accident? pic.twitter.com/74v5COsRBW
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 22, 2022

Crosby, who scored just five goals in the Penguins' first 25 games, has now scored five in Pittsburgh's last three. The Penguins have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL since the beginning of December with 15 wins in their last 17 games.

The hat trick was the 12th of Crosby's career, putting him in a tie with Evgeni Malkin for second-most in Penguins history.

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