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Crosby’s hot streak about quality shots, not quantity

By Tyler Vasbinder

Dec 3, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) looks on against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Pittsburgh won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) looks on against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Pittsburgh won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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By no means did Sidney Crosby have anything left to prove  as he entered the 2016-17 NHL season, his 11th in the league. However, that hasn’t stopped the reigning Conn Smythe winner and two-time Stanley Cup champion from exceeding expectations in new ways.

Increased shooting percentage fueling best start of Crosby’s career

Generally known as a distributor rather than a shoot-first scorer, Crosby’s hot streak isn’t the result of a change in style as much as  an increased efficiency with the shots he does take.

Crosby is scoring on an eye-popping 23.9 percent of his shots this season, tops among players with 50 or more shots. To compare, Crosby’s career shooting percentage is 14.7 percent with a career-high of 19.9 percent in the 2010-11 season.

Dec 3, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) handles the puck against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Pittsburgh won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY
Dec 3, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) handles the puck against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Pittsburgh won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY /

“He’s picked up where he left off in the World Cup,” says Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford, courtesy of Tim Wharnsby of CBC Sports. “I think the World Cup was an advantage because he already was at a high level coming into the season.”

That said, Crosby is shooting slightly more than he did last year, averaging a little less than half a shot more per game. ”Playing against him in the past, I would try to make sure I was taking away passing lanes from him,” said forward Eric Fehr, Crosby’s teammate who spent a near decade battling him as a member of the Washington Capitals. ”You don’t really expect him to pull up and shoot. You see him coming down in a 3 on 2 you’re expecting him to lay it in somewhere. I think that’s changed him a little bit and that makes him tough to defend.” (Quote courtesy AP).

The star’s remarkable season hasn’t gone unnoticed among fans. Crosby leads all Metropolitan division All Star voting after the first week of voting. His teammate, Phil Kessel, is currently third.

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