"He needs to be respected" - NHL fans react as Sidney Crosby hits major NHL milestone during Penguins' win against Canucks

During the Pittsburgh Penguins' 4-3 overtime victory against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, Sidney Crosby became the ninth player in NHL history to amass 1,000 even-strength points. The Penguins' official PR shared the news on X (formerly Twitter).

As news of Crosby's accomplishment spread across social media platforms, fans quickly expressed their admiration and respect for the veteran.

One fan emphasized the need to recognize Crosby's achievements.

"He needs to be respected."

Another fan took the opportunity to reflect on the team dynamics surrounding Crosby.

"If you had a team around him, it would be nice."

The joy and excitement surrounding Crosby's milestone were palpable in the comments section.

"Wow, such a monumental achievement for Sid the Kid! Definitely deserving of all the recognition #NHL #Legend #IronyIsMyMiddleName."

A fan simply declared,

"Hail Sidney Crosby."

Sidney Crosby sits behind Wayne Gretzky, Jaromir Jagr and Marcel Dionne

Sidney Crosby accomplished the feat in 1,246 games, making him the fourth fastest behind Wayne Gretzky (608 games), Marcel Dionne (1,143) and Jaromir Jagr (1,165).

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan lauded Crosby's excellent play, describing him as the team's driving force.

“He's had a remarkable career and he's shown zero signs of slowing down,” Sullivan said (via NHL.com). “He's the heartbeat of our team, and he's playing an inspiring game for us, so when he reaches these milestones, it doesn't surprise us because there's a lot of them, but it speaks volumes for how consistently well he's played for so long.

"To be able to sustain such an elite level of play for so long, I can't think of too many guys that have been able to do it like he has. It just speaks to his talent, it speaks to his drive, his passion for the game. I have run out of superlatives.”

Coming to the game itself, Erik Karlsson sealed the win in overtime with a rebound, following Thatcher Demko's impressive save on Lars Eller. Rickard Rakell scored twice, while Tristan Jarry made 32 saves for the Penguins, extending their point streak to four games.

Despite J.T. Miller's goal and assist, and Demko's 36 saves, Vancouver suffered its fourth loss in six games.