Andrew Gross: Islanders won't underestimate Penguins even if Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin are out
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders defends against Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at UBS Arena on Feb. 3, 2026. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It could only benefit the Islanders if Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were not in the Penguins’ lineup for Monday night’s potential playoff preview at UBS Arena.
Right?
Right?
Malkin wound up sidelined for a fourth game with an upper-body injury while Crosby (lower-body injury) was a game-time decision.
And, it turns out, it was a more nuanced pregame discussion among Islanders’ players when Newsday canvassed the dressing room.
Sure, the lack of two future Hall of Famers in a lineup would seem to be a boon to the Islanders as they played the Penguins with second place in the Metropolitan Division (which carries home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs) up for grabs. Plus, these two teams are still trying to hold off the Blue Jackets and hard-charging Flyers to qualify for the postseason.
But a distinguishing feature of professional athletes is their innate competitive nature. There is a pleasing challenge to playing the Penguins with those two on the ice and a certain satisfaction in defeating them.
“Yeah, I understand the question,” captain Anders Lee told Newsday. “I think it’s both. You want to earn it. Let’s go out there and earn it regardless of whether those guys are in. They make such an impact on that team. We know that. We know how special they are to that group and what they can do on the ice. At the end of the day, it does come back to us and how we play and our focus.”
“Any time you play a team and their top guys are out, it just looks like a different lineup,” Mathew Barzal said. “Whether they’re in or out this time of the year, our mindset stays the same. They’re both amazing. It’s tough with them in. When those guys are out of the lineup, sometimes it’s equally as tough because you’ve got guys called up and working their hardest.”
The Penguins have exceeded preseason expectations and been a factor in the playoff race all season under former Rangers assistant Dan Muse, who should receive some Jack Adams Award consideration as the NHL’s top coach.
“That’s what resiliency does for a team,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy said. “Playing without great leaders and great hockey players, you have to find ways to win hockey games.”
Crosby missed Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the visiting Stars and also missed the first 11 games following the Olympic break after getting injured playing for Team Canada. Malkin also was suspended for five games from March 7-14 before this injury absence.
The Penguins entered Monday 7-5-4 since their post-Olympic season resumed on Feb. 26 when Crosby or Malkin or both were out of the lineup.
Which is why Casey Cizikas said, “You can’t really make that argument for them,” when asked about the Penguins being a better team with Crosby and/or Malkin.
“They’ve had those guys out,” Cizikas said. “That’s not to knock those guys, they’re arguably two of the best players of all time. That team has found a way even without those guys, at times, to play really good hockey and get wins. It doesn’t matter who’s in the lineup for them, they’re finding ways to get it done.”
As a side note, any sense these answers are of the waffling nature stems from the Islanders’ players not wanting to say the wrong thing or anything that could potentially be used as bulletin-board material in the Penguins’ room.
Because, of course, having Crosby and Malkin makes the Penguins a more complete, dangerous team. And if the Islanders do face them in the playoffs, the expectation would be that both will be in the lineup from Game 1.
The Islanders were also coming off a 5-2 win over the injury-depleted Panthers on Saturday. Among the players not in Florida’s lineup that day were Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, A.J. Greer, Brad Marchand, Sam Reinhart and Uvis Balinskis.
“We said it during the Florida game, too, they were missing a lot of guys,” Kyle MacLean said. “Regardless of who they have, if you get caught up a little too much in who they’re dressing, you’re not focusing on yourself. You’re wasting energy. Every team right now, regardless if it’s playing Sid and Malkin, they’re going to be ready to go. We’ve seen it.”
Maybe, down deep, the answer each Islander wanted to give was, “Heck, yeah, we’d prefer not to face Crosby and Malkin.”
But don’t be too sure.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
