Sidney Crosby rewrites NHL history with clutch overtime winner, becoming first player to reach 50 OT points

Sidney Crosby's overtime record rewrote NHL history on Sunday night, and it came in vintage fashion when pressure was highest and time was almost gone. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain once again turned chaos into calm at Nationwide Arena.

With the game hanging by a thread and momentum swinging wildly, Crosby stepped into the moment like he always does. His overtime winner against the Columbus Blue Jackets did more than seal a dramatic road victory. It pushed him into uncharted territory, making him the first player in league history to record 50 career points scored in overtime.What made the night even more striking was how the Penguins arrived there.

Pittsburgh looked buried early, trailing 4-1 just minutes into the second period. Many teams would have folded in that spot, especially on the road. Crosby had other ideas. He first set the stage by feeding Rickard Rakell for the tying goal with just 16 seconds left in regulation. Then, in overtime, he finished the job himself, extending a surge that has quietly reshaped the Penguins’ season.

Sidney Crosby's overtime record sparks Penguins' resurgence

This win marked Pittsburgh’s fifth straight, a sharp reversal from a December stretch that saw the team stumble through six consecutive home losses.

The Penguins are suddenly playing with speed, confidence, and belief again, and Crosby sits at the center of it all. His overtime heroics were the exclamation point on a comeback that included five unanswered goals in one of the season’s more stunning turnarounds.

Depth contributions mattered too. Goaltender Arturs Silovs delivered a steady performance to earn the win, stepping in after Stuart Skinner started the previous night in Detroit.

Yegor Chinakhov, facing his former team in Columbus for the first time since being traded late last month, chipped in with an assist, adding another layer to the night’s storyline. The Penguins also made notable lineup choices, scratching Rutger McGroarty, Connor Clifton, and Kevin Hayes as they leaned into what is clearly working.For Crosby, the milestone fits a career defined by late-game excellence. Overtime has long been his playground, a space where instincts and experience often matter more than structure. As Pittsburgh continues to climb, a bigger question now follows naturally. After three straight years outside the postseason, the longest playoff absence Crosby has known, this run feels different. If the captain keeps delivering moments like this, the Penguins’ wait might finally be nearing its end.Also Read: Maple Leafs’ playoff hopes teeter as Auston Matthews faces a dual crisis that’s rattling Toronto’s championship dreams