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Sidney Crosby's first-period goal on Thursday against the Buffalo Sabres secured the 20th point-per-game season for the Pittsburgh Penguins captain, breaking a tie with Wayne Gretzky.

The goal also clinched Crosby's 14th 80-point season since entering the NHL during the 2005-06 season, putting him three behind Gretzky for that record.

Among all active NHL players, Crosby is ninth in points with 1,676 and his goal was the 26th of the season and the 618th of his career.

The 37-year-old Crosby is one of 11 players in league history to play with one franchise for at least 20 seasons and his 1,676 points are the fourth-most ever with one team in NHL history.

“I’m running out of words to try to describe Sid’s legacy that he’s built here,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said via NHL.com this week. “What I will say with respect to just his consistency of play, I think it directly correlates with his passion to the game, his drive to be the best and then his willingness to put the work in to do so. I think that combination of those three things is unique.

“I haven’t been around too many guys that have those three characteristics associated with their respective games. When you add his elite talent and just his capability with his work ethic and his willingness to put the time in to hone his craft, so to speak, I think that’s what’s allowed him to sustain the level of play that he’s been able to do for virtually two decades now.”

Following Crosby and Gretzky for most point-per-game NHL seasons is Gordie Howe (17) and a number of players with 15, including Crosby's teammate Evgeni Malkin and Penguins great Mario Lemieux

This story will be updated.