It's been said about Sidney Crosby before, but it bears repeating: He is a movie. A very good one that only gets better.

A dominant three-assist performance in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday has folks fawning over No. 87 again, and rightfully so, as he's on the cusp of his third ring. But the truth is that we take Crosby for granted.

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

And what's left to say about Sid? For the Nashville Predators to pull off a miracle, to come back and win the Stanley Cup by winning two in a row, not only must they win a game on the road, in Pekka Rinne's personal house of horrors, they must win said game on the road against Crosby. Sorry, Nashville, but that's not likely to happen.

Crosby only wins

You don't - you can't - bet against Crosby.

Looking back, it's hard to believe he lost a Stanley Cup Final. It happened, though, in 2008, despite Crosby's 27 points in 20 playoff games (tied with Henrik Zetterberg for the league lead, though the Red Wing played two more games) - and Crosby hasn't lost since.

Think about it: His first Stanley Cup in 2009, to make sure the feelings of 2008 didn't last any longer than they needed to; a gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics, thanks to his overtime goal on home soil; another Olympic gold in 2014, when Canada laughed the competition out of Sochi; some more gold at the 2015 worlds; his second Stanley Cup in 2016, and his first Conn Smythe Trophy. You know what's coming next.

And don't look now, but Crosby's only one point behind Evgeni Malkin for the playoff scoring lead. It could be back-to-back Cups and Conn Smythes for 87.

Kid no more

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Crosby's had a downright remarkable three years. They're even more impressive when you consider the 29-year-old's head-injury history, and the fact it always feels like he's one headshot away from potentially having to call it a career.

Even if that were to happen, as devastating as it would be for Crosby, the NHL, the sport, and the planet, what a career it will have been. Sid's about to win his third Stanley Cup. Mario Lemieux won two - in an NHL that didn't have a salary cap.

Crosby's a man now, indisputably one of the greatest hockey players of all time, and you need only look at the hardware he's accumulated to realize that he's grown up before your very eyes. And, yes, it's quite the damn collection.

Appreciate what you're watching Sunday. And maybe Wednesday, too.

If the Predators force Game 7, and the Penguins win on home ice, it'll be the first of their five Stanley Cups to be won in Pittsburgh. That means Crosby's got one more thing to cross off his to-win list. And let's face it: You know he will.

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