If there were any doubt, there isn't anymore: Sidney Crosby is one of the top five NHLers of all time. Sorry, haters.

All grown up now with three Stanley Cups and two Conn Smythe Trophies to his name, No. 87 cemented his legacy as one of hockey's all-time greats Sunday night. You can fight it, but much like facing the Pittsburgh Penguins, you'll lose.

He's not even 30

It's been a rather remarkable 18 months for Sid:

Add another Stanley Cup and another Conn Smythe to the ledger. And all this a couple of months before "the kid" turns 30 on Aug. 7.

It's also crucial to remember that Crosby played only 99 of 212 regular-season games between 2010 and 2013 - his age 23-to-25 seasons, his prime! - and arguably remains one major headshot away from potentially having to consider retiring due to his concussion history.

When you take the long view, and the team view, things get even more impressive. Here's what the Penguins accomplished over the last 10 years:

Dominance. Dynasty. Plain and simple. And it's been done in the salary cap era, when goals have been practically impossible to score, when coaching and defense has never been better, and when goalies have mastered their position. With all due respect to the Chicago Blackhawks, what Crosby and his Penguins have accomplished is downright incredible, especially when you consider the defense corps they just won the Cup with.

Legacy

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Crosby's a slam-dunk, first-ballot Hall of Famer. Even if he retired tomorrow. He's only the sixth player in NHL history to win two Conn Smythes, and only the third player to be named MVP of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The last player to do it? Penguins owner, Mario Lemieux, in 1991 and 1992.

Speaking of Lemieux, Crosby now has one more ring than No. 66 as a player. As The Tribune-Review's Kevin Gorman writes, Crosby and his running mate Evgeni Malkin will "go down as the greatest duo in the history of the City of Champions," no small feat when you consider Pittsburgh's legacy as a sports town.

There's more. Outside of Crosby, only one other player captained three teams to the Stanley Cup and won two Conn Smythe trophies, and you may have heard of him: Wayne Gretzky.

Rank 'em

Gretzky. Lemieux. Bobby Orr. Mike Bossy. Gordie Howe. That's five, and then there's Crosby, who very politely bullied his way into the group.

Bump who you need to bump, but, sorry, it's got to be Bossy or Howe, because Crosby - whose career 1.313 points per game in the regular season ranks sixth all time - belongs in the top five. Based on the era Crosby's played in, there's no longer denying the fact.

Crosby's done it all, won everything there is to win in hockey, and yet he remains as motivated as ever, because winning fuels him. He's addicted to it. That he's done what he's done in his age 28 and 29 seasons proves it. All things considered, these are the two best seasons of Sid's career. He's getting better, as unfathomable as that may be.

But perhaps the mistake is in doubting Crosby, in being amazed by what he's able to accomplish. This was his destiny, since before he was "the kid," since he was a little boy.

Up next

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Crosby is motivated by an unparalleled desire to succeed. And you know he's going to come into 2017-18 as if he's never won a Stanley Cup, or a Conn Smythe. He'll be all business, looking to three-peat, and make it four Stanley Cups.

You know who else won four Cups? Gretzky.

Forget about top five. As Crosby turns 30, his goal remains the same: win. And should he continue to do so - would you bet against this guy? - he'll be in the top-two conversation when it's all said and done.

Gretzky and Crosby. The best ever. It's no longer a stretch.

Much like there was only one Gretzky, there's only one Crosby. And that ain't fake news.

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There's a reason why Sidney Crosby has won everything there is to be won in hockey. It's what he lives for.

The Pittsburgh Penguins captain and superstar celebrated his second Stanley Cup victory - and third overall - Sunday night, along with his second straight Conn Smythe Trophy, and told the media that it's winning, and the emotion that comes with it, that keeps him going.

"I think this feeling right now," Crosby said when asked what motivates him. "You can't match this. This is what it's all about, and to be able to share that with a group of guys, and a lot of them guys that you've played a long time with and understand how difficult it is and what you've had to go through and that kind of thing, to share it with family and friends, you know, is just ... that's what it's about."

Crosby called these Penguins, the first club to repeat as champs in almost 20 years, a very special team.

"I'm really happy to be a part of this group, and a good chunk of the guys are returning from last year, so it's pretty special," he said. "You know, we set out to try to go back to back. We knew it was going to be difficult, but I think that's probably where the most joy comes out of, is just knowing how difficult it is now to go back to back and knowing that we overcame all those things. It's a pretty special group."

Mission accomplished. And in the salary cap era, no less.

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Repeat.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.

Sidney Crosby and Co. defeated the Nashville Predators 2-0 in Sunday's Game 6 to win the Stanley Cup Final 4-2. Patric Hornqvist scored the winning goal at 18:25 of the third period, and Carl Hagelin sealed the deal with an empty-net goal. Matt Murray was spectacular in the crease, stopping 27 shots to earn his second straight shutout.

It's the fifth Stanley Cup in Penguins history, each won on the road.

The game was filled with controversy, after an early second-period goal by Colton Sissons was ruled no-goal after referee Kevin Pollack blew the play dead early having lost sight of the puck.

The referees did their best to try and make it up to Nashville, the Predators going on four power plays to Pittsburgh's none, but Peter Laviolette's crew couldn't find the back of the net.

Pittsburgh is the first team to repeat as Cup champs in the Stanley Cup era, and the first since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998.

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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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The smart money's on the Pittsburgh Penguins to defeat the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup Final and repeat as champions.

Here are your Cup Final odds, courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook:

The teams split two games during the regular season.

Nashville won 5-1 on Oct. 22, while the Penguins defeated the Preds 4-2 on Jan. 31. Marc-Andre Fleury faced Juuse Saros in goal in that first game (Fleury allowed five goals on 23 shots and was pulled for Mike Condon), while Matt Murray and Pekka Rinne battled in the second meeting.

The latter two will be in the crease Monday night when Game 1 is played in Pittsburgh, barring any injuries.

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It's an Ottawa Senators supporter's worst nightmare: Game 7.

Tuesday was great; also bittersweet. The Sens refused to begin their offseason, forcing a deciding game in the Eastern Conference Final versus the Penguins in Pittsburgh. All that's on the line is the chance to play for the Stanley Cup. So, everything.

However, for Ottawa to advance and depose the defending champs, it must exorcise some major win-or-go-home demons. Thursday night will be the sixth Game 7 in franchise history, and the Senators are still searching for win No. 1. It's going to be agony - but hopefully the good kind, in the end.

Now, a couple of sentences from "Outline," an incredible novel by Rachel Cusk, come to mind:

It remains your truth, whatever has happened. Don't be afraid to look at it.

It's your history, Sens fans. It's made you who you are. You've got to own it. Let's take a walk down Game 7 memory lane.

And think of this way: Ottawa's due.

2012 vs. Rangers

It's been five years since the Senators bowed out of the postseason in seven games.

In 2012, in Paul MacLean's first season behind the bench, the Senators failed to convert a 3-2 series lead on home ice in the first round, instead heading back to Manhattan to play Game 7 against the New York Rangers.

While Craig Anderson made up for his terrible Game 6, stopping 27-of-29 shots, Henrik Lundqvist was opposite him. And you never want to be facing Henrik freakin' Lundqvist in a do-or-die game.

New York took a 2-1 decision, despite Ottawa's 55.3 possession advantage. It was classic Rangers hockey.

Five Senators remain from that last crushing defeat: Anderson, Erik Karlsson, Chris Neil, Zack Smith, and Kyle Turris.

2004 vs. Maple Leafs

The Senators were down 3-2 in the series but forced Game 7 in Toronto, winning Game 6 in double overtime on Mike Fisher's winner. Yeah, this was a long time ago.

This one still hurts, though, a lot, because it was The Patrik Lalime Game (or The Joe Nieuwendyk Game, if you're from Toronto).

Already down 1-0 early, Nieuwendyk beat Lalime with the softest of soft wrist shots from the left wing. You could have stopped it.

Then, with time just about up in the first period, Nieuwendyk did it again, almost from the same spot, this time beating Lalime five-hole, and - yes, right in that moment - ending the Senators' 102-point season.

Those have to be two of the softest goals ever scored in Game 7 history, and to this day, they remain difficult to watch. Lalime was pulled after 20 minutes. He made eight saves. Toronto won 4-1.

2003 vs. Devils

The 2003 Sens won 52 games, and their 113 points were enough to claim the Presidents' Trophy. Despite that success, their magical season came to an end in the Eastern Conference Final in Game 7 at home against the New Jersey Devils (who would go on to win the Cup).

This one hurt so bad because it was, essentially, an overtime loss, with Jeff Friesen scoring the winner in the third period with 2:14 to play. The Senators had erased a 3-1 series deficit to get to this heartbreaking point.

You can blame Lalime all you want, but it was really a defensive breakdown, as two Senators converged on the man with the puck on the rush while Friesen was allowed to go to the net.

One mistake is all it takes in Game 7.

2002 vs. Maple Leafs

Another 3-2 series lead was squandered - this time in the second round - including another blown 2-0 lead in Game 6 on home ice.

This was when Lalime's three-year Game 7 nightmare began: In Toronto, on April 14, 2002, in the first period, when Alexander Mogilny banked the game's opening goal off Sami Salo's skate and through Lalime's legs.

It was the game- and series-winning goal, of course.

The Senators finished with only 19 shots in a 3-0 loss.

1997 vs. Sabres

Close your eyes. You can still see the puck going off - going through, it seemed - Ron Tugnutt's glove and into the net in overtime of Game 7 in Buffalo. You can still see Tugnutt reaching back in vain, then letting go of his stick and clutching his own helmet with both hands.

Agonizing.

It was the Senators' first playoff berth since entering the league in 1992, and did it ever end in soul-crushing fashion.

It's been 20 years. And all streaks must come to an end.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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Bobby Ryan desperately wanted to go back to Pittsburgh. Not only did he get his wish, he did his part.

The 30-year-old continued his stellar playoffs Tuesday, scoring a much needed power-play goal for Ottawa, which tied Game 6 against the Penguins 1-1. Mike Hoffman would score the winner, forcing a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Final. And that's all Ryan wanted:

The Senators have been a team in every sense of the word this season, rallying around each other despite personal challenges faced by Craig Anderson, whose wife was diagnosed with cancer in the fall, and Clarke MacArthur, whose career was thought to be in jeopardy, but who came back and eliminated the Boston Bruins in the first round.

It was a trying season for Ryan, too, the four-time 30-goal scorer finishing with only 13 goals and 12 assists in what was by far the worst statistical season of his career.

But as Ryan wrote last week on The Players' Tribune, this Senators outfit, while not so different from other ones, is actually different. Because it is and always has been about the team, not personal statistics, from day one. Ryan and his numbers are the perfect example.

This has been a fun ride so far, but I think this team still has a lot left in the tank. This is the moment we’ve been preparing for all year, and now that it’s here, we feel ready.

I mean, why not us?

Why not now?

The underdog Sens, doubted all season and all playoffs, are one win away from the Stanley Cup Final. And you know Ryan wants nothing more than to play hockey in June.

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Pekka Rinne's having a time.

The Nashville Predators are off to their first Stanley Cup Final, and they have their goaltender to thank. Rinne has been out of this world this spring, and he punctuated his playoff performance Monday night by stopping 38-of-41 shots during a game in which his team fired only 16 pucks on Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonathan Bernier. The Ducks had 16 shots in the third period alone.

Rinne's been masterful, any way you look at it.

Since the lockout

Going back to 2005-06, the first season after the 2004-05 lockout, only one goalie to win at least 12 playoff games in a season has bettered Rinne's .941 save percentage (the Finn has stopped a remarkable 446-of-474 shots).

As you can see, a goaltending performance like Rinne's ends one of two ways.

All time

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Going back 100 years, Rinne's .941 percentage ranks third all time among goalies to win at least 12 games in a postseason. He's submitting a playoff performance that betters legends and Hall of Famers like Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek, and Patrick Roy.

At his age

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As The Athletic's James Mirtle pointed out, Rinne's performance is that much more impressive considering he's 34 years old.

In fact, what Rinne's doing at his age is unprecedented. Only six goalies 34 or older have won at least 11 games in a postseason with a save percentage of at least .930.

(On an aside, what Tim Thomas did in 2010-11 at 36 was stunning.)

The numbers don't lie. Should the Predators win the final, Rinne will be the reason why, and he'll have a Conn Smythe Trophy and a Stanley Cup to show for a dream-like run in the playoffs.

(Data courtesy: Hockey Reference)

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The Nashville Predators' Stanley Cup hopes took a massive hit Friday afternoon.

Ryan Johansen, the team's No. 1 center, is out for the remainder of the playoffs after sustaining a left thigh injury in Thursday's Game 4 against the Anaheim Ducks that required emergency surgery, the club announced.

The surgery was successful and Johansen will need two-to-three months to recover.

The 24-year-old departs the playoffs as Nashville's leading scorer, with three goals and 10 assists in 14 games. He was averaging 20:46 in ice time. His production will be sorely missed, and the pressure will be on Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson to produce in his absence.

It's unclear when Johansen was injured in the Predators' 3-2 overtime loss Thursday to the Ducks, which tied the Western Conference Final 2-2. Johansen had a goal and three assists in four games against Anaheim, and was performing well despite a much-talked-about feud with Ducks pest Ryan Kesler.

The Predators acquired Johansen in a one-for-one trade with the Blue Jackets on Jan. 6, 2016, sending defenseman Seth Jones to Columbus.

Saturday's Game 5 will be the first game of any kind that Johansen will miss as a Predator. And he leaves a massive hole in the Predators' lineup - expect Forsberg to move back to center.

Johansen was playing arguably the best hockey of his young career, and his injury is a reminder that a Stanley Cup window can close without notice, just like that.

Game 5 is set for Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET in Anaheim.

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The Eastern Conference Final between Pittsburgh and Ottawa is tied 1-1 heading to the Canadian capital after a 1-0 Penguins win in Game 2.

Only one goal was scored, but Game 2 was far superior to Game 1. Here are five takeaways after an emotional tilt:

Clean hit

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Let's get this one out of the way: Dion Phaneuf's monster hit on Bryan Rust in the first period - which knocked Rust out of the game - was clean. It's about as clean as a hit can get in this era of head injuries and increased concussion awareness.

Watch: Phaneuf levels Rust with devastating open-ice hit

Rust had his head down as he was cutting to the middle of the ice, and Phaneuf obliterated him, but kept his skates on the ice and led with his shoulder and not his elbow. Unless hits like Phaneuf's are outlawed for simply being unnecessary, they will forever remain part of the game.

That's not to say Rust deserved what he got - of course not. Phaneuf did make contact with his head, but that's because the defender is 6-foot-3, while Rust comes in at 5-foot-11. What's Phaneuf supposed to do?

There was no penalty on the play, and that was the right call.

Phaneuf laid out Jake Guentzel later in the game with almost the exact same hit, and no penalty was called on that play, either. Guentzel is 5-foot-10 and Phaneuf again kept his skates on the ice and led with his shoulder. There was unfortunate contact with Guentzel's head simply because of Phaneuf's height.

Clean. Both of 'em. That's hockey. Especially playoff hockey.

Kessel lives for the playoffs

The "Phil Kessel doesn't care" narrative is lazy and, frankly, bull-you-know-what. Look at his track record. Look at his Stanley Cup ring.

Kessel had a night Monday, though, as he went off at the Pens' bench in the second period, frustrated because the Penguins couldn't buy a goal despite dominating the game. He was particularly upset with Evgeni Malkin, his center, and the playoffs' leading scorer.

But all's well that ends well. Fittingly, Kessel scored the winner with 6:55 to play, with Malkin picking up the primary assist.

Watch: Kessel channels anger, scores Game 2 winner

The pair have been and will remain instrumental to Pittsburgh's success, and will be the rest of the way:

"It's emotional," Pens head coach Mike Sullivan said after the game about the exchange on the bench. "They're heated for all the right reasons - because they're invested. We call it a man's argument."

Brothers fight sometimes. They're still family.

Penguins adapted

After being bottled up by the 1-3-1 Senators in Game 1, the Penguins adapted. They pushed the pace, they had the puck, and they took control - especially in a 0-0 game in the third period. All this while playing most of the game down two players.

Pittsburgh dominated possession, finishing with a 57-35 Corsi advantage:

(Courtesy: hockeystats.ca)

Make no mistake: Pittsburgh deserved the win, any way you look at it.

After the all-around dud that was Game 1, this contest delivered, and had a bit of everything. These teams are becoming increasingly disgusted with each other, and that's always fun, and also bodes well for Game 3 on Wednesday.

Sens need to push

The Senators are boring. Like, extremely boring. But what they're doing is working, and nobody wins the Stanley Cup on style points. However, Ottawa is going to have to push the tempo a little bit more.

This can't happen:

The Senators woke up after Kessel's goal, knowing they had to score to force overtime, comfortable in the knowledge they'd scored some late goals and OT winners in these very playoffs.

Ottawa finished with seven shots in the third, the majority of them in the final minutes, as it pressed for a goal and had some good looks with Craig Anderson on the bench.

It was too little, too late, but the Sens need more of that. They need to establish some sort of forecheck, especially in light of Pittsburgh's depleted defense. Justin Schultz was lost Monday, and the Pens essentially played all of Game 2 with only five defensemen.

Ottawa must pressure that defense corps more, all game.

Flower still blooming

A shutout in the playoffs is always special, and Marc-Andre Fleury pitched another one Monday. They're adding up.

Making the shutout that much more impressive was the fact Fleury didn't face a shot for almost 20 minutes.

Fleury was asked what he did while he essentially became a spectator.

"Wait," he replied.

Well put.

That's two shutouts in three games for Fleury - including a Game 7 clean sheet on the road in Washington against the regular season's best team to close out Round 2.

Remember: Fleury was set to back up Matt Murray ahead of Game 1 of the playoffs, before Murray was hurt in the warmup and Fleury took the crease. A backup no more, the crease belongs to the Flower once again, as one of the best stories of the playoffs continues.

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