Sidney Crosby has long haunted the Islanders through his 16 NHL seasons with the Penguins.
But on the night Crosby played in his 1,000th career game, the Islanders took some time to express appreciation for their hockey nemesis and future Hall of Famer.
"Just watching him as a kid, he was one of the players I aspired to be like one day," said Mathew Barzal before the Islanders concluded a four-game road trip against the Penguins on Saturday night. "He’s still one of the best players in the league. Maybe his numbers are not leading the league in points.