Only one player had ever reached 1,111 assists for a single NHL franchise. Now there are two. Crosby’s primary helper on Rakell’s late equaliser at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday pulled him level with Ray Bourque, who built his 1,111 assists with the Boston Bruins before his trade to Colorado in 2000.

The pass came with 66 seconds to play. Crosby slid the puck across the slot to Rakell, who buried it to force overtime after Pittsburgh had trailed since the second period, as recounted by Pittsburgh Hockey Now.

Ville Koivunen settled it 3:44 into the extra period, finishing from the high slot with a snap shot.

Only Bourque had reached 1,111 for one team

The number is a specific category: not career assists, but assists piled up in a single sweater. Crosby had already moved past Wayne Gretzky’s 1,086 assists in Edmonton for second place on that list, according to Yahoo Sports. Bourque’s 1,111 with the Bruins had been the ceiling.

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With one more primary or secondary helper in a Penguins jersey, Crosby will stand alone.

Rakell forces overtime, Koivunen settles it at 3:44

Steven Stamkos opened the scoring for the Predators at 9:24 of the first period. Connor Dewar replied 18 seconds into the second to tie it, before Jayden Struble put Nashville back in front. Rakell’s late tying goal rescued a point for Pittsburgh and set up Koivunen’s winner, the NHL confirmed in its game recap.

Arturs Silovs made 24 saves in the Pittsburgh net. Saros made 34 for Nashville. Evgeni Malkin missed the game with illness.

The win moved the Penguins to 5-6-1 and gave them a second straight victory after a four-game losing streak.

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Head coach Dan Muse was blunt about what had gotten the comeback over the line.

“People can be on their own page or you can come together. We needed to play a better brand of hockey,” he said, according to NHL.com.

Crosby was held without a shot on goal for the second game in a row and has recorded only two shots in his last four.

Crosby one assist from standing alone

Crosby now sits one assist from standing alone atop the franchise list. The Penguins return to PPG Paints Arena on Thursday 29 October to host the Utah Mammoth at 7pm local time, per the club’s published schedule.

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