Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Sidney Crosby Makes 'Guilty' Admission After Loss to Avalanche

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Mar 25, 2026 10:39 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to battle for position in the Metropolitan Division with little margin for error as the regular season winds down and the standings can't be tighter.

Tuesday’s matchup against the NHL-best Colorado Avalanche was always going to be a tough test against an elite opponent, and the Penguins indeed quickly fell behind and never recovered in a 6–2 loss at PPG Paints Arena.

The loss left Pittsburgh third in the division with a 35-20-16 record and 86 points in 71 games, just one point above the New York Islanders (85 points in 72 games) in the Metropolitan Division.

If the Islanders overtake the Penguins, however, Pittsburgh would find itself in the wild-card race, with those currently occupied by teams with 86 (Boston Bruins) and 85 (Ottawa Senators) points, thus putting itself in danger of missing the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) looks on during a stop in play.Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images

After the Avalanche game, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby did not deflect responsibility and took blame for the loss.

“Tonight, I was guilty of it, too,” Crosby said, per The Athletic's Josh Yohe. “I lose my check, they put one in from in front of the net. In those areas, we have to defend better. We just have to. I’ve got to lead the way on that.”

Colorado scored four times in the first period, effectively finishing the game early. The Penguins have now been outscored 11–3 in their last two games, have allowed 48 goals over their last 11 games, and have conceded four-plus goals to each of their last four opponents.

I sat down with Sidney Crosby after last night’s 6-2 loss. He blamed himself. He said the Penguins need to stop allowing so many goals. And he had a comment about the Penguins’ inability to come out on the right side of challenges. Read about it here: https://t.co/Br86oSSJ9I
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) March 25, 2026