Mar 23, 2017
Post 2 Post: The Five Hole
We know he has the best one-handed backhand in hockey, but as TSN Hockey analyst Jamie McLennan explains, Sidney Crosby also has the best two-handed backhander - a nightly threat for goaltenders.
Sidney Crosby's been lethal from the first day he came into the National Hockey League, but he’s playing on a different level this season.
And for opponents, defending him is harder than ever before because he's more of a threat to shoot than he's ever been.
Fueling Sid the Kid’s league-leading 41 goals are Crosby's calling cards.
His offence all starts with his speed - everything he does is full throttle.
That’s great for fans, but tough on goalies because they don’t have time to get set for when he closes in.
And even when they do get a chance to get set, Crosby's sense of deception takes over.
He doesn't have the predictability of most shooters and changes his trajectory better than anyone with a simple flick of the wrist.
He also looks towards the glove side and shoots blocker side with regularity.
And Crosby finally puts the whole package together with his execution.
Every shooter wants to hit the perfect spot, but that's easier said than done. More often than not, Crosby finds his spot and makes it count.
The bottom line is that the best player in the world is deferring less.
It’s as if he wants to prove that he's also the best pure goal scorer in the game.
And these days he is.