Sidney Crosby made history in a losing effort.

The Pittsburgh Penguins center recorded an assist on a Jake Guentzel goal in the third period of Game 6, setting a new franchise benchmark for playoff helpers.

The previous record, which Crosby tied in Game 5, was held by Mario Lemieux.

Crosby made waves earlier in Game 6 after falling headfirst into the end boards, leaving many to wonder why he was not pulled by a concussion spotter.

The Penguins lost the game, prompting a series-deciding Game 7 back in Washington on Wednesday.

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After waiting nearly a month into this year's Stanley Cup playoffs for Game 7 action, NHL fans will be treated to a double-dip of winner-take-all postseason play Wednesday evening.

Up first will be the Pittsburgh Penguins visiting the Washington Capitals in D.C. for the initial batch of gut-wrenching do-or-die madness that will have the Pens wishing they'd finished off the Caps in either Game 5 or Game 6.

Pittsburgh blew a pair of chances to send Washington packing after taking a 3-1 series lead, and after Monday's insipid showing, momentum has most definitely swung in the Capitals' direction.

Second on the docket Wednesday night is the Edmonton Oilers heading to SoCal to tangle with the Ducks.

On the heels of a stellar performance from Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers head back to Honda Center a more confident bunch. And following Sunday's 7-1 shellacking, predicting the winner of this series has never been more difficult.

The Ducks, meanwhile, will be looking to avoid the dubious distinction of losing a Game 7 on home ice for the fifth straight season.

No matter how you break down Wednesday's action, one thing remains evidently clear: nothing beats a Game 7 hockey game. Unless, of course, there are two of them in the same night.

Enjoy.

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One week after suffering a concussion that sidelined him for one game, Pittsburgh Penguins superstar center Sidney Crosby fell headfirst into the end boards during the first period of Game 6 against the Washington Capitals.

Related: Crosby falls headfirst into end boards, remains in Game 6

As evidenced by Twitter's reaction, many eyebrows were raised when Crosby was not immediately pulled from the game by the NHL's concussion spotters, and again upon his return for the second period.

Have your say:

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Sidney Crosby found himself trending on social media for all the wrong reasons in Game 6.

One week after suffering a concussion that sidelined him for a single playoff game, the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar took a hard, headfirst fall into the end boards near the conclusion of the first period of Game 6 against the Washington Capitals, and appeared to be a bit shaken up as a result.

Still, he remained in the game, leaving many to wonder about the efficacy of the NHL's concussion protocol.

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Sidney Crosby was a bit slow to get up off the ice following a headfirst fall into the end boards during the first period of Game 6 against the Washington Capitals.

The Pittsburgh Penguins center skated hard to the net and appeared to trip over Braden Holtby's left pad while getting tangled up with defenseman John Carlson and teammate Patric Hornqvist.

He did not, however, have to leave the game, and was on the ice to begin the second period.

Crosby was diagnosed with a concussion following a hit to the head delivered by Matt Niskanen in Game 3 on May 1.

He missed Game 4 but was able to return to the lineup for Game 5.

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The New York Islanders are getting set to open the bank for captain John Tavares.

According to Newsday's Arthur Staple, the club is likely to offer Johnny T an 8-year contract worth upward of $10 million per season.

Tavares is still under contract for one more season, but as Staple points out, New York general manager Garth Snow is eager to lock down his franchise player before potentially losing him for nothing in the 2018 free-agency window.

Next season Tavares is under contract for a bargain price of $5.5 million and, despite a down year this past season in which he posted 66 points - his lowest since the 2013-14 campaign - the 27-year-old is still an elite-level talent who would have teams salivating at the thought of acquiring his services.

Whether Tavares ends up staying in Brooklyn, or Long Island, long-term remains to be seen.

However, the four-time All-Star has previously made it clear that he fully intends on staying with New York, wanting a deal in place as soon as possible, according to Brian Compton of NHL.com.

Tavares has played all of his 587 NHL games with the Islanders.

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New York Islanders captain John Tavares had end-of-season surgery on his right hand, reports Arthur Staple of Newsday.

The report indicates the procedure repaired an issue that had lingered for much of the season, and that Tavares is expected to make a full recovery for next season.

Tavares appeared in 77 games with the Islanders in 2016-17, registering 28 goals and 38 assists. He has one year remaining on his contract and can sign an extension July 1.

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The first step toward opting out of a 25-year agreement between Barclays Center and the New York Islanders has been taken, sources tell Jim Baumbach and Robert Brodsky of Newsday.

The arena's parent company, Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, recently notified the club in writing that the window to renegotiate the terms of the license agreement is open, as per the terms of the deal.

Baumbach and Brodsky further explain what this means:

The two sides have until Jan. 1, 2018, to renegotiate the terms, according to the summary of the license agreement previously obtained by Newsday. If no new deal is reached, the two sides can stay with the current deal or choose to opt out. Each side would have until Jan. 30, 2018, to deliver an opt-out notice in writing.

If the Islanders decide to opt out, the team can choose to leave at the end of next season or at the end of the 2018-19 season. If Barclays triggers the opt-out, the Islanders would have to leave after the 2018-19 season.

Back in April, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed the Islanders are planning to submit a bid to build an arena in Belmont Park, while Baumbach and Brodsky report the operators of Barclays Center will present a plan that would send the team back to a freshly renovated Nassau Coliseum.

The letter is described as a procedural step, and both the Islanders and Barclays Center declined to comment.

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The Golden Knights hope Vadim Shipachyov brings his hot streak to Sin City.

After signing a two-year deal Thursday with the NHL's newest franchise, the former KHL star has given Golden Knights fans a preview of his game as he skates with Team Russia at the World Championship.

In early tournament action, Shipachyov has put up two goals and four assists through three games, good for third in team scoring behind Nikita Kucherov and Artemi Panarin, who have recorded seven and nine points, respectively.

Shipachyov spent this season with St. Petersburg SKA of the KHL, where he was second in team scoring with 76 points. He finished two points shy of former NHL superstar Ilya Kovalchuk, despite playing in 10 fewer games.

Shipachyov is the second free agent to sign with the Golden Knights after the club agreed to terms with Brandon Wheat Kings forward Reid Duke in March.

But he may not be the only KHL free agent to sign in Sin City. General manager George McPhee confirmed reports the Golden Knights are pursuing Shipachyov's KHL teammate Evgeny Dadonov.

Dadonov, 28, appeared in 53 games with St. Petersburg SKA this season, finishing with 30 goals and 36 assists.

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The Philadelphia Flyers could soon bolster their hockey operations, as Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post reports the club is interested in recruiting former Los Angeles Kings executive Dean Lombardi.

Lombardi last served as general manager of the Kings, leading the team to Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014. He was fired in April following a second playoff miss in three seasons.

While it's unclear what role Lombardi would have with the Flyers, his addition would mark a reunion with Flyers general manager Ron Hextall.

Hextall was a part of the Kings organization from 2006-13, where he served as assistant GM to Lombardi. He joined the Flyers in 2013.

Lombardi is also familiar with Philadelphia, as he served as a scout with the Flyers from 2003-06 prior to joining Los Angeles.

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