NHL Playoffs 2012: Sidney Crosby, from Prodigy to Punk

Toward the end of Pittsburgh's loss to the Flyers on Sunday, the ever creative Flyers fans began a chant of "You can't beat us!" As the NBC cameras scoured the Penguins bench area, there was their captain, lips pursed, looking up at the scoreboard like he couldn't believe what was happening.

After consecutive eight-goal outbursts, Philadelphia is sitting pretty with a 3-0 series lead over Crosby's punch-happy Penguins. In a series where the offense was supposed to feature the NHL's all-universe duo of Crosby and Malkin, the Flyers and their superstar on the rise, Claude Giroux, have been stealing the headlines and highlights.

Meanwhile, the Penguin low-lights have been undisciplined play, and a series of cheap shots from their stars.

Adding to the intensity of the series seems to be the degeneration of the Penguins as they squander lead after lead in each game. Engaging in in-game thuggery has historically been a label of the Flyers franchise, from the days of Dave Schultz and Bobby Clarke. However, it's their cross-state rivals who have been initiating most of the fisticuffs in this series.

Are the Penguins the "arrogant" team that John Tortorella was trying to tell us about? The NHL fined the Rangers coach $20,000 for his "blasphemy," suggesting that the Penguins' "whining stars" are above reproach. What about Mike Milbury's assessment of Crosby's antics?

Personally, I just think they are sore losers. Everything that worked so well the last month of the regular season has gone out the window. The Pens now see their status as Stanley Cup favorites becoming the first team to be bounced from the playoff bracket.

To me, it all starts with their captain, Crosby. Sid seems to have developed some type of split personality while he was recovering from his head injuries. Gary Bettman needs to get him on the phone and remind him that he is supposed to be the best player in the league, and not a chippy third-liner who whacks the goalie's glove after the whistle.

Superstars shine in the playoffs, and excel when the pressure is at its peak. They aren't the players who smack other players gloves out of the way to initiate a massive scrum. Pens fans can laugh and call it "gamesmanship." The rest of the world and newer hockey fans might wonder if this is the guy the NHL should use as their hood ornament.

Since his meteoric and ballyhooed ascent to greatness in the NHL, Crosby has battled the whiny, diving perception from his detractors. While the NHL put his success front and center along with Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the ensuing backlash continued to paint Crosby in a negative light.

While Ovechkin was the lovable, goofy Russian who played an adrenalized wrecking ball style, lighting the lamps across the league; Crosby was more of the finesse pretty boy who kept his nose clean and trophy case stocked. Fans gravitated to Ovechkin's emotional hustling style, while fans outside of Pittsburgh began to notice the constant whining to officials, and the embellished penalty calls on Sid.

What was never questioned was Crosby's electric presence on the ice and his unwavering drive to lead his team. While it's only natural to hate your opponents and resent their success, Crosby's perpetual promotion from the NHL inspired vitriol and anger from almost every corner of North America.

To be polarizing is a credit to your popularity and unpopularity, with a skill set that sets you apart from your peers. While leading the league in scoring and garnering accolades for his great play, Crosby fit snugly into the role of being loved or being hated.

The late-season fireworks with the Flyers set the stage for the traveling carnival that has the Flyers polishing their brooms for a Wednesday night sweep. Somewhere along the way, Crosby forgot who he was. The initial brushes with BFF Brayden Schenn were just an appetizer for his loss of composure on Sunday.

Crosby has been no stranger to the penalty box in his career with 401 career PIMS. His status as an elite offensive player means that he cannot and should not drop the gloves. His glorified slapfight with the equally unintimidating Giroux is sideshow crap. While I'm all in for the fisticuffs, the skill guys need to stop trying to be tough guys.

What is most confusing to me is why Crosby would want to put himself in harm's way? Is he that confident in his fighting abilities that he doesn't think he's going to get his dome rung again? Another troubling note is that Crosby doesn't seem to get why he shouldn't be stirring the pot. When asked about Voracek's glove, his response was, "What was I supposed to do? Pick it up for him?"

How about this, Sid: Skate away. What would your boss do?

Being a superstar in the NHL means that you skate with a bull's-eye on your back. Whether people target you to shut you down or take you out, hockey has a longstanding tradition of players taking care of each other on the ice.

So we think Derek Engelland is on the roster for his Norris Trophy defensive skills? Leave the fighting to the fighters and skate away, Sid. The great ones always did. In the midst of the great Red Wing-Avalanche rivalry, you NEVER saw Sakic or Yzerman blink about joining the hijinks.

The Flyers are obviously under the Penguins' skin in the worst way. Rather than take advantage of the shaky goaltending, which has affected both ends, the Penguins are trying to send some mistimed message. Meanwhile, the Flyers are padding their offensive stats and getting the last and most important laugh as they wave goodbye to Sid and his Penguins.

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