Sidney Crosby Video: Watch Crosby Go Top Shelf in Triumphant Return

Sidney Crosby didn't need long to announce his return to the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Five minutes and 24 seconds, to be exact. That's how much time it took for Sid the Kid to put the puck in the net against the New York Islanders. Crosby jumped onto the ice and immediately back into the fray in the first period, handling the puck on a break up the middle and using a blinding burst of speed to skate past two Islanders defenders and put the Pens on the board.

So much for rust and cobwebs. Crosby hadn't skated in a live game since January, when he sustained concussions on two vicious hits in the span of four days. He'd spent the previous 320 days slowly working his way out of a fog that may well have brought his superstar career to a tragically early end.

Now, the former Hart Trophy winner, Olympic gold medalist and Stanley Cup champion is back, looking as speedy and sure with the puck as ever.

And the timing couldn't be much better. The NHL, hoping to capitalize on the spare sports attention left on the table by the ongoing NBA lockout, has struggled to gain a stronger foothold on the market, due in part to the slump that has engulfed Washington Capitals winger and fellow face of the league Alex Ovechkin.

The Pens could certainly use Sid's stick as well, seeing as how they're locked in a tight battle with the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers atop the Atlantic Division and figure to be throughout the season.

In the meantime, it's certainly nice to have Crosby back on the ice, if for no other reason than to see him torch his opponents with top-shelf gems like this one.