CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Sidney Crosby was headed for the showers after a recent practice when he made an abrupt 180-degree turn.

He’d recently been reminded of a strange dip in his stats: When the Penguins have three or more days off, his usually elite goal-scoring has gone cold this season.

“You’ve got me questioning my preparation,” Crosby said with a grin that showed he was joking — but not entirely.

The second half of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ season begins Thursday with a game against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena — the Penguins’ first game in three days.

Crosby’s production by rest interval

Rest intervalGamesGoalsAssists

Second game of back-to-back

7

5

4

One day off

24

16

15

Two days off

5

3

3

Three days off

5

0

1

The top three totals are impressive, to say the least. The goals stick out. In 36 games this season with zero, one or two days’ rest, he’s scored 24 goals for a 55-goal pace. That would be a career high.

There’s only one problem: He has only one point on three or more days’ rest this season.

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Crosby said.

Crosby has said his body doesn’t feel quite the same when he’s had too much rest. When he was younger, excessive rest never affected him. Now, it does. That’s one reason Crosby played in the World Championships last May. He didn’t want another six months off between the conclusion of the NHL regular season and the beginning of the 2025-26 season.

Over the past three seasons, Crosby has played 25 games on three days or more of rest. In those games, he’s scored just three goals.

The numbers say Crosby is at his best when he plays a game every other day. That consistent rhythm complements his regimented nature.

“That,” he said, “is why I love the playoffs.”

Historically speaking, the longer rest hasn’t been a problem. Crosby puts up 1.25 points per game in his career, good for 10th in NHL history. The Penguins captain averages 1.24 points per game in his career on three days’ rest or more. Over the course of his 21-season career, there is essentially no difference.

In his later years, however, these games have become a struggle. He’ll face one such game Thursday against the Devils.

“Too much time off isn’t ideal when you start to get older,” said Penguins teammate Kevin Hayes, a 12-year NHL veteran. “I don’t begin to know the way Sid thinks on the ice or the way he prepares himself for games. He’s one of a kind. But you like to be in more of a rhythm when you get older.”

The good news for Crosby and the Penguins: He has been so productive overall this season that he can endure the occasional off night after too many off nights.

Crosby, at 38, is on pace to score 48 goals this season, which would be the second-highest mark of his career. In 2009-10, Crosby won the first of his two Rocket Richard trophies with 51 goals. That also came in an Olympic year, which might not be a coincidence. In Olympic years, the NHL schedule is more condensed, with less time off and more games every other night.

Goal scoring doesn’t come naturally to Crosby the way playmaking does. But the more reps he gets, the more the goals typically start to come. His goal-scoring acumen has been on rare display this season, and his first-year coach is more than impressed.

“It’s amazing,” Dan Muse said. “The reputation around the league is incredible. I think back to even talking at other places with guys who had played with Sid or who had been around him. The highest level of respect is there for him. You’ve heard the stories. But when you see it every day, it all makes sense. You almost have to see it every day to totally understand him and why he’s been able to be this good for this long. Seeing his process day to day, his drive, his compete, always wanting to find something, some way that makes him and the team better. He is absolutely relentless.”

Crosby, along the way, is teaching some valuable lessons.

The Penguins decided to sit 18-year-old center Ben Kindel in a locker beside Crosby this season. The day will come when Crosby walks away from the game, and Kindel might well be part of the Penguins’ future foundation. Kindel gets to watch greatness every night.

“Just sitting here soaking it all in is special,” Kindel said. “To see what he does every night, and then to see what a leader he is, it’s crazy.”

The Penguins remain in awe of Crosby. Those who have to defend him in practice every day probably appreciate his consistency as much as anyone.

“I think he’s going to keep doing it at this level for years,” defenseman Ryan Shea said. “I really do. He’s got all the talent, yes, but he’s also got this competitive nature. He gets so mad at himself. He wants to be perfect every game, perfect in every practice. I think that’s what makes him so special.”

Shea said Crosby remained a positive force even during the team’s difficult December slide.

“One hundred percent,” Shea said. “He’s the first captain I’ve ever had that wouldn’t be in a rough state during a streak like that. He puts a lot of weight on his shoulders. He puts us all on his back. But he just kept everything so normal during that time. It wasn’t a nightmare for us coming to the rink. We had to work out of it together, and he led the way, like he always does.”

If Crosby figured out a way to propel the Penguins out of that funk, maybe he’ll figure out how to score a goal when he’s playing on three days’ rest.

“I don’t think there’s anything he can’t do,” Shea said. “I never thought anyone could get to 20 straight seasons of a point per game. He’s just incredible. There’s nothing he can’t do.”