EARLIER THIS WEEK, THERE WAS A BIG CELEBRATION TO HONOR PITTSBURGH’S BIG THREE SIDNEY CROSBY, EVGENI MALKIN AND KRIS LETANG. THEY ARE MAINSTAYS HERE AT PPG PAINTS ARENA. BUT THERE’S ANOTHER NAME THAT IS A MAINSTAY HERE AT THE ARENA THAT IS CELEBRATING A MAJOR MILESTONE THIS WEEKEND. NO, I’M JUST GLAD TO GO TO WORK. THAT SMILE AND BLUE VEST HAVE BEEN A PART OF DAVE BLACKBURN’S DAILY UNIFORM FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS. MET A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE TO. I DON’T HAVE NO CONFLICT, SO MAYBE THAT’S WHY HE STILL WORKING AT NEARLY 90 YEARS OLD. THE LONGTIME USHER, WHO TURNS 90 ON SATURDAY, STILL WORKS EACH WEEK AT PPG PAINTS. THAT MAKES HIM THE ONLY LIVING PERSON THAT STARTED WHEN THE CIVIC ARENA OPENED BACK IN 1961. LOOKING FOR A JOB AND I DON’T KNOW WHO PUT ME TO THE CIVIC ARENA, BUT I WENT THERE AND THEY HIRED ME. AND WHILE MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THOSE 60 PLUS YEARS, LIKE THE ARENA ITSELF, SOMETHING KEEPS BRINGING HIM BACK. HE’LL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU IT’S A COOL JOB. HE’S SEEN ICONS SIDNEY CROSBY, MARIO LEMIEUX, EVEN MICHAEL JACKSON IN CONCERT. BUT THE BIG NAMES AREN’T WHAT BRINGS HIM BACK EACH DAY. HE ENJOYS THE PEOPLE. AND WE ARE. MY BROTHER AND I ARE JUST SO HONORED AS TO HOW PPG HAS EMBRACED HIM. AND HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO CONTINUE TO WORK. AND WHILE HE’S HAD SOME HEALTH CHALLENGES IN RECENT YEARS, HIS BOSSES AT THE RINK EMBRACE HIS LOVE FOR THE JOB. HE CAN’T DRIVE, SO HIS KIDS DROP HIM OFF AND PICK HIM UP. AND A COWORKER WHEELS HIM TO A SECTION BEFORE THE FANS ARRIVE. AND WHILE THE EXACT PLANS FOR HIS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION ARE BEING KEPT A SECRET, HIS PLANS FOR RETIREMENT ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR. NEVER AS I’LL RETIRE WHEN THE MAN UPSTAIRS CALLS ME HOME. THAT’S IT. AND I’M GOING TO KEEP ON GOING. COVERING ALLEG
Crosby and Malkin each have goal and assist, Jarry stops 31 shots as Penguins beat Sharks 3-0
Updated: 8:00 AM EDT Oct 19, 2025
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist, Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots for his 22nd career shutout, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks 3-0 on Saturday night.Anthony Mantha also scored for the Penguins, who improved to 4-2-0 on the season.Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for the Sharks, and San Jose outshot an opponent for the first time this season but was unable to score. The Sharks, an NHL-worst 20-50-12 last season, remained the league’s only winless team at 0-3-2. San Jose has now started four straight seasons winless through five games.Crosby opened the scoring 7:35 into the second period on a deflection off of a point shot by Kris Letang.Mantha padded the Penguins’ lead 7:02 into the second period, and Malkin capped the scoring on an empty-netter with 22 seconds remaining.Jarry lowered his goals-against average to 2.35 on the season.Up nextPenguins: Host Vancouver on Tuesday.Sharks: At New York Islanders on Tuesday to open a four-game trip.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) —
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist, Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots for his 22nd career shutout, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks 3-0 on Saturday night.
Anthony Mantha also scored for the Penguins, who improved to 4-2-0 on the season.
Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves for the Sharks, and San Jose outshot an opponent for the first time this season but was unable to score. The Sharks, an NHL-worst 20-50-12 last season, remained the league’s only winless team at 0-3-2.
San Jose has now started four straight seasons winless through five games.
Crosby opened the scoring 7:35 into the second period on a deflection off of a point shot by Kris Letang.
Mantha padded the Penguins’ lead 7:02 into the second period, and Malkin capped the scoring on an empty-netter with 22 seconds remaining.
Jarry lowered his goals-against average to 2.35 on the season.
Up next
Penguins: Host Vancouver on Tuesday.
Sharks: At New York Islanders on Tuesday to open a four-game trip.