There was still some bad blood between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins in the spring of 2010, considering they were less than a calendar year removed from their second straight battle in the Stanley Cup Final.
While the Red Wings' most recent Stanley Cup victory came in 2008, the Penguins unfortunately returned the favor in 2009, ultimately winning a tightly-contested Game 7 by a 2-1 final score and celebrating in front of a stunned crowd at Joe Louis Arena.
The sight of Sidney Crosby receiving the Stanley Cup and triumphantly raising it above his head while letting out a jubilant bellow continues to live in the nightmares of Red Wings fans despite being over 16 years ago.
The Penguins visited The Joe on March 22, 2010, and it was a new face in the Detroit crease that quickly made a name for himself. Jimmy Howard, playing in his rookie campaign after successfully supplanting Chris Osgood as Detroit's starter, not only made 26 saves as part of a 3-1 victory but also permanently won himself a spot in the hearts of Red Wings fans.
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Late in regulation as the final seconds ticked off the clock, a frustrated Sidney Crosby immediately began trying to mix it up with Henrik Zetterberg. Howard clearly did not appreciate this, and immediately went after Crosby and gave him a face wash with his catcher as a scrum formed.
Jimmy Howard vs. Sidney Crosby 🧼 pic.twitter.com/GC91O1K9ZJ
— Red Wings Goals In Order (@RedWingsVids) July 20, 2025
Considering Crosby's firm status as a villain in Hockeytown, especially following the result of the previous season's Stanley Cup Final, the sellout crowd roared in approval for Howard, loving every second of the action.
Howard tried to downplay his actions, saying he was simply coming to Zetterberg's aid.
“Just helping out a teammate, that’s all,’’ Howard said after the game. “It’s become quite the rivalry, and we stick together out there.’’
"(The game) was a little bit more special considering who it was. It’s turned into a heated rivalry. I wasn’t participating (in the last two Cup finals), but I was right there on the sidelines watching. Just being there, you got a sense of the rivalry."
In the Penguins' dressing room, Crosby wasn't quite sure what to make of what had transpired and wasn't a fan of Howard coming after him.
“I don’t know what he was doing,’’ Crosby said. “It was one of those things, a couple guys battling at the end. I knew the linesman was in there. I don’t know whether (Howard) wanted a free shot, but I don’t think it was any place for him to be.’’
The Red Wings and Penguins have experienced a downturn in their fortunes in recent years, and both clubs were battling for the final Wild Card playoff spot near the tail end of the 2024-25 season.
The good news for Detroit is that they're trending back in the right direction, while the Penguins appear headed for a long stay in hockey purgatory.
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