Sidney Crosby gets a reaction in Montreal that deserves a closer look

Sidney Crosby got a warm ovation at the Bell Centre tonight as the Penguins faced the Canadiens.

Pierre LeBrun described a warm welcome inside the building. Stu Cowan reported a big ovation the moment the No. 87 was announced in the Penguins' starting lineup.

It all happened before the national anthem. The game is still on as this goes up, with Pittsburgh at Montreal in the second period, so the result is wide open.

LeBrun put it this way: "Warm ovation here at the Bell Centre in Montreal for Sidney Crosby when No. 87 was announced in the Penguins' starting lineup."

Standing for an opponent costs nothing, but it only happens for a handful of players. The résumé explains why this crowd did it: 1,768 points in 1,433 NHL games, including 657 goals.

The playoff numbers carry the same weight, 206 points in 186 postseason games. Fans of every team know those totals.

Penguins arrive in Montreal with a road problem

The ovation landed at an awkward time for Pittsburgh. The Penguins sit at 5-6-2 and have won once away from home, going 1-5-1 on the road.

They also dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to Utah on Thursday, so this trip started with a point left on the table.

Crosby has 7 points in 13 games this season, along with a -8 rating.

Montreal came in on much better footing. The Canadiens are 8-3-2, have won four straight, and the latest win was a 5-2 decision in Dallas on Thursday.

Home ice has been the softer spot for them at 3-2-1, compared with 5-1-1 on the road. A crowd that stands for a rival star is one thing, but Martin St-Louis needs it loud for his own team too.

A captain with a -8 rating on a team that has won once on the road is a problem for Pittsburgh, and a nice reception in Montreal won't fix it.

The Canadiens move on to host Winnipeg on Tuesday, November 3, once tonight's game is settled.

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