By Bart Lopez

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Sid the Kid was back in full force last night, proving that taking one’s time coming back from a serious injury is the way to go. Crosby started off faster than most people expected, holding off two defenders and flicking in a backhand shot into the top of the net just over five minutes into the game. He would go on to accumulate three more points in the game off one more goal and two assists. It was clear to everyone in attendance and those watching at home that Crosby was back to being the best player on the ice.

Assuming this wasn’t some random fluke game and Sid is the kid that we remember, the Penguins look like the best team in the league. In 61 regular season games without Crosby, Pittsburgh went 34-19-8, which is especially impressive considering it was missing Evgeni Malkin for a portion of those games. The Penguins were good before and now with Crosby back, Malkin playing like his old self, Marc-Andre Fleury playing as well as ever, and the additions of James Neal and Steve Sullivan the flightless birds look great and are the team to beat.

Last night:I promoted the Penguins-Islanders game for having two four star picks. AccuScore nailed it, hitting on the money line as well as the over/under. Tonight there are three games, none of which stand out to me. I’ll hold off on making picks today, but will post my picks for Wednesday’s games tomorrow morning.

If you're curious about tonight's NHL games, visit NHL Expert Picks to see AccuScore's expert picks.