Brad Marchand's Boston Bruins suffered a tough loss to Sidney Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night, but there remains a ton of respect between the two captains and Team Canada linemates.

“Brad Marchand says that Sidney Crosby is the best player in the league if you look at his 200-foot game,” reported B's writer Ty Anderson after the Pens beat the Bruins 6-5. “Adds Nathan MacKinnon there, too. ‘Two Nova Scotia boys.'”

It's hard to argue that Crosby isn't still one of the best players in the NHL; he's recorded 22 goals and 41 points in 37 games, tied for 20th with St. Louis Blues' All-Star Robert Thomas.

Crosby and Marchand have made up one of the best Team Canada lines in recent memory along with Patrice Bergeron, helping to bring multiple gold medals north of the border over the years. Marchand gave credit where it's due after the 6-5 loss.

“You got to give them credit,” Boston's captain explained, per NHL.com's Joe Pohoryles. “They have a lot of talent on that team. They make a lot of plays. A couple were lucky bounces, even the game-winner was off [Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm’s] shaft.”

Bruins' Marchand has high praise for Penguins' Crosby

Sidney Crosby in middle of image looking happy with fire around him, PIT Penguins logo in image, hockey rink in background

At the same time, Marchand understands Crosby can break a game open at any time.

“But again, you give one of the best players in the world (Crosby) time and space, he’s going to make plays. Couple bounces there early that [we] would’ve liked to have back, but yeah, missing coverage against a team like that can’t happen, so we need to be better there.”

Although Crosby was selected as an All-Star just before puck drop, Marchand was left off in favor of David Pastrnak, who is in the midst of a Hart Trophy-caliber campaign.

There is still a chance that Marchand could be voted in as one of the 12 extras, although it seems unlikely the way he's played this season. The captain has been good, and he scored two goals in Thursday's loss. But he hasn't been quite as prolific without Bergeron on his line in 2023-24, despite the Bruins remaining 23-8-6 and second place in the Atlantic Division.

Boston is back in action against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night.