The second time has been the charm for UNLV coach Barry Odom.

After going an even 25-25 in four seasons at Missouri, Odom spent three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Arkansas before getting another chance, this time with the Rebels.

That opportunity has paid off in a big way for one of the top Group of Five contenders for the College Football Playoff. After going 9-5 last season, UNLV has risen as high as No. 23 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and is in the mix for the Mountain West Conference championship.

This has made Odom perhaps the best bargain in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He leads the way in USA TODAY Sports’ list of the most underpaid coaches in college football, along with two others from the Group of Five.

Barry Odom, UNLV

Jason Candle, Toledo

Candle is an annual contender for this list based on his impressive and unbroken run of success since being promoted from the Rockets’ offensive coordinator slot heading into the 2015 Boca Raton Bowl. In his nine seasons as the full-time head coach, Candle has gone 69-37 overall and 44-20 in Mid-American play with a pair of conference championships. The two-time MAC Coach of the Year is making $1.125 million in total compensation this season, second-most in the conference but 82nd among FBS coaches working at public universities.

Ken Niumatalolo, San Jose State

Niumatalolo lifted Navy to historic heights before his tenure began to sputter during the 2020 COVID-19 season. Let go following the 2022 year, he spent last season at UCLA before resurfacing at San Jose State on a five-year deal worth $1.5 million in total compensation in 2024. At 4-2 overall and 2-1 in Mountain West play, the Spartans are in range of a bowl game at the midseason point as Niumatalolo builds on the solid foundation left by his predecessor, new Arizona coach Brent Brennan.

Curt Cignetti, Indiana

While his tenure still has that new-car smell, Cignetti has been everything Indiana could’ve hoped for and more through six games. The former James Madison coach is making $4.25 million this season, more than just two Big Ten public school coaches in our survey. And after hyping the Hoosiers’ chances all offseason, he has Indiana up to 6-0 for the first time since 1967 and locked into the postseason after the Hoosiers’ Oct. 5 win against Northwestern. His deal includes an automatic one-year contract extension and a $250,000 raise beginning next season, plus a $200,000 bonus, for reaching a bowl game.

Kyle Whittingham, Utah

Whittingham remains among the best bargains in the Power Four. His $6.525 million in total compensation for 2024, good for third in the Big 12 among public schools and 30th among all FBS coaches, represents one of the best bang-for-your-buck deals in the sport. The all-time wins leader in program history, Whittingham led Utah to a pair of Rose Bowl berths in 2021 and 2022, and now has the Utes in the mix for the Big 12 championship as new members of the conference.

Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on social media @PaulMyerberg

Al Michaels took over as the full-time play-by-play commentator for ‘Thursday Night Football’ in 2022, when Amazon acquired exclusive broadcasting rights. But what is Michaels’ salary for his current gig?

Michaels moved to the Amazon Prime Video broadcast of ‘Thursday Night Football’ after 16 years of play-by-play work on NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football.’ He became the full-time commentator on Amazon starting in 2022 and has broadcasted all of the ‘TNF’ games alongside color commentator Kirk Herbstreit in the two and a half years since.

The sports broadcasting icon, who will turn 80 in November, has received some criticism from fans and viewers for his lack of enthusiasm on the weekly football telecast. Michaels has pointed to the relatively lackluster quality of competition on Thursdays as a big reason for his subdued commentary.

Initial reports of Michaels’ Amazon deal stated that the agreement was for three years, making 2024 his potential final year in the ‘TNF’ booth. The 79-year-old did not commit to continuing his broadcasting career following the 2024 season when asked about his future last December.

There are varying reports on the exact figure for Michaels’ Amazon contract, but here’s what we know:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Al Michaels salary: How much does broadcaster make?

The New York Post’s Andrew Marchand initially reported that Michaels’ contract would be for three years and ‘north of $30 million,’ but that number may have gone up.

About one week after that first report, in March 2022, Marchand shared that the Amazon deal would be ‘in the Joe Buck neighborhood.’ Buck signed a five-year, $75 million deal ($15 million annually) with ESPN earlier that same month.

If Michaels’ deal is truly in the same neighborhood as his ‘Monday Night Football’ counterpart, his contract with Amazon is likely worth between $45 and $48 million in total over three years ($15-16 million annually).

Al Michaels age

Michaels is currently 79 years old. He will turn 80 on Nov. 12.

For the first time since Jan. 2, 2022, Sean Payton will be on the sidelines of the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Denver Broncos coach returns to the place where he spent 15 seasons as the head coach and the all-time winningest coach in Saints’ franchise history in ‘Thursday Night Football’ this week.

Payton retired from the Saints’ head coaching position in January 2022 but he left the door open to a return to the NFL.

‘I don’t like the word ‘retirement,” he said at his retirement press conference. ‘I still have a vision for doing things in football. And to be honest with you, that might be coaching again at some point.’

One year later, he returned to the NFL with the Broncos. Here’s why Denver had to compensate New Orleans to get Payton – and what exactly they gave up.

What did the Saints get in the Sean Payton trade?

In order to get Payton, the Broncos made the following trade with New Orleans:

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

New Orleans received: 2023 first-round pick, 2024 second-round pick.
Denver Broncos received: Payton, 2024 third-round pick.

Payton became one of the highest-paid coaches in the NFL once he signed a contract with Denver. He is reportedly making around $18 million per season over a five-year contract.

Why did the Broncos have to trade for Sean Payton?

Denver had to trade for Payton ahead of the 2023 NFL season because he was still under contract with New Orleans. The Saints and Payton agreed to a five-year extension ahead of the 2019 NFL season and, despite his retirement, New Orleans still held his rights as a coach.

Sean Payton trade: Draft pick selections

The Saints kept the first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and used it to select defensive tackle Bryan Bresee at No. 29 overall.

New Orleans packaged the second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to move up in the second round in a deal with Green Bay. They ended up selecting cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry at No. 41 overall.

Denver traded the third-round pick they received in the deal to move up in the 2023 NFL Draft and select Iowa cornerback Riley Moss.

NFL head coaching trades

Payton became the eighth head coach in NFL history to be traded for draft picks. The other seven were:

1970: Baltimore Colts sign Don Shula from the Miami Dolphins and were forced by commissioner Pete Rozelle to give their first-round pick in the 1971 NFL draft to Miami.
1997: New England Patriots trade Bill Parcells to the New York Jets for a third- and fourth-round pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, a second-round pick in the 1998 NFL draft, and a first-round pick in the 1999 NFL draft.
1999: Green Bay Packers trade Mike Holmgren to the Seattle Seahawks for a second-round draft pick in the 1999 NFL draft.
2000: Jets trade Bill Belichick to the Patriots in the following deal:

New York received the Patriots’ first-round pick in the 2000 NFL draft as well as their fourth- and seventh-round pick in the 2001 NFL draft.
New England received Belichick and the Jets’ fifth-round pick in the 2001 NFL Draft and their seventh-round pick in the 2002 NFL draft.

2002: Oakland Raiders trade Jon Gruden to Tampa Bay for the Buccaneers’ first- and second-round pick in the 2002 NFL draft, their first-round pick in the 2003 NFL draft, and their second-round pick in the 2004 NFL draft.
2006: Jets trade Herm Edwards to the Kansas City Chiefs for a fourth-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft.
2019: Arizona Cardinals trade a seventh-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft and Bruce Arians to the Buccaneers for a sixth-round pick.

Sean Payton New Orleans Saints record

Payton spent 15 seasons as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints (2009-11, 2013-21). Here’s how he did in that time:

Regular season record: 152-89
Postseason record: 9-8
Super Bowl champion (XLIV)

With Denver’s win over the Jets in Week 6, Payton moved to 20th all-time in wins. He’s currently one win behind Baltimore’s John Harbaugh.

NEW YORK − Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Enrique Hernandez doesn’t have a hit song that’s played over the stadium loudspeakers every 15 minutes.

He doesn’t carry around a rally pumpkin.

He doesn’t hang out with fast-food mascot Grimace.

Oh my God, he’s just one hard-nosed, blue-collar ballplayer who’s trying to singlehandedly end the New York Mets’ magical story.

Hernandez, the hero in the Dodgers’ Division Series triumph over the San Diego Padres, is pulling off a sequel in the National League Championship Series, leading the Dodgers to an 8-0 rout Wednesday night in front of a crowd of 43,883 at Citi Field.

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

The Dodgers, with their fourth shutout victory in the last five postseason games, are now halfway to the World Series, leading the Mets 2 games to 1 and threatening to ruin every New Yorker’s dream of a Subway Series.

It was the Dodgers’ pitching staff who silenced the Mets’ lineup, it was Hernandez who delivered the knockout punch with a two-run homer in the sixth inning, and it was Shohei Ohtani who put on the finishing touch with a mammoth 3-run HR in the eighth inning.

For Hernandez, it was his third multiple-hit game in his last five postseason games.

So, how in the world does a versatile utility player during the season suddenly become an October powerhouse?

“I like Halloween,’’ Hernandez cracked this week. “I believe it’s a little bit of everything. I mean, I’ve said it a lot, these are the games we’ve been dreaming of as kids. I got spoiled very early in my career to get the experience and get the opportunity to do this a lot.

“I think this is my ninth postseason now. It gets a little easier as you do it over and over again. It allows you to realize that it’s the same game. The intensity and the importance of the game gets a little enhanced.

“But I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s because I’m Puerto Rican. I don’t know what it is, but it just brings the best out of me.

“And I’m glad that it does.’’

It was a painful defeat for the Mets, whose pitching staff was battered and their offense was a no-show.

Still, after what the Mets have endured this season, they’ve become immune to adversity.

It wouldn’t be the Mets if things came easy, would it?

The Mets loved their chances to win the game with starter Luis Severino, who was 7-2 with a 2.96 ERA at Citi Field this season. Yet, after pitching a 1-2-3 first inning, he struggled with his control. He walked four batters in just 4 ⅔ innings, throwing 95 pitches and only 55 for strikes.

Dodgers starter Walker Buehler, meanwhile, gave the Dodgers everything they could have hoped. He pitched four shutout innings, giving up three hits with two walks and six strikeouts, before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled him before facing a Mets’ lineup for the third time.

The Mets’ best chance to score came in the second inning when they loaded the bases with only one out, only for catcher Francisco Alvarez and shortstop Francisco Lindor to strike out.

The Dodgers were gifted their first two runs thanks to the Mets’ leaky defense in the second inning. Max Muncy drew a leadoff walk. Teoscar Hernandez hit a squibber in front of home plate. Alvarez had an easy play at first base, but instead went for the gusto. He threw to second base to try to get Muncy, but his throw sailed wide and everyone was safe. Gavin Lux bounced out to Severino, who juggled the ball, but at least got the out at first.

Will Smith, dropped to seventh in the batting order, then hit a ball that caromed off Severino for a run-scoring single. Tommy Edman followed with a deep sacrifice fly to center field caught by Tyrone Taylor, sliding across the outfield and avoiding right fielder Starling Marte.

The Dodgers sent six batters to the plate that inning. Only one ball left the infield and it was caught. And the Dodgers still had a 2-0 lead.

Then came Hernandez’s blast in the sixth that iced the game, followed by Ohtani, hitless in his last 21 at-bats with no one on base, showed just how dangerous he is with runners on base. He stepped to the plate with Will Smith on second base and Hernandez on first. Ohtani cranked Tylor Megill’s cutter 397 feet into the upper deck, measured at 116-mph off his bat, for a 7-0 lead.

Muncy completed the Mets’ wreckage with a 378-foot shot of his own into the upper deck, giving the Dodgers their second lopsided victory of the series, winning Game 1, 9-0.

− Bob Nightengale

Here’s how Wednesday’s game unfolded, live updates by Scott Boeck

Dodgers close out Game 3: Dodgers 8, Mets 0

Dodgers reliever Ben Casparius pitches two shutout innings to close out Game 3 of the NLCS. The Dodgers take a 2-1 lead over the Mets in the NLCS. Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday in New York.

Muncy ties Dodgers’ franchise record for career postseason homers

Dodgers’ Max Muncy adds to the blowout with a moonshot home run in the top of the ninth inning off Tylor Megill. With the homer, Muncy tied the Dodgers franchise record for most career postseason home runs with 13. Corey Seager and Justin Turner also have 13.

Ohtani hits majestic homer to break game open: Dodgers 7, Mets 0

Shohei Ohtani is a different player this postseason when he comes to the plate with runners on base. He’s 0-for-22 with nobody on, but now 7-for-9 with runners on, thanks to a three-run home run in the eighth inning off Mets reliever Tylor Megill to break the game open. The Mets are down to their last six outs.

Dodgers 7, Mets 0, bottom 8th

Kiké Hernandez comes up clutch again: Dodgers 4, Mets 0

Kiké Hernandez does it again with his 15th career postseason home run. With two outs in the sixth inning, Hernandez hits a two-run homer off relief pitcher Reed Garrett to give the Dodgers a 4-0 lead.

Hernandez also hit a home run in Game 5 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres earlier this postseason that helped the Dodgers reach the NLCS.

Dodgers 4, Mets 0, bottom 6th

Dodgers relieve Walker Buehler

The Dodgers are banking on their bullpen to finish Game 3. Michael Kopech replaces Walker Buehler in the fifth inning with the Dodgers leading 2-0. Said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts during an in-game interview about Walker Buehler’s night so far, and what the plan was for the bullpen: ‘The first thing is I’ll get Kopech on (Francisco) Lindor and then we’ll go from there.’

It worked to perfection with a 1-2-3 fifth, including getting Lindor to fly out to lead off the inning.

Buehler’s line: 4.0 innings, 3 hits, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

OMG: Freeman, Lindor show off their Gold Gloves

Freddie Freeman with the scoop at first base to get Tyrone Taylor out in the fourth inning.

Francisco Lindor with the incredible backhand at shortstop to rob Mookie Betts of a hit in the 5th inning.

Mets’ turn: Luis Severino escapes bases-loaded jam

This time it was the Mets who escaped a bases-loaded jam. With one out and bases loaded in the third inning, Luis Severino got Teoscar Hernandez to line out to third and Gavin Lux to ground out to Severino.

Dodgers 2, Mets 0, bottom third

Dodgers get out of a bases-loaded jam

The Mets had their first major chance to get back against Walker Buehler in the bottom of the second.

With one out, J.D. Martinez walked, Jose Iglesias singled on a grounder that was bobbled by Tommy Edman and Tyrone Taylor walked to load the bases. But Francisco Alvarez was frozen on an outside fastball and Francisco Lindor swung through a high fastball.

The Dodgers are on the board first

The Dodgers jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning − without even hitting the ball out of the infield against Mets starter Luis Severino.

Max Muncy walked. Teoscar Hernández grounded into a fielder’s choice. Gavin Lux grounded out to Severino. Muncy to third, Hernández to second. Then Will Smith hit an infield single off Severino’s glove to score Muncy and move Hernández to third base with one out.

The Dodgers added a second run on a sacrifice fly from Tommy Edman, which could have been worse if not for a highlight-reel catch from Tyrone Taylor in centerfield potentially saving a third run from scoring.

Did Dave Roberts think about shuffling lineup for Game 3?

Much has been written about Shohei Ohtani’s struggles at the plate this postseason. He is 0-for-19 with no one on base, but 6-for-8 with runners on. So it begged the question Tuesday during Dodgers manager Dave Roberts’ press conference.

Is there any thoughts about shuffling the lineup for the rest of the series?

‘No, there isn’t,’ Roberts said Tuesday. ‘I just think that early on it’s just funny how things change where there was a lot of concern about Shohei not being able to get hits with the runners in scoring position. And now we’re all trying to find ways that he’s − have to get guys on base so he can hit, right? I kind of find that comical, a little bit.

‘So I don’t think that anyone can predict who is going to get on base in Game 3 or Game 4. So I feel that kind of there’s some tweaks that I do make as far as Teo (Hernandez), Freddie (Freeman), the 5, 6, maybe the 7, 8, 9. But to think that I’m going to move Shohei to the 4 or the 3, that’s just not going to happen.’

Ohtani postseason stats: 50-50 star struggling in October

NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani kept his composure Tuesday, occasionally smiling, even mixing in some laughter, refusing to let anyone see him sweat.

If he feels the pressure of trying to carry the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series, he’s not publicly showing it.

The Dodgers have certainly done just fine without him making his presence felt, reaching the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets. But at some point, to get where the Dodgers want to ultimately go, they’re going to need him.

The Dodgers are loaded with stars, but it’s hard to imagine them riding in a World Series parade in downtown Los Angeles if Ohtani continues to struggle. He’s just 6-for-27 this postseason and is homerless in his last six games.

“This is my first experience in the postseason,’’ Ohtani said, “so I can’t really rely on the experiences or my reflection in the past. But what I do know is that we’ve been playing against good teams, better teams, with their best pitchers. So being able to get base hits, put up results, isn’t as easy maybe as it could be.’’

– Bob Nightengale

Dodgers vs Mets Game 3 time

First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET at Citi Field on Wednesday night.

Location: Citi Field in Queens, New York
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 16

Mets vs Dodgers TV channel

Time: 8:08 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)

Mets lineup, NLCS Game 3

Francisco Lindor (S) SS
Mark Vientos (R) 3B
Brandon Nimmo (L) LF
Pete Alonso (R) 1B
Starling Marte (R) RF
J.D. Martinez (R) DH
Jose Iglesias (R) 2B
Tyrone Taylor (R) CF
Francisco Alvarez (R) C

Dodgers lineup, NLCS Game 3

Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Teoscar Hernández (R) LF
Gavin Lux (L) 2B
Will Smith (R) C
Tommy Edman (S) SS
Enrique Hernández (R) CF

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

MINNEAPOLIS — The New York Liberty are one win away from their first WNBA title. 

Behind 22 second-half points from Breanna Stewart, and two huge 3s in the final 56 seconds from Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty came back from 15 points down to beat the Lynx 80-77 Wednesday in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at the Target Center. 

New York now leads the best-of-five series 2-1. Game 4 is Friday in Minneapolis. If the Lynx force a Game 5, the series would go back to New York for the finale. 

After the Lynx led for almost the entire game New York took its first lead since 5-2 when Ionescu drove and threaded a nifty pass to Jonquel Jones, who scored an easy layup. Minnesota’s attempt missed at the other end and then Ionescu again came up big, draining a 3 with 55.6 seconds to play to push the lead to two possessions. 

But she was just getting warmed up. 

After Bridget Carleton muscled through the defense for a layup and Napheesa Collier hit two free throws it was tied 77-77 with 16 seconds to play. The Lynx had a foul to give, which set up another New York possession with 10.9 seconds left. After the ball was inbounded, Ionescu took a couple dribbles at the top of the key, then pulled up and nailed a deep 3 from roughly 30 feet to win the game. Minnesota couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer at the other end. 

Ionescu finished with 13 points. Stewart had 30 and 11 rebounds. Collier led Minnesota with 22 points, but it took her 22 shots to get there. Kayla McBride chipped in 19. 

This ordeal began nearly 15 years ago, an 11th hour paradigm shift in conference realignment falling apart because emotion clouded college football business.

Emotion, everyone, is the death of business.

Just like it was in 2010, when the Pac-10 failed to land six schools from the mortally wounded Big 12 – Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Colorado – and become the nation’s first 16-team super conference.

That singular failure led to the eventual demise of both the Big 12 as we knew it then, and eventually the Pac-12. And birthed today’s SEC and Big Ten super conferences.

The SEC and Big Ten didn’t set in motion what is now their clear takeover of college football (and by proxy, college sports). But you better believe they’ll do everything within legal constructs to end it on their terms.

The moves begin with partnerships that could have never been dreamed of only a handful of years ago, including but not limited to: a 14- or 16-team College Football Playoff in 2026 with four automatic qualifying spots each for the SEC and Big Ten, and the two super conferences pooling their media rights revenue and earning significantly more than they currently do (about $2 billion annually combined).

This is much more than a standalone nonconference scheduling agreement that USA TODAY Sports reported Monday could add as many as 20 games between the conferences to increase media rights revenue. That’s a drop in the bucket compared to the projected loss of revenue going to athletes down the road, which, more than anything, is the reason for this partnership.

This working agreement of convenience between the SEC and the Big Ten could eventually lead to a product that closely resembles the NFL, and leaves other Bowl Subdivision conferences in their financial wake. Pooled media rights and structured scheduling could mirror the NFL with two different conferences, scheduling overlap and a playoff. Or in this case, a playoff that includes the remaining FBS conferences.

SMART MONEY: Why Georgia has the highest-paid college football coach

BOWL PROJECTIONS: Alabama knocked out of playoff in favor of SEC team

This isn’t a cash grab for the two wealthiest Power Four conferences, it’s survival. At the center of it all are billions lost in the House legal case, and an estimated $20-23 million annual expense of shared revenue agreements with players beginning as early as the 2025 season.  

Think about this: on shared revenue alone and using the higher end of the monetary projection, the 34 teams in the SEC and Big Ten will spend nearly three quarters of a billion dollars combined annually ($782,000,000) on player salaries.

That’s an astounding number for a group of schools that currently give players a “cost of attendance” stipend that pays as much as $6,000 annually. Simple math – 34 teams, 85 scholarship players per team, $6,000 per player – reveals estimated payments of $17.34 million annually.

In other words, the SEC and Big Ten are currently chasing a projected 2025 budget shortfall of $764,660,000.

Suddenly the new friendship among former conference rivals is clear and concise. The object is to survive, not supplement every other FBS conference ― while giving 15-20 percent of value to private equity investors who, out of the goodness of their hearts, have offered to financially support a new league. You know, for their (un)fair share.

I’m gonna puke.

There will be conferences that are forced to use private equity to stay at the elite level of college football, or at least attempt to compete at the same level as the SEC and Big Ten. There could also be a point where conferences fold under the weight of the expense of paying players, and then separate divisions will likely form.

It’s the philosophical question that hangs over the moment: by joining forces and searching for ways to generate revenue to offset future expenses, have the SEC and Big Ten left the rest of college football behind?

More than three decades ago, long before the first iteration of the College Football Playoff and before the controversial Bowl Championship Series postseason, then-WAC commissioner Karl Benson was speaking to then-Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany at a meeting of Division I commissioners.

Delany was the most powerful man in college sports at the time, and one of the architects of the ever-evolving postseason from the Bowl Coalition, to the Bowl Alliance, to the Bowl Championship Series. All three formats attempted, in their own way, to form a coalition of bowls that allowed the top two teams to play in a national championship game.

The commissioners met as the BCS and its controversial formula was developing, and Benson was attempting to get greater access for the smaller WAC (which eventually morphed into the Mountain West Conference).

“We just want a spot on the stage,” Benson told Delany.

To which Delany responded, “We built the stage.”

It’s business, everyone. There is no room for emotion.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X @MattHayesCFB

Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, after reaching the 1,600-point plateau earlier in the Penguins’ Wednesday game, fittingly assisted on longtime teammate Evgeni Malkin’s 500th goal against the visiting Buffalo Sabres.

Crosby then capped the historic night by scoring an overtime goal — his first goal of the season — to give Pittsburgh a 6-5 victory.

The 37-year-old center became just the 10th player in NHL history with 1,600 points, hitting the milestone with his assist on Bryan Rust’s first-period goal. The 20-year veteran achieved the feat in his 1,277th career game. He has 593 goals and 1,009 assists.

With seven more goals, Crosby — a three-time Stanley Cup champion and eight-time All-Star — would join another exclusive club, becoming the ninth player with at least 600 goals and 1,000 assists.

Crosby, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft, has five assists in five games this season.

All things Penguins: Latest Pittsburgh Penguins news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

Crosby’s teammate since 2006-07, Malkin became the 48th NHL player with 500 goals. The 38-year-old Russia native, who had three assists on the night, including one on Crosby’s OT tally, has 1,306 points (500 goals, 806 assists) in 1,150 games.

In his 19th season since the Penguins drafted him No. 2 overall in 2004, Malkin — a three-time Cup winner and three-time All-Star — has a league-high 11 points (two goals, league-high nine assists) through five games this season.