The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Islanders in the first two meetings between the teams earlier this season. Now Sidney Crosby returns to the ice for Pittsburgh against the Islanders -- or as Penguins fans are calling it: "Hockey Christmas." Bad luck for New York.

Crosby has been out for more than 10 months while rehabbing from a concussion he suffered last season. But on Monday, hockey's best player will be back at 7 p.m. (VERSUS[HD], MSG) when the Islanders meet the Penguins at the CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.

Sid the Kid will be *the* storyline in the game tonight, but it's a big contest for the Islanders as well. New York has been in somewhat of a free fall, having won only twice since losing to the Penguins nearly a month ago. The Islanders got a nice 4-3 win against Montreal last week, but then fell on their face in a 6-0 loss to the Bruins.

A win against the Penguins in Crosby's return would go a long way toward restoring some of the confidence that the team had earlier this season.

For more on this matchup, visit our Islanders blog Lighthouse Hockey and our Penguins blog Pensburgh.