PITTSBURGH — When it was noticed that Sidney Crosby was three assists shy of a pretty meaningful Penguins milestone and that the Philadelphia Flyers were up next on the schedule, it seemed quite possible that Crosby would get there Monday at PPG Paints Arena.

But before the end of the first period?

Suppose we should never underestimate this man’s disdain for his longtime rivals.

Crosby tied Mario Lemieux for the most assists in franchise history as the Penguins raced out to a 4-1 lead in the first period. They let the Flyers get back into the game but pulled it together to skate into the NHL’s Christmas break with a 7-3 victory.

Their top line was buzzing again right from the jump Monday. Crosby set up Bryan Rust in the game’s second minute. After a Flyers goal, Rickard Rakell made it 2-1.

Crosby got his second assist when Michael Bunting tapped one in on a power play.

He pulled even with Lemieux when he set up Philip Tomasino just 89 seconds later. That came on a very Crosby-like play on another power-play goal for the Penguins.

Crosby won a battle below the goal line, darted out from behind the net and put a firm backhand pass on the tape of Tomasino, who scored easily on Samuel Ersson.

That gave Crosby his 1,033th career assist, equal to his former landlord Lemieux in Penguins history. It took him 1,308 games to get there. Lemieux needed only 915.

He won’t admit it. But doing it against Philly had to make it even more satisfying.

Crosby has tormented the Flyers ever since Derian Hatcher knocked out two of his teeth during this rookie season. He relished eliminating them from the playoffs on three occasions. And in 2022, Crosby became the all-time leader in goals scored against the Flyers. That’s another record that was previously held by Lemieux.

In 88 regular-season games, he has 56 goals and 133 points against the Flyers.

After a wild first period with end-to-end action and not a whole lot of structure from either side, the Flyers tightened up in the second. The Penguins did not, and they suddenly found themselves in a game after the Flyers scored twice on Tristan Jarry.

But Bunting restored order by scoring his second of the game late in that period.

Crosby scored an empty-net goal for his second four-point night in three games.

Ice chips

— The Penguins placed defenseman Owen Pickering on injured reserve. He suffered a concussion in Saturday’s loss to New Jersey. On Monday morning, Nate Clurman was recalled for the second time in a week. He did not suit up against the Flyers.

— Ryan Graves returned to the lineup. He was a healthy scratch against the Devils.

— Marcus Pettersson has started skating on an individual basis as he works his way back from the lower-body injury he suffered Dec. 16. His return is not imminent.

— Blake Lizotte scored with 12 seconds left, giving him eight goals in 20 games.

— Jarry made his third consecutive start. He stopped 23 shots to improve to 8-5-2.

— After Egor Zamula tied it up at 1-1, Rakell had a goal taken off the board after a successful challenge by the Flyers showed the Penguins came in offside. After Jarry stuffed Morgan Frost on a breakaway, Rakell scored a legal goal to make it 2-1.

— Kevin Hayes and Jesse Puljujarvi were also healthy scratches against the Flyers.

— Monday was the last meeting in the friendly rivalry between Mike Sullivan and Flyers coach John Tortorella — Sullivan’s “good friend” and close confidant. Sullivan said he “dislikes” coaching against Tortorella more than another other coach. Sullivan quipped, “I said when he got the Philly job, ‘Can you get a job outside our division?’”

Coming up

The NHL’s Christmas break starts now. Players are off through Dec. 26 and return to practice Friday in Cranberry, Pa. Their next game is Saturday night on Long Island.

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