Pittsburgh Penguins star centre Sidney Crosby was forced to leave his team's game against the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Friday night after being cross-checked in the neck.

Crosby was standing in front of Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky when Columbus forward Brandon Dubinsky used his stick to hit Crosby high.​

Crosby fell to the ice, where Dubinsky gave him another cross-check to the back, breaking Dubinsky's stick.

Crosby skated off the ice under his own power and was checked out in the locker room while Dubinsky was assessed a two-minute minor for cross-checking.

The Pittsburgh captain returned to the game at the start of the third period.