December 31, 2010, HockeyPrimeTime.com Atlantic Division Notebook examining Sidney Crosby's 50 points-in-25 games scoring streak

On Winter Classic Eve, remembering Sid’s streak

Atlantic

Written by Denis Gorman

Friday, December 31, 2010 17:22

Sidney Crosby didn't set any records while scoring points in 25 straight games, but he tilted the Ovechkin/Crosby debate in his favor and is authoring one of the more spectacular seasons in a while. Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma stood in front of a scrum of reporters Wednesday at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum with a bemused smirk on his face. Three questions into his press conference the discussion turned to star Sidney Crosby and the otherworldly season he is authoring – one that should see the Penguins center win the Rocket Richard, Art Ross, Hart Trophies and Ted Lindsay Award this summer. AROUND THE ATLANTIC In Wednesday night’s 2-1 shootout loss on Long Island, Crosby was held without a point for the first time since October. During the streak he recorded an obscene 50 points spanning 25 consecutive games. He scored 26 goals and assisted on 24 others in the 25 games. Crosby totaled six multi-goal games – including two hat tricks – and 16 multi-point games. Crosby emerged from the streak leading the NHL in points (65) and goals (32), second in plus-minus (plus-20) and third in assists (33). Crosby’s stretch has coincided with Pittsburgh’s ascent in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins won 19 of the 25 games for 40 points, and has the best record in the league at 25-11-3. “Well, I’m not sure it has gone exponentially better,” Bylsma said with a chuckle. “The consistency level at which he’s played has been the amazing factor.” Even at the precocious age of 23, it’s already safe to say that Crosby’s career will ensure enshrinement in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He won the Quebec Major Junior Hockey Championship with the Rimouski Oceanic in 2004-05 to cap a junior career in which he won the Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year in 2003-04, the CHL MVP twice (2003-04 and 2004-05) and earn gold and silver medals as a member of Canada’s World Junior Hockey Championship teams in 2004 and 2005. As a professional he has won the Art Ross, Lester B. Pearson and Hart Trophies in 2006-07, shared the Rocket Richard Trophy with Steven Stamkos last year. Oh, there were the small matters of captaining Pittsburgh’s Cup-winning team in 2008-09 and scoring the gold-medal winning overtime goal for Canada in the 2010 Olympics. In short: He’s an all-time great. The astonishing part is that he is getting better. When you’re the acknowledged best player in the world, with no apparent flaws in your game, do you have to begin to create flaws or look for perceived insults from opponents, a la Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant? “It will be a challenge for him to find out how to keep working on his game. That’s probably his strength as an athlete. You can talk about his skating ability and his skill. But probably his best thing is his desire and need to improve and get better in his game,” Bylsma said. “He does that in obvious ways: faceoffs and did that with his shot two summers ago. But he also does it in a lot of little areas that are a little bit harder to notice. But he’s doing them every day in practice. “That’s really his best asset as a player and keeps showing up in his game. As a result, you see him do things in practice and see him translate that right into success in the game.” Sid’s run is the second-longest in Penguins history behind Mario Lemieux’s 103 points (39 goals and 64 assists) in 46 games during the 1989-90 season. Lemieux finished that year with 85 goals, 114 assists and 199 points. The longest point streak ever was Wayne Gretzky’s run of 51 in 1983-84. The Great One finished that season leading the league in goals (87), assists (118) and points (205). He won the Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award, and Edmonton won the first of its five Stanley Cups. Crosby’s streak was the second longest since then-Quebec Nordiques center Mats Sundin had points in 30 games during the 1992-93 season. Crosby told reporters last week that he feels there is “a little bit more attention to it” when asked in a conference call to compare his streak to Gretzky's streak in 1983-84. Crosby would not equate his streak to Gretzky’s, though. “That feels like it’s a whole different world away, to be honest with you,” he said. For now, Crosby's streak has ended the debate as to who is the better player – he or Washington’s Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin is seventh in the league in points with 42. His 28 assists rank fifth but his 14 goals rank 28th. “I don’t think we can stop him. He’s really good. He has really good players around him,” Islanders defenseman Milan Jurcina said about Crosby Wednesday morning before being asked by HPT.com to compare the two superstars. Jurcina played with Ovechkin in Washington for 211 games spanning the 2006-07 through 2009-10 seasons. “Ovie is a little more go-to guy. You give him the puck and he’s going to try to score. Second option for him is to pass. He’s always trying to shoot the puck every chance; 10 shots in a game, a lot of games like that. Crosby, a little more look for a pass. That is totally different players.” Notes An HPT.com column Tuesday criticized the NHL for deciding that Sunday night’s Montreal Canadiens-New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs-New Jersey Devils regular season games must be played, despite a blizzard that paralyzed the Northeast. Travis Zajac and Patrik Elias told The Record of Hackensack that they were stuck on Route 280 in New Jersey and had to sleep in Elias’ car. … Ottawa Senators C Jason Spezza criticized Penguins D Kris Letang for a check from behind in the Pittsburgh’s 3-1 loss at the Scotiabank Place Sunday night. Spezza suffered a shoulder injury and the Ottawa Sun speculated that he will miss “at least six weeks.” “I think it is a little bit dirty. He doesn’t have to push me there,” Spezza said. “My back is to him the whole time. I’m going for the puck. He keeps pushing and he tries to catch me, I think.” Letang was assessed a two-minute minor for boarding on the play. … The New York Post speculated Sunday that playoff contending teams may have interest in trading for Devils captain Jamie Langenbrunner. The newspaper also criticized the Devils players’ for quitting on themselves, former coach John MacLean and the season. … The Rangers ended the Islanders' three game win streak in convincing fashion. Matt Gilroy scored two goals – his first NHL markers since 2009 – in the Rangers' 7-2 home win Monday night. … The NHL announced before the loss that Islanders goaltender Dwayne Roloson was the first star of the week. … The Philadelphia Daily News suggested that the Flyers’ four games-in-six days in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Detroit will determine how one of the Eastern Conference’s contenders rank against some of the West’s best. … The Flyers lost to the Canucks but beat the Kings, 7-4, in Michael Leighton's first start of the season. Brian Boucher served as Leighton's backup and Sergei Bobrovsky was scratched. On Twitter: @HockeyPrimeTime and @DenisGorman Photos by Getty Images

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