Crosby secures 19th straight point-per-game season, tying Gretzky
Published
With a three-point night on Monday against the New York Rangers, Sidney Crosby secured a point-per-game pace for the 19th straight season since entering the league.
The 36-year-old Crosby, who had two goals and an assist in a 5-2 win, now has 37 goals and 82 points in 74 games. He's tied with Wayne Gretzky for the most point-per-game seasons in NHL history at 19.
”Any time you can be in that company, it's pretty cool,'' Crosby said of matching Gretzky on such a significant milestone.
Crosby’s first-period assist was the 997th of his career and his 80th point this season, marking the 13th time he has reached that milestone, tying him with Marcel Dionne, Mark Messier and Dale Hawerchuk. Gretzky has the most such seasons with 17.
“It’s remarkable for him to perform at an elite level for as long as he has,″ Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Crosby. ”His body of work speaks for itself. All of these milestones that he’s reaching is evidence that he’s one of the greatest players of all time.”
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who is in his first season as a Penguin, agreed with how impressive Crosby is as a teammate.
“There's not much to say that hasn't already been said. It's incredible to watch,'' he said. ”He's so much more than a goal scorer. Doing the little things is what makes him a leader."
Despite Crobsy's strong season, the Penguins remain a longshot to reach the playoffs, sitting five points back of the Washington Capitals for the final wild-card spot with one more game played. Eight games remain on the schedule for Pittsburgh.