With two assists in the first two games of the season, Sidney Crosby is off to a point-per-game pace. That's a fine total for most players, but it's subpar for the 2007 Art Ross Trophy winner who has a career average of 1.38 points per game in the regular season.
But if history is any indicator, Crosby should ratchet up that pace immediately. October has been the second-most prolific month of his career in terms of average points per game. After yesterday, he has averaged 1.45 points per game in October. Only April (1.92) has seen the Penguins' captain rack up more offense.
A look at Crosby's career scoring averages by month:
| Month |
Games
|
Goals-Assists-
Points |
Points
Per Game |
| October |
33 |
13-35-48 |
1.45 |
| November |
38 |
23-26-49 |
1.29 |
| December |
40 |
16-41-57 |
1.43 |
| January |
35 |
18-32-50 |
1.43 |
| February |
19 |
4-19-23 |
1.21 |
| March |
37 |
17-27-44 |
1.19 |
| April |
13 |
8-17-25 |
1.92 |
-Prior to the first two games of this season, Crosby's October average was 1.48.
-It's kind of surprising to see that his totals have dipped significantly in February and March when the race of the playoffs is on. But then his totals skyrocket in April.
-Evgeni Malkin's highest career average occurs in October (1.58).
-Alex Ovechkin is hottest in January (1.59).
-We need a life.
EMPTY NETTER ASSISTS
Penguins
-Shelly Anderson's game recap from yesterday.
-Is Darryl Sydor a top-four defenseman?
Atlantic Division
-Scott Gomez and Wade Redden each had a goal and an assist for the Rangers in a 2-1 defeat of the Lightning in Prague.
-Rangers defenseman and former Penguin Michal Rozsival is a low-profile guy.
-Philadelphia released forward Jim Dowd and defenseman Bryan Berard.
-The Flyers are doing the West Point thing.
-Philadelphia goaltender Martin Biron is going all Bernie Parent.
-The Devils demoted forward Rod Pelley to Lowell of the AHL.
-Are the Islanders as hapless as the Pirates?
Northeast Division
-Ottawa got three out of a possible four points in Sweden.
-The Senators were almost perfect in their win against the Penguins yesterday.
-Ottawa was cool with their trip to Sweden, but wouldn't want to do it every season.
-Senators forward Jarkko Ruutu dug his time in Pittsburgh.
-The Canadiens waived goaltender Marc Denis and defenseman Alex Henry.
Southeast Division
-Hurricanes forward Tuomo Ruutu is dealing with a groin pull.
-Former Penguins forward Dan LaCouture is still hanging in there in his tryout with the Hurricanes.
-The Thrashers are still a work in progress.
-The Lightning has been outshot 80-40 in its two games so far this season.
-Tampa Bay's best line yesterday was the No. 4 unit of Chris Gratton and former Penguins Adam Hall and Gary Roberts.
-Former Penguins forward Ryan Malone didn't fare very well in his first fight with the Lightning against the Rangers' Aaron Voros:
Central Division
-Former Penguins goaltender Ty Conklin made 21 saves in a 3-0 preseason shutout of the Sabres.
-Red Wings forward and former Penguins Marian Hossa is dealing with a groin injury. Fire Ken Holland.
-Is Detroit forward Henrik Zetterberg's skill unlimited?
-Columbus released defenseman Richard Matvichuk.
-Remember the other day when we endorsed the idea of the Penguins acquiring Blue Jackets defenseman Ole-Kristian Tollefsen because he has a cool name and he's Norwegian? Well guess what. He's also a tough dude. Check out the hit he laid on Toronto's Jason Blake last night in a preseason game:
-We're in no way suggesting Ray Shero has inquired about Tollefsen by the way. Our "sources" are about as inside as
your mom's potted plants.
-That wasn't the only big hit in this game. Referee Marc Joannette pasted Columbus forward Jason Chimera as well:
-Quite a bit happened in this game last night. Check out this diving goal Chimera scored:
-The Penguins aren't the only team with a young captain. The Blue Jackets
are led by 24-year-old Rick Nash.
-Blackhawks coach Denis Savard got into an altercation with Stars forwards Sean Avery and Steve Ott during a preseason game Thursday.
Northwest Division
-The Canucks signed 2008 first-round pick Cody Hodgson to a three-year entry-level deal.
-Vancouver goaltender and captain Roberto Luongo might not be able to wear a "C" on his jersey, but he's allowed to sport one on his mask.
-Contract talks between the Wild and forward Marian Gaborik are at an impasse.
-The Wild demoted former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Krys Kolanos to Houston of the AHL.
-After losing 325 man games to injury last season, the Avalanche has put an emphasis on conditioning.
Pacific Division
-Ducks fowrard Brad Larsen is dealing with a sports hernia.
Adams Division
-Matt Eagan of the Hartford Courant, who we assumed is a really bitter Whalers fan, wrote a scathing piece about the relevance of the NHL.
(Photo: Crosby-Niklas Larsson/Associated Press)
Posted
Oct 06 2008, 03:51 AM
by
Seth Rorabaugh
Filed under: Jarkko Ruutu, Ryan Malone, Gary Roberts, Tampa Bay Lightning, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, Chicago Blackhawks, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Adam Hall, Ty Conklin, Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, Aaron Voros, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Wade Redden, Marian Hossa, Sean Avery, Dallas Stars, Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Ray Shero, Sidney Crosby, Marc Denis, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Brad Larsen, Darryl Sydor, Roberto Luongo, Henrik Zetterberg, Alex Ovechkin, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen, AHL, Marian Gaborik, Jason Blake, Dan LaCouture, Alex Henry, Rod Pelley, Michal Roszival, Jim Dowd, Chris Gratton, Bernie Parent, Tuomo Ruutu, Bryan Berard, Scott Gomez, Martin Biron, Steve Ott, Ken Holland, Denis Savard, Jason Chimera, Richard Matvichuk, Rick Nash, Marc Joannette, Cody Hodgson, Krys Kolanos, Lowell Devils, Houston Aeros, Hartford Whalers