What once was automatic when he made it through a full, healthy season has morphed into a rarity for Sidney Crosby: 100 points.
Crosby surpassed the triple-digit barrier for points during each of his first five NHL seasons in which he appeared in at least 54 games. This season will make it five in a row, though, that he’s played in at least 75 – but he hasn’t hit 100 points in any of them.
Yet. Crosby is sitting at 98 points heading into Saturday night’s home game against the New York Rangers, the Penguins’ 82nd and final game of the regular season (Crosby’s 79th).
“It’d be great; it’s a nice number,” Crosby said. “I’ve got a game here to try to get it, and we will see what happens. Buy the points take care of themselves if you play the right way.”
Crosby had 102 points as an 18-year-old rookie in 2005-06, a league-best 120 points the next season, 103 points while claiming the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2008-09, 109 points the next season and an NHL-high 104 points in 2013-14.
The four completed seasons since, though, Crosby has been consistently in the 84-89 point range.
“I haven’t been really around that (100) number for a while,” Crosby said. “If I was able to get it, great. But if not, we will get ready for the playoffs.”
