New York. Erik Carlsson tied his own personal scoring record last night — and now he has a chance to beat it in the 65th game of the season, funnily enough.
– Yes, but then we’ll have to make sure we try to do it next. “Ek65,” he says to Sportbladet after the little victory last night in Winnipeg, would be appropriate.
He provided two assists in San Jose’s away game against the Jets, Carlson – including the crucial 3-2 goal scored by Logan Couture in overtime.
In doing so, he reaches a total of 82 points – nineteen goals, 63 assists – and thus touches his personal scoring record, which was set as long ago as the 2015-2016 season.
the difference:
He then played 82 regular season games to get that far. Now he is already there after 64 matches. Which means the blue-and-yellow star who has been associated with the number 65 throughout his NHL career can smash the record-breaking 65th appearance for the season—against the Denver Avalanche already the following night.
– Well, is that right? Yes, but then we’ll have to make sure we try to do that next. It’ll fit against an avalanche, he says on the phone from the cold Manitoba prairie.
Chasing the 100-point barrier
Erik also owns Victor Hedmann’s Swedish back sprint record of 85, which was set last year, and so the world hopes he can be the first to break the 100-point barrier in three decades.
But for now, the 32-year-old from Småland doesn’t attach much importance to potential milestones of this kind.
Now, as expected, he hasn’t been drafted into a team with playoff aspirations, and he seems mostly trying to come to terms with the notion that there’s still a month or so of toil in the regular season.
– It’s sad that we have nothing to play for, but you need to try to motivate yourself as best you can and play the best hockey, he continues.
Tonight I got away with it in a way, because James Reimer was good in the penalty area and of course it’s good that we won. Now we will hurry to the airport and then go to Denver.
Yes, because a very special 65th anniversary can still wait there!
