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Penguins' Erik Karlsson reaches not one but two historic marks vs. Blue Jackets
Photo credit: Edit from PensBurgh
Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson hit not one but two milestones last night vs. the Blue Jackets, solidifying himself as a solid blueliner this season.
Erik Karlsson has been a revelation for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. Against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday, he added an assist on Bryan Rust's third-period goal, a play that accounted for two career milestones for the star defenseman.
That assist gave Karlsson 684 career assists, which ranks him 12th in NHL history among defensemen and only 28 away from tying Scott Stevens for 11th.
The second milestone that Erik Karlsson reached
At the same time, it pushed his career points to 885, which tied Peter Forsberg for the eighth-most points by a Swedish player in NHL history.
"With his helper on Bryan Rust's goal, Erik Karlsson tied Peter Forsberg for the eighth-most points among Swedes in NHL history (885) AND moved into 12th place on the League's all-time assist list among defensemen (684)."
- Penguins PR
- Penguins PR
Why Erik Karlsson has been the Penguins' best defenseman
He has been arguably Pittsburgh's best defenseman this season. In 23 games, he has already tallied 15 points and has shown an impact in all three zones, driving offense from the blue line while stabilizing the Penguins' back end.
The game itself was a rollercoaster on Friday. Following Rust's goal to make it 3-2, Sidney Crosby scored his second to tie it up, ultimately setting up Kris Letang for Pittsburgh's first overtime win of the season.
Karlsson will look to continue climbing the career rankings while keeping his strong play rolling for Pittsburgh, as the Penguins return to action this Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Previously on HockeyUnplugged
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 29 | 60 ANSWERS Penguins' Erik Karlsson reaches not one but two historic marks vs. Blue Jackets Is Erik Karlsson playing like a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman? | ||
| Yes | 37 | 61.7 % |
| No | 23 | 38.3 % |
| List of polls | ||