panoo

Associated Press
3/11/2007 4:23:55 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Colorado Avalanche rookie Paul Stastny assisted on a first-period goal Sunday, giving him a point in his 18th consecutive game and setting the NHL record for the longest point streak by a rookie.

Stastny, the son of Hall of Famer Peter Stastny, broke the mark of 17 straight set by Winnipeg's Teemu Selanne in 1993.

Just over 15 minutes into the first period, Minnesota Wild defenceman Keith Carney took a holding penalty on Joe Sakic to give the Avalanche a power play.

Stastny dumped the puck toward the net moments later and Andrew Brunette corralled it to put a shot on goal. Milan Hejduk got the rebound and beat goaltender Niklas Backstrom, giving Stastny the second assist.

His streak is the longest by any player in the league this season and the longest since Ottawa's Dany Heatley had a point in 22 straight in 2005.

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BE-LEAF-ABLE

Thats's awesome. And he's making the Rookie scoring race look worthwhile, now being only 5 points behind Evgeni Malkin.

Congrats to him.

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"It's not the way it's going to be. We have to be very, very patient and build this the right way. We have to go through a process. It may be painful. I hope it isn't. But we're prepared for all the bumps and pratfalls and potholes in the road ahead. I'm prepared for it anyway, or I wouldn't have come." - Ron Wilson, Head Coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.