Despite their overall disappointing start to the season, there is one big reason to be somewhat optimistic looking ahead - and it starts with the big guys. If it seems like Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/] captain Sidney Crosby is hitting milestones and all-time great marks on a weekly basis [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/crosby-climbs-yet-another-all-time-list], it's probably because he is. And he has a chance to climb three more lists on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IF CROSBY RECORDS TWO POINTS, HE WILL TIE JOE SAKIC FOR THE EIGHTH-MOST POINTS IN NHL HISTORY (REGULAR SEASON AND PLAYOFFS) AT 1,829. Crosby's climb up NHL all-time points lists is pretty well-documented at this juncture. He is already top-10 in regular season scoring with 1,626 points and has a chance to surpass Sakic (1,641) in that category soon, and he is aiming to break Wayne Gretzky's consecutive point-per-game seasons record of 19 with his 20th this season. But in terms of regular season and playoff points combined, Crosby is on the brink of tying Sakic for eighth all-time if he can record two points on Tuesday. Next on that list for Crosby would be Mario Lemieux at 1,895 for seventh place. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WITH TWO POINTS, CROSBY WILL ALSO SURPASS STEVE YZERMAN FOR SOLE POSSESSION OF SEVENTH PLACE ON THE NHL'S ALL-TIME MULTI-POINT GAMES LIST In Pittsburgh's 9-2 onslaught against Montreal on Thursday [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/penguins-erupt-for-six-third-period-goals-crush-habs-9-2], Crosby recorded three assists, which tied him with Yzerman for seventh all-time with 477 career multi-point games. One more multi-point performance would give him sole possession of seventh place, and Mario Lemieux's mark of 497 at sixth all-time seems within reach for Crosby as well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WITH ONE MORE EVEN-STRENGTH GOAL, CROSBY WILL TIE TEEMU SELANNE FOR THE 12TH-MOST EVEN-STRENGTH GOALS IN NHL HISTORY As it stands now, Crosby has 421 career even-strength goals and needs just one more to tie Selanne for 12th on the all-time list. Bobby Hull's mark of 437 would be next-up for the Penguins' captain. Ironically, Crosby has gone nine games without a goal and 12 games without an even-strength goal. His last goal was the 600th of his NHL career [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-sidney-crosby-scores-600th-nhl-goal], and it came on a five-on-three power play: There have only been two longer stretches in his career without an even-strength goal: 18 straight games to open the 2015-16 season and 19 straight games from Jan. 18, 2007 to Mar. 1, 2007. It's safe to say that he is due. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEwNjYwNDIwMDI3OTUwOTI5/thnpitbanner.png]
