Crosby youngest to net 200 NHL points

Sidney Crosby, the Nova Scotia-born star forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins, reached 200 career points on Friday night — becoming the youngest player in NHL history to achieve the feat.

Crosby took the puck behind the Carolina Hurricanes' net late in the first period in Raleigh, N.C., and wheeled out front, beating Cam Ward with a wrist shot for his 27th goal and 98th point of the season.

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby reached 200 career points on Friday, becoming the youngest ever to achieve the feat.
(Kathy Willens/Associated Press)

He achieved the milestone at the age of 19 years, 207 days, breaking the mark set by Wayne Gretzky in the 1980-81 season.

Gretzky recorded his 200th point at the age of 19 years, 347 days.

Crosby, who grew up in Cole Harbour, N.S.,  began the night nine points ahead of Tampa's Martin St. Louis in the NHL scoring race.

Should Crosby win the Art Ross Trophy for most points, he would become the youngest winner ever.

Gretzky was younger than Crosby when he tied Marcel Dionne to finish with 137 points in 1979-80.

The trophy went to Dionne, however, due to the veteran's advantage in goals scored, 53 to 51.

Pittsburgh would go on to lose the game, 3-2. The Penguins also received word earlier in the day that big defenceman Mark Eaton would miss the next two to four weeks due to a knee sprain suffered in a game on Wednesday.