Crosby, Lidstrom Hold Down Top Spots

By Tom Layberger
December 19, 2007
(TV Listings)

Though he has hit a little rut in the ice with only a single goal (eight assists) in his last nine games -- with his team often looking disinterested -- Sidney Crosby continues to outpace the pack in all-star voting. No. 87 has piled up 381,941 votes to lead all vote getters according to figures released by the National Hockey League on Wednesday.

Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom leads the Western Conference and is second overall behind Crosby with 354,186 votes. The five-time Norris winner paces a trio of Red Wings with strong and deserved support. Henrik Zetterberg (247,118) and Pavel Datsyuk (214,299) check in at second and fourth overall. Calgary’s Dion Phaneuf is third in the WC with 235,008 votes.

Roberto Luongo’s performance, which includes a 2.04 GAA and five shutouts, has attracted 185,990 votes to lead all goaltenders.

Eastern Conference Voting

Montreal’s Andrei Markov has 247,246 votes to lead all defensemen and the Devils’ Martin Brodeur paces the goaltenders with 149,067. On the surface, Markov is not necessarily enjoying any kind of special season. The 29-year-old was eighth in scoring among rearguards with 22 points and he was minus-4, but has fueled the Habs' PP and is much more often than not up against the opposition's top line. Brodeur, meanwhile, doesn’t have the gaudy numbers, but he is tied for third with 16 wins to go with an 2.35 goals against and a .910 save percentage.

While Crosby has a better than 2-to-1 advantage over the competition at forward, Vincent Lecavalier (168,782) and Daniel Alfredsson (168,448) are in a tight battle for second. Lecavalier leads all scorers with 51 points while Alfredsson is fifth with 44. The league’s leading goal scorer, Ilya Kovalchuk with 26, is sixth among forwards with 125,939 votes.

Jason Spezza leads the league with an average of 1.54 points per game (40 pts, 26 gm), but the Senator has attracted very little attention among voters with all of 43,582 votes.

Alex Kovalev leads the league among write-in candidates with 56,954 tallies.

Western Conference Voting

Third behind Zetterberg and Datsyuk among forwards is Jarome Iginla with 174,613 votes. With seven goals and 10 points in his last four games, the Calgary Flame has moved into second in league scoring with 49 points. His 24 goals are tied for second.

Though he has scored only four goals in his last 23 games following a red-hot start, Mike Cammalleri has a strong showing with 128,898 votes, which is good for fifth among forwards.

Southern California is well represented on the bue line. Anaheim's Chris Pronger (3rd, 155,039) and Francois Beauchemin (5th, 118,512) are sandwiched around the Kings' Rob Blake, who remains popular with the fan base.

It’s good to see Columbus’ Pascal Leclaire receiving kudos for his fine season. With 150,823 votes, he is second among all NHL goalies behind Luongo.