That Time Of The Month

Like a cop posting up at a speedtrap on the 30th of the month (well, not this month, but you know what I mean), Alex Ovechkin makes sure to fill his quota before the calendar turns. Case in point - AO has totalled 12 goals and three assists in the four last games of the month so far this season. Here's the quartet:

• October 29 (2 goals)
• November 30 (2 goals, 1 assist)
• December 29 (4 goals, 1 assist)
• January 31 (4 goals, 1 assist)

Averaging a hat trick per game in these monthly ultimates, that's exactly what Ovie will need on Friday - February 29 - against New Jersey in order to tie October as his least-productive month, goal-wise, with eight. Having not scored in six games, he stands a dozen shy of sixty with only 18 games to play. Can he do it? A typical month-ending performance sure would help to that end.