This is about the time when NHL rookies, especially those fresh out of college, hit the proverbial wall.

Including the preseason, clubs have played 70-plus games to this point, nearly twice as many as college teams, and there are another five weeks to go in the regular season.

It hasn't fazed Avalanche center Paul Stastny, whose 14- game point-scoring streak is two short of the Quebec/Colorado franchise record for rookies set by his father, Peter, with the Nordiques in 1980.

It's the longest streak for an NHL rookie since Teemu Selanne's 17-game run with the Winnipeg Jets in 1992-93.

Stastny, a former University of Denver standout, collected at least one point in the final 13 games in February and on Friday was named the league's rookie of the month.

He extended the streak Thursday in Chicago when he set up defenseman Jeff Fingers for a goal with 17 seconds remaining in a 6-1 win.

Stastny, 21, sounded more pleased Friday about helping Fingers score his first NHL goal than he did about beating out Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal of Pittsburgh, Los Angeles' Anze Kopitar and Philadelphia's Alexandre Picard for the monthly award.

"I don't think about (recognition) much. The only thing I worry about is the team," said Stastny, who has eight goals and 12 assists in his streak. "I don't even think about (the streak) until someone mentions it on the bench."

Stastny acknowledged there have been times when he has felt weary; his 65 regular-season games with the Avalanche so far are only 16 fewer than he played in two years at DU.

But except for a five-game drought in early December, he hasn't gone more than three games without a point all year, and that only has happened twice.

"It is a long season," Stastny said. "It's almost like two college seasons, but day in and day out I'm just enjoying it. You're tired sometimes and sometimes it takes longer to get your legs going under you.

"But if you have a bad game, people think, 'Oh, you hit the wall.' It's all how you take it mentally. If I have a bad game, I shake it off, rest up, and the next day I feel fine.

"I think the middle of the season is more of a mental battle and toward the end it's physical, but I feel great."

Stastny was considered a bit of a long shot to make the Avalanche in training camp, when teammate Wojtek Wolski was being projected as a Calder Trophy candidate as rookie of the year.

The award probably will go to the more publicized Malkin, who leads all rookies in scoring, with 29 goals and 69 points, but Stastny is right behind with 22 goals and 60 points.

Wolski, who is fourth, with 19 goals and 40 points, won the league's monthly rookie award in December.

"I don't think I've flown under the radar," Stastny said. "If I have, it's because it's been a good overall year for rookies. It's a strong class of rookies. I've just tried to be consistent."

HOME AGAIN: Plenty of NHL players would have been upset about being traded from a Stanley Cup contender to a team that will be hard-pressed to make the playoffs, but that isn't the case with Scott Parker.

Parker couldn't be happier to be back with the Avalanche, which acquired him from the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday.

"I love Denver, and the Avs organization is nothing but the best," he said. "And I definitely wouldn't count us out of the playoffs yet. We can definitely surprise some people."

The former first-round pick spent his first four NHL seasons with the Avalanche and maintained a home in Colorado after he was traded to the Sharks in June 2003.

"I kept my place in Denver and usually spend my summers there, so it kind of works out pretty good," he said.

Rookie closes in on record

Avalanche center Paul Stastny has collected at least one point in 14 consecutive games, two short of the Quebec/Colorado franchise record set by his father, Peter, with the Nordiques in 1980. It's the longest streak by an NHL rookie since Teemu Selanne scored in 17 consecutive games for the Winnipeg Jets in 1983-84:

Date Opponent G-A-Pts Result

Feb. 3 Edmonton 0-1-1 L 3-2

Feb. 6 Florida 1-1-2 W 5-4*

Feb. 8 Atlanta 1-1-2 L 6-3

Feb. 11 at Dallas 1-0-1 L 7-5

Feb. 13 Anaheim 1-0-1 W 2-0

Feb. 15 at Calgary 0-1-1 W 7-5

Feb. 17 at Calgary 1-0-1 L 5-2

Feb. 18 at Vancouver 0-1-1 L 5-4

Feb. 20 Calgary 2-1-3 W 4-3

Feb. 22 Minnesota 0-2-2 L 4-3

Feb. 24 at Los Angeles 0-2-2 L 6-5**

Feb. 25 at Anaheim 0-1-1 L 5-3

Feb. 27 Columbus 1-0-1 W 3-2

March 1 at Chicago 0-1-1 W 6-1

Totals 8-12-20*Overtime; **Shootout

sadowskir@RockyMountainNews.com

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