Five players in race for NHL scoring title on final day

Five players have a chance to win the NHL scoring title on the final day of the regular season, one of the closest races in League history.

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and John Tavares of the New York Islanders enter the full schedule of games Saturday leading the League with 84 points. Each had one point in New York's 3-1 win at Pittsburgh on Friday, moving ahead of Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars, who has 83.

Jakub Voracek of the Philadelphia Flyers has 81, and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals has 80.

It is likely to be the closest finish for the Art Ross Trophy since the shortened 1994-95 season, when Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Eric Lindros of the Philadelphia Flyers tied with 70 points. (Jagr won the Art Ross with 32 goals, three more than Lindros).

The last full season with as close a race was 1979-80, when Marcel Dionne of the Los Angeles Kings and Wayne Gretzky of the Edmonton Oilers tied with 137 points. (Dionne had 53 goals; Gretzky had 51).

Three Montreal Canadiens teammates finished within one point of each other in 1954-55, when Bernie Geoffrion (75), Maurice Richard (74) and Jean Beliveau (73) topped the League.

Six players finished within seven points of each other in 1947-48, led by Elmer Lach of the Montreal Canadiens at 61.

Crosby led the NHL last season with 104 points, 17 ahead of Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks.

Crosby has won the scoring title twice (2006-07 and last season). Ovechkin won in 2007-08. Tavares, Benn and Voracek have never won it.