Carlson paced the NHL with seven assists and ranked second with eight points in four games to propel the Capitals to a 3-1-0 week. He notched one assist in a 6-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Oct. 14. Carlson then registered consecutive three-point outings, compiling 1g, 2a, 3 points (including the game-winning goal) in a 4-3 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs Oct. 16 and three assists in a 5-2 victory against the New York Rangers Oct. 18. He added one more helper in a 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks Oct. 20, extending his assist/point streak to seven games (3g, 12a, 15 points).
The 29-year-old Natick, Mass., native tops the NHL in both assists (15) and points (18) through 10 contests this season. Only two other defensemen in NHL history have recorded as many points through their team's opening 10 games of a campaign: Bobby Orr(2g, 16a, 18 points in 1969-70 and 5g, 13a, 18 points in 1973-74, w/ BOS) and Paul Coffey(3g, 17a, 20 points in 1988-89, w/ PIT).
