NEW YORK, Match 2 -- Center Vincent Lecavalier, one of the few bright spots in a disastrous year for the Tampa Bay Lightning, today (Tuesday) was named NHL Rookie of the Month for February. He recorded four goals and three assists in 11 games and had a plus-minus rating of plus-2.
Lecavalier had the game-tying goal and an assist in a 3-3 deadlock with the New York Islanders on Feb. 15, and recorded his first career multi-goal game with two tallies against the New Jersey Devils seven days later. Through 59 games, Lecavalier is third on the Lightning in scoring with 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points and eighth among all first- year players in points. He also is one of just two 18-year-olds in the league, the other being Manny Malhotra of the New York Rangers. Lecavalier, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 draft, edged Pittsburgh Penguins center Jan Hrdina, last month's winner, and San Jose Sharks center Alexander Korolyuk for the February honor.
