Ovechkin named Pearson finalist

May 1, 2008 - 6:16 PM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, Calgary Flames right wing Jarome Iginla and Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Evgeni Malkin on Thursday were named as finalists for the Lester B. Pearson Award.

First presented in 1971, the Pearson is awarded annually to the league's most outstanding player as voted by the NHL's player association.

Ovechkin, who keyed the Capitals' late-season drive to the Southeast Division title, captured the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer with 112 points and also claimed the Maurice Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer with 65.

The Russian superstar broke Luc Robitaille's previous NHL record for goals in a season by a left wing (63). He scored 51 of his goals in 61 games after Bruce Boudreau took over as the Capitals' coach on November 22.

Ovechkin's goal total was the most since Mario Lemieux registered 69 in 1995-96.

Iginla, who won the Pearson Award in 2002, tallied his second career 50-goal season while recording a career-high 98 points.

Iginla ranked third in the league in goals (50) and points. During the season, he became the Flames' all-time leader in games played and goals.

Malkin led the Penguins in scoring with 106 points, finishing second in the league with 47 goals and 59 assists. He posted a 15-game points streak from October 23-November 22, the longest by a Russian player in NHL history.

Malkin raised the level of his game when Sidney Crosby was sidelined with an ankle injury. He scored 46 points in the 28 games Crosby missed in the second half of the season and was the NHL's leading scorer after December 31 with 65 points in 44 contests.

The winner of the Pearson Award will be announced June 12 during the NHL's awards show in Toronto.