Malkin, Hartnell, Nabokov earn weekly NHL honors

NEW YORK – Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Philadelphia Flyers left wing   Scott Hartnell and New York Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov have been named the NHL’s ‘Three Stars’ for the week ending Jan. 22.
 
FIRST STAR — EVGENI MALKIN, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Evgeni Malkin - Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Evgeni Malkin – Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Malkin tallied a League-leading seven points (five goals, two assists) and posted a +6 rating last week as the Penguins (27-17-4) won all four starts and extended their winning streak to six games. Malkin began the week by recording one goal plus a shootout tally in a 2-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Jan. 17. He notched a pair of goals in a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers Jan. 19, scored one goal and the shootout winner in a 5-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens Jan. 20 and tallied the game-winner in overtime plus two assists in a 4-3 victory over the Washington Capitals Jan. 22. Malkin climbed to the top of the League scoring race with 58 points (26 goals, 32 assists) in 41 games.
 
SECOND STAR — SCOTT HARTNELL, LW, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Scott Hartnell - Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Scott Hartnell – Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Hartnell led the League in goals (six) as the Flyers (28-14-5) earned five of eight points last week. He notched one goal in a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Wild Jan. 17; recorded two goals, including the game-winner, in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils Jan. 21; and finished the week by notching a hat trick in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins Jan. 22.   The 11-year NHL veteran ranks second on the Flyers in scoring with 44 points (25 goals, 19 assists) and is on pace to establish single-season career highs in all three categories.
 
THIRD STAR — EVGENI NABOKOV, G, NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Nabokov posted a 3-0-0 record, 0.65 goals-against average, .978 save percentage and one shutout to help the Islanders improve to 19-21-6. In his first start after becoming the 26th goaltender in NHL history to reach 300 victories, Nabokov made 17 saves to post his 51st career shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Washington Capitals Jan. 17. He then stopped 40 shots in a 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers Jan. 19 and turned aside 32 shots in a 2-1 overtime victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Jan. 21. Nabokov improved his season record to 10-11-0 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 23 appearances.
  Contact Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com

Marchand, Gaborik and Giguere Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

NEW YORK – Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand, New York Rangers right wing Marian Gaborik and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere have been named the NHL’s ‘Three Stars’ for the week ending December 25.
 
FIRST STAR — BRAD MARCHAND, LW, BOSTON BRUINS
Marchand tallied six points (four goals, two assists) in a pair of home victories, notching the game-winning goal in both contests, as the red-hot Bruins (23-9-1) entered the holiday break atop the Eastern Conference standings. Marchand’s third-period goal was the difference in a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens December 19 and he recorded the first hat trick, five-point game and +5 rating of his NHL career in an 8-0 win over the Florida Panthers December 23. The 23-year-old Halifax native leads all Bruins goal-scorers with 15 and ranks second on the club in points (29). He has posted a +25 rating, second in the NHL behind Boston teammate Tyler Seguin (+26). The defending Stanley Cup champions have won their past six games, outscoring opponents 30-7 in that span, and are 20-2-1 in their past 23 starts.
 
SECOND STAR — MARIAN GABORIK, RW, NEW YORK RANGERS
Gaborik surged into the break as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer by notching five points (four goals, one assist) — including a pair of game-winning goals — as the Rangers (21-8-4) climbed to first place in the Atlantic by sweeping a trio of division rivals. Gaborik notched the game-winner among two goals and one assist in a 4-1 win over the New Jersey Devils December 20 and scored one goal in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders December 22. He concluded the week by tallying the game-winner in a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers December 23 in the clubs’ showdown for the division lead and a prelude to their clash in the 2012 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic outdoors at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Jan. 2.
The 29-year-old Trencin, Slovakia native increased his season goals total to a League-leading 21 and tops the Rangers in scoring with 32 points in 33 games.
 
THIRD STAR — JEAN-SEBASTIEN GIGUERE, G, COLORADO AVALANCHE
Giguere posted a 3-0-0 record, 1.60 goals-against average and .951 save percentage as the Avalanche improved to 18-17-1 on the season. He made 31 saves in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers December 19, stopped 37 shots in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues December 21 and helped the Avalanche post a milestone victory with 29 saves in a 2-1 overtime decision over the Tampa Bay Lightning December 23. The Avalanche posted their eighth consecutive win at home, the longest single-season home winning streak since the franchise moved to Denver in 1995. The 34-year-old Montreal native improved his season record to 8-4-0 in 14 appearances. He ranks third among NHL goaltenders in goals-against average (1.79) and fifth in save percentage (.934).
 
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Moulson, O’Reilly and Quick named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

NEW YORK – New York Islanders left wing Matt Moulson, Colorado Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly and Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick have been named the NHL’s ‘Three Stars’ for the week ending December 4.
 
FIRST STAR — MATT MOULSON, LW, NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Moulson led all players in scoring last week with seven points (six goals, one assist) in three games, helping the Islanders complete a 3-0-1 road trip. Moulson scored in each game, extending his active goal streak to four games. He opened the scoring with a first-period power-play goal in a 2-1 win at Buffalo Nov. 29, followed by a one-goal, one-assist performance in a 5-4 shootout loss at Chicago December 2. He finished the week by becoming the first NHL player this season to record four goals in a game, leading the Islanders to a 5-4 win at Dallas December 3. Moulson scored twice in the first period and twice again in the second, making him the first Islander to score four times in a game since Viktor Kozlov did it against the New York Rangers five years ago to the day — December 3, 2006. Moulson leads the Islanders in goals (13) and game-winning goals (three). He is on pace for his third consecutive 30-goal season.
 
SECOND STAR — RYAN O’REILLY, C, COLORADO AVALANCHE
O’Reilly notched seven points last week (four goals, three assists), highlighted by three multiple-point games and a +6 rating, as the Avalanche went 3-0-1. He tied his NHL single-game career high with three points (one goal, two assists) and a +3 rating in a 6-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils Nov. 30 and notched consecutive multi-point games for the first time by tallying one goal, one assist, a +2 rating and the shootout-winning goal in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues December 2. He finished the week by scoring twice with a +2 rating in a 4-2 win against Detroit December 4, snapping the Red Wings’ seven-game winning streak. The 20-year-old native of Clinton, Ont., leads the Avalanche in scoring with 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 27 games.
 
THIRD STAR — JONATHAN QUICK, G, LOS ANGELES KINGS
Quick won both of his starts last week, posting a 0.50 goals-against

Jonathan Quick - Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Jonathan Quick – Photo by Lewis Bleiman

average, .987 save percentage and one shutout. He marked his 200th career NHL appearance by stopping all 33 shots for his fourth shutout of the season and 18th of his NHL career in a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks Nov. 28. He later made 41 saves in a 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers December 1. Quick improved to 11-6-4 on the season with a 1.97 goals-against average and .936 save percentage. He leads the League in shutouts, ranks second in save percentage and fourth in goals-against average.
 
Contact Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com

Thomas, Toews and Lupul earn November honors from NHL

NEW YORK – Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews and Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Joffrey Lupul have been named the NHL ‘Three Stars’ for the month of November.
 
FIRST STAR — TIM THOMAS, G, BOSTON BRUINS
Thomas won all nine of his starts in November with a 1.76 goals-against average and .941 save percentage as the Bruins (15-7-1) completed the month without a regulation loss (12-0-1). The defending Stanley Cup champions jumped from last place to first in the Northeast Division and within two points of the first-place Minnesota Wild in the NHL overall standings. Thomas allowed two goals or fewer in five appearances, including three road shutouts: at Toronto November 5, New York Islanders November 19 and Montreal November 21. The 2011 Vezina and Conn Smythe Trophy winner is just the fourth goaltender in NHL history to win all decisions in a calendar month with at least nine victories, joining Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils (9-0-0 in April 2006), Bernie Parent of the Philadelphia Flyers (10-0-0 in March 1975) and Jacques Plante of the Montreal Canadiens (9-0-0 in December 1955).
 
SECOND STAR — JONATHAN TOEWS, C, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Toews tallied 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in November as the Blackhawks (14-8-3) finished the month even in points with the Detroit Red Wings atop the Central Division. The 23-year-old Blackhawks captain sparked his club’s offense with five multiple-point performances and three game-winning goals. He recorded two goals, including the game-winner, in a 6-3 win over Edmonton Oilers November 13, tallied the game-winning goal among five points (two goals, three assists) in a 6-5 victory over the Anaheim Ducks November 25 and notched his second consecutive game-winner and fourth of the season in a 2-1 win at Los Angeles November 26. Toews leads the Blackhawks in scoring with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games.
 
THIRD STAR — JOFFREY LUPUL, RW, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Lupul led all NHL scorers in November with 19 points (7 goals, 12 assists)

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

in 14 games as Toronto (14-9-2) ended the month one point behind the Northeast Division-leading Bruins. Lupul tallied points in 12 games, highlighted by his first Maple Leafs hat trick — three goals in the second period of a 5-3 win at New Jersey November 2 — and became the first Leaf with three goals in a period since Wendel Clark on November 9, 1996 against Edmonton. He finished the month on a seven-game point streak (2-9–11), including a one-goal, three-assist performance in a 7-1 victory over Washington Capitals November 19. Lupul ranks second in the NHL scoring race with 30 points (12 goals, 18 assists), two behind linemate Phil Kessel (16-16–32).
  Contact Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com

Price, Vlasic and Read win weekly NHL honors

NEW YORK – Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price, San Jose Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matt Read have been named the NHL’s ‘Three Stars’ for the week ending November 20.
 
FIRST STAR — CAREY PRICE, G, MONTREAL CANADIENS
Price captured NHL First Star honors for the second time this season, posting a 2-0-1 record with a 0.65 goals-against average, .973 save percentage and two shutouts. Price began the week by stopping 29 of 32 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on November 14. He stopped 25 shots for his first shutout of the season and picked up an assist in a 4-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes November 16 and posted his second consecutive shutout with 17 saves in a 4-0 win over the New York Rangers November 19. Price blanked a Rangers club that had won seven consecutive games and outscored the opposition 27-11 in that span. Playing in his fifth NHL season, the fifth overall selection in the 2005 NHL Draft improved his career record to 106-82-7, 12th on the Canadiens’ all-time list for goaltender victories. He needs four wins to tie Rogie Vachon for 11th place all-time and 11 wins to tie Charlie Hodge for 10th place.
 
SECOND STAR — MARC-EDOUARD VLASIC, D, SAN JOSE SHARKS
Vlasic tied for the League scoring lead last week with seven points (one goal, six assists) and posted a +7 rating as the Sharks (12-5-1) won three consecutive games and took the Pacific Division lead. Vlasic recorded the first four-point game in his six-year NHL career, tallying the game-winning goal, three assists and a career-high +5 rating in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings November 17. He closed the week with three assists and a +2 rating in a 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche November 20. The 24-year-old Montreal native improved his team-leading plus-minus rating to +11 and increased his season points total to 11 (two goals, nine assists), on pace to easily surpass his career high of 36 points set in 2008-09.
 
THIRD STAR — MATT READ, RW, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Read shared the League goal-scoring lead last week, tallying four times as the Flyers (11-5-3) won two of three starts. Read scored in each game, beginning with a goal and an assist in a 5-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes November 14. He notched the game-winning goal with 18.6 seconds remaining in

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

regulation time in the Flyers’ 2-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes November 17 and closed the week by tallying two goals in a career-high 21:37 of ice time in a 6-4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets November 19. Signed as a free agent by Philadelphia on March 24, 2011 following four standout seasons at Bemidji State, Read tops all NHL rookies in goals (eight) and ranks fourth in points (13).
  Contact Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com

Miller, Perry and Lundqvist Named NHL ‘Three Stars’ of the Week

NEW YORK, NY – Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller, Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry and New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist have been named the NHL’s ‘Three Stars’ for the week ending March 27.
 
FIRST STAR — RYAN MILLER, G, BUFFALO SABRES

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Miller helped the Sabres (38-28-9) strengthen their hold on an Eastern Conference playoff berth by posting a 3-0-0 record, including two shutouts, a 0.67 goals-against average and .976 save percentage. Miller stopped 83 of 85 shots last week, beginning with a 31-save performance in a 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens March 22. He recorded 22 saves in a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers March 25 and finished the week by posting his fifth shutout of the season and 22nd of his NHL career in a 1-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils March 26. Miller improved his season record to 33-21-8 with a 2.58 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 63 appearances. The 30-year-old East Lansing, Mich. native has won 220 career games with the Sabres, 14 shy of Dominik Hasek’s franchise record.
 
SECOND STAR — COREY PERRY, RW, ANAHEIM DUCKS
Perry tallied a League-leading five goals and ranked second in overall scoring with six points as the Ducks (42-28-5) climbed to seventh place in the Western Conference standings by winning two of three games.   Perry recorded goals in each game, beginning with a single tally in a 4-3 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars March 23. He recorded two goals and one assist in a 5-4 loss to the Nashville Predators March 24 and notched both Anaheim goals in the third period, including the game-winner, in a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks March 26. Perry leads the NHL in goals (44), shares the lead in game-winning goals (10) and ranks fifth in points (44-41–85). In his past nine contests, Perry has notched 17 points (13 goals, four assists), a +9 rating, five multi-goal games, four game-winning goals and two overtime goals.
 
THIRD STAR — HENRIK LUNDQVIST, G, NEW YORK RANGERS
Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Lundqvist posted a 2-0-1 record, 0.32 goals-against average, .987 save percentage and two shutouts as the Rangers (41-30-5) moved closer to securing an Eastern Conference playoff berth by earning five of a possible six points. Lundqvist stopped 77 of 78 shots, beginning with a 22-save performance in a 1-0 victory over the Florida Panthers March 22. He recorded 29 saves in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators March 24 and finished the week by making 26 saves in recording his League-leading 11th shutout of the season, a 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins March 26. Lundqvist improved to 33-24-5 on the season with a 2.24 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. He has extended his NHL record by posting 30+ wins for the sixth consecutive season to start his career.
  Contact Lewis.Bleiman@prohockeynews.com