Eric Staal tops NHL's Three Stars of the Week
Carolina Hurricanes center Eric Staal, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Rick Nash have been named the NHL's Three Stars for the week ending on Sunday, March 8.
FIRST STAR -- Eric Staal, C, Hurricanes
Staal led the NHL in scoring for the week with nine points (five goals, four assists) as the Hurricanes (35-27-5) won three consecutive games and closed within one point of a playoff spot in the tight Eastern Conference race. He scored once in a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on March 3, had two assists in a 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Mar. 6 and capped the week by tying single-game franchise records for goals (four) and points (six) in a 9-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 7. Staal leads the Hurricanes in goals (32), points (58), power-play goals (11), game-winning goals (eight) and shots (305).
SECOND STAR -- Marc-Andre Fleury, G, Penguins
Fleury stopped 92 of 97 shots while posting a 3-0-0 record with a 1.63 goals-against average and .948 save percentage as the Penguins (35-26-6) moved into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. He began the week with 32 saves in a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 3, turned aside 30 of 31 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on March 5 and made 29 stops in a 4-3 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals on March 8. Fleury has posted a 27-16-4 record, 2.78 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and three shutouts in 49 appearances this season.
THIRD STAR -- Rick Nash, LW, Blue Jackets
Nash had six points (four goals, two assists) and a +4 rating in leading the Blue Jackets (33-27-6) to a pair of victories in three starts. He had two assists, including one on the game-winning goal in the third period, in a 5-4 win over Los Angeles on March 3 and two nights later scored a goal in a 4-2 loss at Nashville. On March 7, he scored three goals and had a +3 rating in an 8-2 victory at Detroit. It was his fourth career hat trick and second against the Red Wings this season. All three goals were unassisted, making him the first player to record an 'unassisted hat trick' since Maurice Richard of the Montreal Canadiens on March 14, 1948. Nash leads Columbus in goals (31), assists (33), points (64), shorthanded goals (four), game-winning goals (five) and shots (207).
March 2
First Star -- G Martin Brodeur, New Jersey
Second Star -- RW Jarome Iginla, Calgary
Third Star -- LW Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta
Feb. 23
First Star -- C Mike Richards, Philadelphia
Second Star -- G Tomas Vokoun, Florida
Third Star -- G Cristobal Huet, Chicago
Feb. 16
First Star -- LW Zach Parise, New Jersey
Second Star -- C Matthew Lombardi, Calgary
Third Star -- LW Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta
Feb. 9
First Star -- G Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles
Second Star -- RW Marian Hossa, Detroit
Third Star -- D Mike Green, Washington
Feb. 2
First Star -- RW Jamie Langenbrunner, New Jersey
Second Star -- C Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Third Star -- D Mike Green, Washington
Jan. 26
First Star -- LW Dustin Brown, Los Angeles
Second Star -- G Cam Ward, Carolina
Third Star -- RW Ales Hemsky, Edmonton
Jan. 19
First Star -- C Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
Second Star -- LW Mike Cammalleri, Calgary
Third Star -- C Rich Peverley, Atlanta
Jan. 12
First Star -- LW Wojtek Wolski, Colorado
Second Star -- RW Bobby Ryan, Anaheim
Third Star -- C Gregory Campbell, Florida
Jan. 5
First Star -- LW Rick Nash, Columbus
Second Star -- D Brian Rafalski, Detroit
Third Star -- G Cam Ward, Carolina
Dec. 29
First Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
Second Star -- C Bryan Little, Atlanta
Third Star -- G Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles
Dec. 22
First Star -- LW Loui Eriksson, Dallas
Second Star -- C Jeff Carter, Philadelphia
Third Star -- LW Patrik Elias, New Jersey
Dec. 15
First Star -- RW Phil Kessel, Boston
Second Star -- RW Petr Sykora, Pittsburgh
Third Star -- LW Thomas Vanek, Buffalo
Dec. 8
First Star -- G Pekka Rinne, Nashville
Second Star -- C Jonathan Toews, Chicago
Third Star -- C Jason Spezza, Ottawa
Dec. 1
First Star -- C Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Second Star -- G Jonas Hiller, Anaheim
Third Star -- G Chris Mason, St. Louis
Nov. 24
First Star -- C Marc Savard, Boston
Second Star -- C Henrik Sedin, Vancouver
Third Star -- G Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago
Nov. 17
First Star -- C Nicklas Backstrom, Washington
Second Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
Third Star -- G Dan Ellis, Nashville
Nov. 10
First Star -- G Roberto Luongo, Vancouver
Second Star -- G Steve Mason, Columbus
Third Star -- G Brent Johnson, Washington
Nov. 3
First Star -- C Ryan Getzlaf, RW Corey Perry and RW Teemu Selanne, Anaheim
Second Star -- G Tim Thomas, Boston
Third Star -- LW Simon Gagne, Philadelphia
Oct. 27
First Star -- RW Jarome Iginla, Calgary
Second Star -- G Peter Budaj, Colorado
Third Star -- RW Marian Hossa, Detroit
Oct. 20
First Star -- LW Thomas Vanek, Buffalo
Second Star -- G Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota
Third Star -- LW Fabian Brunnstrom, Dallas
Oct. 13
First Star -- F Daniel Sedin, Vancouver
Second Star -- LW David Booth, Florida
Third Star -- G Martin Brodeur, New Jersey
February
First Star -- LW Ilya Kovalchuk, Atlanta
Second Star -- D Mike Green, Washington
Third Star -- G Chris Mason, St. Louis
January
First Star -- RW Jamie Langenbrunner, New Jersey
Second Star -- D Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim
Third Star -- G Ryan Miller, Buffalo
December
First Star -- G Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas, Boston
Second Star -- C Jeff Carter, Philadelphia
Third Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
November
First Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
Second Star -- C Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh
Third Star -- G Joey MacDonald, N.Y. Islanders
October
First Star -- LW Alexander Semin, Washington
Second Star -- G Henrik Lundqvist, N.Y. Rangers
Third Star -- D Shea Weber, Nashville
February -- G Pekka Rinne, Nashville
January -- RW Bobby Ryan, Anaheim
December -- G Steve Mason, Columbus
November -- G Steve Mason, Columbus
October -- C Derick Brassard, Columbus