DATSYUK, LUNDQVIST AND MARCHAND NAMED NHL ‘THREE STARS’ OF THE WEEK
Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk, New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Feb. 14.
FIRST STAR – PAVEL DATSYUK, C, DETROIT RED WINGS
Datsyuk shared the League lead with five goals and tied for second overall with seven points in four games to power the Red Wings (29-18-9, 67 points) to seven out of a possible eight standings points and second place in the Atlantic Division. He scored twice, his first multi-goal game of the season, in a 3-0 victory over the division-leading Florida Panthers Feb. 8. Datsyuk then collected one assist in a 3-1 win over the Ottawa Senators Feb. 10 before posting one goal – and scoring in the shootout – in a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Feb. 12. He capped the week with 2-1—3, including his 900th NHL point, in a 6-5 triumph over the Boston Bruins Feb. 14. The 37-year-old Sverdlovsk, Russia, native – who has spent his entire career with the Red Wings – became the sixth player in franchise history to reach the 900-point milestone (309-593—902 in 928 GP), joining Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, Alex Delvecchio, Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Fedorov. He has registered 11-22—33 in 41 outings this season.
SECOND STAR – HENRIK LUNDQVIST, G, NEW YORK RANGERS
Lundqvist went 3-0-0 with a 0.67 goals-against average, .976 save percentage and one shutout to backstop the Rangers (32-18-6, 70 points) to seven out of a possible eight standings points, helping the team maintain second place in the Metropolitan Division. He turned aside 27 shots in a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils Feb. 8. Lundqvist then denied all 34 shots he faced, including 13 in the final period, to record his 58th career shutout and tie John Ross Roach for 18th place in NHL history in 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins Feb. 10. He closed the week with a 21-save performance in a 3-1 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers Feb. 14. The 33-year-old Are, Sweden, native shares third place in the NHL with 28 wins in 47 games this season (2.29 GAA, .924 SV%, 3 SO). That includes an 18-3-2 record at Madison Square Garden, where he has earned at least one point in nine consecutive appearances (8-0-1).
THIRD STAR – BRAD MARCHAND, LW, BOSTON BRUINS
Marchand shared second place in the NHL with 4-3—7, including goals in all four games, to help the Bruins (30-20-6, 66 points) win two of four starts and finish the week third in the Atlantic Division. He notched one goal in a 9-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings Feb. 9. Marchand then posted 1-2—3, including the game-winning goal, in a 6-2 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets Feb. 11. He added one goal in a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild Feb. 13 and 1-1—2 in a 6-5 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Feb. 14. The 27-year-old Halifax, N.S., native has scored in a career-high seven consecutive games (8-3—11) and 12 of his last 13 (13-3—16) – the first such run by any player since 1998-99 (Teemu Selanne). He ranks fifth overall with 28 goals in 51 outings this season, matching a career high established in 2011-12 (76 GP).
* Information provided via NHL Press Release
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