McDAVID, MATTHEWS AND LUONGO NAMED NHL ‘THREE STARS’ OF THE WEEK
Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 16.
FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS
McDavid tied for the League lead in points with 3-3—6 in three games as the Oilers (2-1-0, 4 points) opened the season with a pair of victories. In his first regular-season game as Oilers captain, McDavid helped open Rogers Place by notching two goals, including the game-winner, and adding one assist in a 7-4 victory over the Calgary Flames. He tallied 1- 2—3 two nights later in a 5-3 win over the Flames in Calgary on Oct. 14. McDavid was held pointless in a 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16. In his second season with the Oilers, the 19-year-old Newmarket, Ont., native has appeared in 48 career games posting 54 points (19-35—54).
SECOND STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Matthews tied for the League lead with four goals as the Maple Leafs gained three of a possible four points for the week. Matthews became the first player in the modern era to record four goals in his NHL debut, a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 12. In his home debut, Matthews was held off the scoresheet as Toronto defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 on Oct. 15. The 19-year-old San Ramon, Calif., native was the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft after playing the 2015-16 season for Zurich in Switzerland’s top professional league where he recorded 46 points (24-22—46) in 36 games played.
THIRD STAR – ROBERTO LUONGO, G, FLORIDA PANTHERS
Luongo went 2-0-0 with a 0.98 goals-against average and .957 save percentage to lead the Panthers to a pair of season opening wins. Luongo opened the week on Oct. 13 by making 23 saves in a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils. On Oct. 15, he made 21 saves against the Detroit Red Wings to record his 438th career win, good for sixth on the all-time wins list, one ahead of Jacques Plante (437). In his 17th NHL season, the 36-year-old Montreal, Que., native, who began his career with the Islanders (7 wins), is the franchise wins leader for both the Canucks (252) and Panthers (179).
* Information provided via NHL Press Release
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