NEW YORK (Dec. 2, 2013) – Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni
Malkin,
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall and Chicago
Blackhawks
defenseman Duncan Keith have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars”
for the
week ending Dec. 1.
FIRST STAR – EVGENI MALKIN, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Malkin earned “First Star” honors for the second consecutive
week
after leading all skaters with nine points (3-6—9), helping the
Penguins
(18-9-1, 37 points) earn seven out of a possible eight points to
remain in
first place in the Metropolitan Division. He opened the week by
recording
an assist in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins Nov. 25.
Malkin then
posted his first multi-goal game of the season, registering 2-1—3
plus the
shootout clincher in a 6-5 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs
Nov. 27. He
added another assist in a 3-0 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning
Nov. 29
before closing the week with a season-high three helpers and four
points in
a 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers Nov. 30. The 27-year-old
native of
Magnitogorsk, Russia, has 4-13—17 during an eight-game
assist/point streak
dating to Nov. 18. He leads the NHL with 28 assists and ranks
second with
35 points, one behind teammate Sidney Crosby (13-23—36), in 28
games this
season.
SECOND STAR – NIKLAS KRONWALL, D, DETROIT RED WINGS
Kronwall posted a trio of multi-point games in leading the
Red Wings
(14-7-7, 35 points) to three victories in three starts. He scored
his third
goal of the season, all on the power play, and added an assist in
a 6-1
victory over the Boston Bruins Nov. 27. Kronwall then posted a
pair of
two-assist games: in a 5-0 win over the New York Islanders Nov. 29
and in a
4-2 triumph over the Ottawa Senators Dec. 1. The 32-year-old
Stockholm
native has 2-7—9 during a six-game point streak dating to Nov.
21,
including assists in five consecutive contests. He is tied for
fourth among
NHL defensemen with 18 assists and 21 points in 26 games this
season.
THIRD STAR – DUNCAN KEITH, D, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Keith tied for the League lead with six assists as the
Blackhawks
(20-4-4, 44 points) won all four of their games to move atop the
NHL
standings. He collected a pair of assists in a 5-1 victory over
the
Edmonton Oilers Nov. 25. Keith then posted one helper in both a
3-2 triumph
over the Calgary Flames Nov. 27 and a 2-1 shootout win over the
Dallas
Stars Nov. 29. He capped the week by recording two assists, his
fourth
multi-point game of the season, in a 5-2 victory over the Phoenix
Coyotes
Nov. 30. The 30-year-old Winnipeg native has 0-9—9 during a
seven-game
assist/point streak dating to Nov. 19. He leads all NHL defensemen
with 23
assists and ranks second among blueliners with 24 points in 28
games this
season.
