NEW YORK (March 29, 2010) -- Ottawa Senators goaltender Brian Elliott, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard and New Jersey Devils left wing Ilya Kovalchuk have been named the NHL 'Three Stars' for the week ending Mar. 28.
FIRST STAR -- BRIAN ELLIOTT, G, OTTAWA SENATORS
Elliott posted a 4-0-0 record with a 1.00 goals-against average, .966 save percentage and two shutouts, helping the Senators (41-30-5) rise to fifth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Elliott began the week by posting consecutive shutouts against the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers, recording 29 saves in a 2-0 victory at Montreal Mar. 22 and 26 stops in a 2-0 home win over the Flyers Mar. 23. He made a season-high 41 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres Mar. 26 -- the Senators' fifth win in as many games over their Northeast Division rival this season -- and posted 20 saves in a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers Mar. 27. The 24-year-old Newmarket, Ont. native and University of Wisconsin All-American improved to 27-17-3 on the season with a 2.50 goals against average, .911 save percentage and five shutouts in 51 appearances.
SECOND STAR -- JIMMY HOWARD, G, DETROIT RED WINGS
Howard posted a 4-0-0 record with a 1.22 goals-against average, .958 save percentage and one shutout as the Red Wings (39-23-13) climbed to sixth place in the Western Conference. Howard recorded 26 saves in a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins Mar. 22, turned aside 30 shots in a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues Mar. 24 and blocked 25 shots in a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Wild Mar. 26. He closed the week by stopping all 33 shots in regulation and overtime plus 10 of 11 shootout attempts in a 1-0 victory at Nashville Mar. 27. Howard improved to 32-15-9 with a 2.24 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and two shutouts in 57 games, becoming just the fourth rookie in Red Wings history to post 30 wins in his rookie season (Terry Sawchuk, Roger Crozier, Glenn Hall). He has started 22 consecutive games, the longest streak by a Red Wings goaltender since Tim Cheveldae in 1991-92 and tops by a Detroit rookie since Roy Edwards in 1967-68.
THIRD STAR -- ILYA KOVALCHUK, LW, NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Kovalchuk led all NHL scorers with eight points (three goals, five assists) in four games as the Devils (44-26-5) went 2-1-1 and clinched a playoff berth for the 13th consecutive season. Kovalchuk began the week with his biggest scoring night since being acquired by New Jersey from Atlanta Feb. 4, tallying four points (one goal, three assists) in a 6-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets Mar. 23. He scored one goal in a 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Rangers Mar. 25, notched two assists in a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens Mar. 27 and tallied the Devils' lone goal in a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers Mar. 28. Kovalchuk has recorded 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) and a +6 rating in 20 games with the Devils.
