|
|
 HALAK,
KOIVU & RASK NAMED NHL 'THREE STARS' OF THE WEEK
NEW YORK (April 5, 2010) -- Montreal Canadiens
goaltender Jaroslav Halak, Anaheim Ducks center Saku Koivu and Boston Bruins
goaltender Tuukka Rask have been named the NHL 'Three Stars' for the week
ending Apr. 4.
FIRST STAR -- JAROSLAV HALAK, G, MONTREAL CANADIENS
Halak backstopped the Canadiens' march toward an Eastern Conference playoff
berth by stopping all 64 shots he faced in recording back-to-back shutouts
last week. He recorded 35 saves in a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia
Flyers Apr. 2 and turned aside 29 shots to post his fifth shutout of the
season in a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres Apr. 3. The 24-year-old
Bratislava, Slovakia native improved his season record to 26-12-3 with a
2.31 goals-against average and .927 save percentage in 42 appearances. He
has been at his best since returning from a starring role with Slovakia at
the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, posting a 9-2-1 mark in 12
decisions since Mar. 6. Earning three points over their final three games of
the regular season would guarantee the Canadiens (39-32-8) their third
consecutive trip to the NHL postseason and the 78th in franchise history.
SECOND STAR -- SAKU KOIVU, C, ANAHEIM DUCKS
Koivu led the NHL in scoring with eight points (four goals, four assists) in
four games last week, helping the Ducks (38-31-9) collect seven of eight
available points and remain in the race to grab the eighth and final playoff
berth in the Western Conference. Koivu posted his first four-point game (one
goal, three assists) since March 2007 and tied a franchise record with a
career-best +5 rating in a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche Mar. 31.
He recorded two goals, including the game-tying strike with 1:24 left in
regulation, and one assist in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks
Apr. 2 and tallied the game-tying goal with 1:32 remaining in regulation
plus the shootout winner in a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings Apr. 3.
Koivu ranks fourth on the Ducks in scoring with 49 points (19 goals, 30
assists) and leads the club in game-winning goals (six) and plus-minus
(+13).
THIRD STAR -- TUUKKA RASK, G, BOSTON BRUINS
Rask posted a 2-1-0 record with a 0.55 goals-against average, .977 save
percentage and one shutout in four appearances as the Bruins (36-30-12)
edged closer to a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Rask blanked the
Buffalo Sabres for 33 minutes in relief of starter Tim Thomas in a 3-2 loss
Mar. 29, making 19 saves, and recorded his fifth shutout of the season the
following night with a 21-save performance in a 1-0 overtime victory over
the New Jersey Devils. He turned aside 19 shots in a 1-0 loss to the Florida
Panthers Apr. 1 and finished the week by stopping 27 shots in a 2-1 overtime
victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Apr. 3. Rask improved to 20-12-4 in 42
appearances, joining Detroit's Jimmy Howard as the only rookie goaltenders
to reach the 20-win mark this season. In addition, Rask leads all NHL
goaltenders in goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.931).
Top
Home
|
|
