Harding Named NHL's Best For The Week

 NEW YORK (November 7, 2011) -- Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding, Dallas Stars left wing Loui Eriksson and Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom have been named the NHL 'Three Stars' for the week ending Nov. 6.

 

FIRST STAR -- JOSH HARDING, G, MINNESOTA WILD

 

            Harding started all three games for Minnesota last week, going 3-0-0 with a 0.99 goals-against average and .968 save percentage to help the Wild (7-3-3) climb to second place in the Northwest Division. Harding stopped 90 of 93 shots, beginning with 36 saves in a 2-1 overtime win at Detroit Nov. 1. He turned aside 24 shots in a 5-1 win against Vancouver Nov. 3 and 30 shots in a 2-1 win over St. Louis Nov. 5. Harding improved his season record to 4-0-1, posting a four-game win streak for the first time since Dec. 14-20, 2007. He leads all NHL goaltenders in save percentage (.965) and ranks second in goals-against average (1.18) after missing the entire 2010-11 campaign due to injury.

 

SECOND STAR -- LOUI ERIKSSON, LW, DALLAS STARS

 

            Eriksson tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in two games last week, helping the Stars (10-3-0) maintain their place atop the Western Conference standings. He tallied three points in each game, beginning with two goals and one assist in a 7-6 overtime win over the Colorado Avalanche Nov. 4. His first goal cut into a 2-0 Avalanche lead in the second period and his second was the overtime winner. Eriksson turned playmaker in his next outing, tallying three assists in a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes Nov. 6. The 26-year-old native of Gothenburg, Sweden leads the Stars in scoring with 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 13 games and is tied for third place League-wide in plus-minus (+9).

 

THIRD STAR -- NICKLAS BACKSTROM, C, WASHINGTON CAPITALS

 

            Backstrom also tallied six points (three goals, three assists) as the Capitals (9-3-0) won two of three starts and retained first place in the Southeast Division. Backstrom began the week by notching the game-tying goal with 42 seconds left in regulation and the overtime winner as the Capitals defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-4 on Nov. 1. He tallied one goal and one assist in a 5-1 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Nov. 4 and posted two assists in a 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders Nov. 5. Washington's first choice and the fourth player selected overall in the 2006 NHL Draft, Backstrom leads the Capitals in scoring with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 12 games. He shares the League lead in assists with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron and Vancouver Canucks center Henrik Sedin.

 

(Courtesy NHL.com)