NHL 3 Stars Of Week

NEW YORK -- San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, the duo of Colorado Avalanche goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending Oct. 13.

FIRST STAR – TOMAS HERTL, C, SAN JOSE SHARKS

Hertl led the NHL with five goals in three games to help the Sharks (5-0-0) remain undefeated. He began the week by scoring four goals, capped by a highlight-reel, between-the-legs shot, in a 9 2 victory over the New York Rangers Oct. 8. At 19 years, 330 days, Hertl became the fourth-youngest player all-time to score four goals in an NHL game and youngest to do so since March 20, 1988, when Los Angeles' Jimmy Carson (19 years, 254 days) tallied four times in a 9-7 triumph over the Calgary Flames. The Praha, Czech Republic, native then logged 16:37 of ice-time and three shots on goal in a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 10 and closed the week by scoring his League-leading seventh goal of the season in a 3 2 victory over the Ottawa Senators Oct. 12. Hertl, the 17th overall pick by San Jose in the 2012 NHL Draft, leads all rookies and is tied for second in the League with 7-1—8 through five games this season.

SECOND STAR – SEMYON VARLAMOV/J-S GIGUERE, G, COLORADO AVALANCHE

The duo of Varlamov and Giguere combined for three wins as the Avalanche improved to 5-0-0, matching the franchise's best start to a season since the Quebec Nordiques won their opening five games in 1994-95. Varlamov posted two victories, a 1.00 goals-against average and a .971 save percentage in recording a 2-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs Oct. 8 (27 saves) and a 5-1 triumph over his former team, the Washington Capitals, Oct. 12 (40 saves). The 25-year-old native of Samara, Russia, has allowed only one goal in each of his first four starts this season, turning away 128-of-132 shots for a .970 save percentage. Giguere was perfect in his first start of 2013-14, recording 39 saves in a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins Oct. 10. The shutout was the 37th of Giguere's career, which ranks seventh among active goaltenders and tied for 39th all-time.

THIRD STAR – SIDNEY CROSBY, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Crosby led the League with seven points (3-4—7) in three games as the Penguins won two out of three contests. He began the week by collecting two assists in a 5-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Oct. 8 and another helper in a 6-3 loss to the Florida Panthers Oct. 11. Crosby then recorded his eighth career hat trick – and first in the regular season since Dec. 2, 2010 – and assisted on the game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation in a 5 4 triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning Oct. 12. The 26-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S., native has posted at least one point in each of Pittsburgh's first five games (5-4—9), his longest point streak to begin a season since his rookie year, and leads the League with nine points.