NHL Three Stars Of Week

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, San Jose Sharks center Joe Pavelski and Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 27.



FIRST STAR – SIDNEY CROSBY, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Crosby, who tops the Penguins (26-16-6, 58 points) with 21‑36—57 in 45 outings this season, earned MVP honors at the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game to power the Metropolitan Division to its second championship in the 3-on-3 tournament format. The two-time Hart Memorial Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner missed Friday’s 2019 SAP NHL All-Star Skills due to illness, but returned Saturday to lift the Metropolitan Division to its tournament victory. Crosby registered 2-1—3, scoring 15 seconds after the opening face-off, in a 7-4 triumph over the Atlantic Division in the semifinals. He then compiled 2-3—5 in a 10-5 championship-clinching win against the Central Division, establishing a tournament record for points in one game (along with teammate Mathew Barzal). The 31-year-old Cole Harbour, N.S., native became the sixth player in NHL history to capture All-Star Game MVP honors as well as the Hart Memorial Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy, joining Jean Beliveau, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr and Joe Sakic.


SECOND STAR – JOE PAVELSKI, C, SAN JOSE SHARKS

Pavelski, San Jose’s captain since 2015-16, notched 1-4—5 in two games during the week before representing the hometown Sharks (29-16-7, 65 points) at the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. He posted one assist for San Jose in a 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers Jan. 21. Pavelski then matched a career high with 1-3—4, his 12th career four-point performance, in a 7-6 overtime win against the Washington Capitals Jan. 22. He wrapped up the week by participating in Friday’s Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and collecting two assists for the Pacific Division in its 10-4 loss (vs. CEN) at Saturday’s 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game. The 34-year-old Plover, Wis., native shares ninth place in the NHL with 27 goals in 52 contests this season (27‑18—45), already five more than his 82-game output from 2017-18 (22-44—66).


THIRD STAR – DEVAN DUBNYK, G, MINNESOTA WILD

Dubnyk – who represented the Central Division at the 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend – earned two wins for the Wild (26-21-3, 55 points), compiling a 2.00 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in two starts. He made 30 saves in a 4-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights Jan. 21, followed by 20 stops in a 5-2 triumph against the Colorado Avalanche Jan. 23. Dubnyk then turned aside 25 shots across a pair of contests at Saturday’s 2019 Honda NHL All-Star Game, including 19 in the Central Division’s 10‑4 win over the Pacific Division in the semifinals. The 32-year-old Regina, Sask., native shares fifth place in the NHL with 20 victories in 2018-19 (2.57 GAA, .913 SV%, 1 SO), his fifth 20-win season in as many campaigns with Minnesota.