NHL Three Stars: Caps, Holtby stay hot; Tavares trick powers Isles
No. 1 Star: Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
The Capitals won their eighth straight game with a 6-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks. Holtby stopped 24 shots for his fifth shutout in his last 14 starts. Jay Beagle scored twice and Tom Wilson picked up a 3-point night as Washington snapped Chicago’s winning streak of four games.
No. 2 Star: John Tavares, New York Islanders
Tavares recorded his sixth career hat trick to surpass 500 career NHL points as the Islanders beat the Florida Panthers 5-2. Nick Leddy added a goal and two assists as the Islanders ended a three-game losing streak.
No. 3 Star: Brendan Perlini, Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes beat the Winnipeg Jets 4-3, thanks to a four-goal first period that saw Connor Hellebuyck chased after three goals on six shots in 10:16. Perlini recorded the first multi-goal game of his career with a pair 10 minutes apart in the first period. Mike Smith made 34 saves for his first win in 10 starts. Radim Vrbata and Oliver Ekman-Larsson chipped in three assists each.
Honorable Mention: Karl Alzner skated in his 500th straight regular season game for the Capitals, becoming the first player in franchise history to reach the mark … Jeff Skinner and Brock McGinn both scored twice as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. The Canes improved to 13-1-1 at home in their last 15 games. Skinner’s two goals in 55 seconds give him six points in his last two games.
Frederik Andersen made 34 stops and four different Toronto Maple Leafs scored as they doubled up the New York Rangers 4-2 for their seventh win in nine games … The Rangers honored former New York police detective Steven McDonald, who passed away this week 31 years after he was paralyzed after being shot in the line of duty.
Kyle Palmieri had a goal and an assist and Keith Kinkaid stopped 31 shots as the New Jersey Devils edged the Calgary Flames 2-1 … Nick Foligno’s power play goal and Boone Jenner’s shorty came in the third to power the Columbus Blue Jackets by the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-1. Joonas Korpisalo stopped 31 shots in his first NHL start of the season … Prior to the game, the Lightning retired the No. 26 of Martin St. Louis:
Did You Know?
John Tavares scored his sixth career hat trick to become first player from 2009 #NHLDraft class to reach 500-point milestone (221-280—501). pic.twitter.com/skKydRftgX
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) January 14, 2017
Dishonorable Mention: The Rangers’ power play went 0-for-6 … The Sabres have dropped all three of their meetings with Carolina this season … Tampa has dropped five of their last six … Cam Ward would like a second chance at this one:
MORE FROM YAHOO HOCKEY:
