NHL Three Stars: Evgeni Malkin powers Penguins; Pekka Rinne outdoes Ducks
No. 1 Star: Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins
After lamenting the state of the Penguins’ offense, Malkin was the Penguins’ offense in their 4-3 win over the Minnesota Wild. Malkin had two goals and two assists in a dominating four-point night. That included the beautiful goal seen here.
No. 2 Star: Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
Rinne made 38 saves in the Nashville Predators’ 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. That included 30 shots in the game’s final 40 minutes.
No. 3 Star: Brandon Saad, Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets winger broke a 1-1 tie in the second period and then iced it with an empty netter for his ninth of the season in Columbus’s 3-1 win over the St. Louis Blues.
Honorable Mention: It was the Joe Show in the San Jose Sharks’ 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins, as Joe Pavelski and Joe Thornton each had a goal and two assists. For Pavelski, it was goal No. 10. … Antti Niemi made 24 saves and Tyler Seguin scored his 10th in an empty net to ice it as the Dallas Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres, 3-1. … Anze Kopitar had the lone goal in the shootout as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2. Claude Giroux won 24 of 28 faceoffs. Shayne Gostisbehere scored his first NHL goal. … P.A. Parenteau scored two goals and Tyler Bozak had a goal and two assists, as the Toronto Maple Leafs thumped the Colorado Avalanche 5-1. … T.J. Brodie and Matt Stajan set the tone with first-period goals and the New Jersey Devils were limited to five shots in the third as the Calgary Flames won, 3-2.
Did You Know? Full marks to Kelly Forbes, the Dallas Stars’ “video guy,” who noted that Sam Reinhart’s game-tying goal for the Buffalo Sabres with 6:15 left was offside. The Stars challenged the play and had the call overturned.
Dishonorable Mention: St. Louis center Jori Lehtera left the Blues game in the first period after taking a Saad stick to the throat. He went to the hospital. … The Avs were 1-for-5 on the kill. … Reto Berra was pulled after giving up four goals on 26 shot. … While Malkin shined, Sidney Crosby went without a point for the fourth time in his last five games. … Frederik Andersen was pulled after giving up three goals on 10 shots. … Olli Maata was injured in this dangerous Nino Niederreiter shove from behind.
