NEW YORK - Two days after helping the Atlanta Thrashers
to a thrilling win, Ilya Kovalchuk was rewarded for his recent
sizzling play.
Kovalchuk on Monday was named one of the NHL's "Three Stars" of
the week, joining New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur
and Pittsburgh Penguins rookie center Evgeni Malkin.
Kovalchuk led the league in scoring last week with eight points,
including six goals. The Russian left wing has eight tallies
and eight assists in 12 games this season.
The 2004 Maurice Richard Trophy winner, Kovalchuk scored a key
goal in the third period of Atlanta's 5-4 shootout victory over
the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday. Atlanta, which is off to the
best start in franchise history at 8-1-3, ended Buffalo's
league-record 10-game winning streak to open a season.
A two-time Vezina Trophy winner, Brodeur went 2-1-0 with a 1.34
goals-against average and a .950 save percentage while recording
a pair of historic shutouts last week. He is 6-4-0 with a .909
save percentage this season.
An eight-time All-Star, Brodeur recorded his 82nd career shutout
in a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers on Thursday, tying
Jacques Plante for fourth on the all-time list. Brodeur passed
Plante the next night, turning aside 22 shots in a 1-0 triumph
against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Malkin, 20, continued to take the NHL by storm in his inaugural
campaign, collecting two goals and three assists in just two
games last week. The No. 2 selection in the 2004 draft, Malkin
has five goals and four assists in his first five career games.