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NHL Three Stars: Stepan rules Jersey; Holtby halts Penguins

NHL Three Stars: Stepan rules Jersey; Holtby halts Penguins

No. 1 Star: Derek Stepan, New York Rangers

His hat trick was the second straight game a Rangers player scored three goals – Rick Nash on Tuesday was the other. This scoring spree propelled New York to its eighth straight win, a 3-1 victory over New Jersey. It was New Jersey's first game with its new coaching arrangement

No. 2. Star: Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals

The Washington netminder silenced the likes of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby to pick up his second shutout in a week in a 3-0 blanking of the Penguins. In his last four games, Holtby has allowed just five goals. Holtby made 31 saves in the win.

No. 3 Star: Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks

The star winger has now picked up 10 points in his last five games after scoring two goals and adding an assist in a 5-2 win over Colorado.

Honorable Mention: Winnipeg’s Evander Kane notched two assists in a win over Minnesota. Teammate Andrew Ladd scored one goal (OT winner) and added one assist … Wild forward Jason Pominville scored one goal and added one assist ... Mikael Granlund scored on goal and added a helper … Rangers forward Martin St. Louis notched two assists in New York’s victory … Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop picked up his 17th win by stopping 25 of 26 Carolina shots on goal … Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg scored a goal and added an assist in Detroit’s win over Ottawa. Teammate Gustav Nyquist picked up the OT winner … Islander forward John Tavares scored two goals in a shootout loss to Buffalo … Sabres forward Tyler Ennis scored the breakaway contest winner … Nicolas Deslauriers scored a goal and added an assist … Predators forward Filip Forsberg scored one goal and added an assist in Nashville’s win over Philadelphia … Shea Weber had a bobblehead night and an assist … Columbus forward Scott Hartnell scored two goals in a win over Boston … Blue Jackets defenseman Kevin Connauton scored a goal and added two assists. Teammate Brandon Dubinsky notched two assists … Washington’s Eric Fehr scored two goals in the victory over Pittsburgh … Anaheim’s Rene Bourque picked up his second goal of the season … Arizona’s Devan Dubnyk made 35 saves on 36 Ducks shots on goal  … Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau scored two goals in a win over the Oilers … Chicago’s Jonathan Toews notched two assists … Blue Jackets forward Scott Hartnell scored two goals … Kings forward Anze Kopitar scored a goal and added an assist in a win over San Jose … Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick stopped 21 of 22 Sharks shots on goal

Did You Know?: With a win over St. Louis, the Dallas Stars picked up their first divisional victory of the season, and sit at 1-7-3 in the Central.

Dishonorable Mention: Devils forward Scott Gomez was a minus-2 in a loss to the Rangers … Buffalo’s Matt Moulson was a minus-2 … Boston’s Niklas Svedberg was yanked after allowing three goals on 15 Columbus shots on goal. Tuukka Rask wasn’t much better in relief with the same stat line … Crosby was a minus-3 as was Pittsburgh teammate Scott Harrington … Edmonton’s Viktor Fasth was yanked after allowing three goals in 8:48 … Oilers defenseman Brad Hunt was a minus-3.

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