NHL Three Stars: Ryan Getzlaf nets 1st NHL hat trick
No. 1 Star: Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks captain scored his first career hat trick (!) in the first period, leading Anaheim to a 6-2 trouncing of the Buffalo Sabres. He scored two at even strength and one on the power play. Dustin Penner had the helper on two of them. Here’s the trick.
No. 2 Star: Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets
Pavelec made 41 saves for the shutout over the Nashville Predators, although he got his share of help with four first-period goals from the Jets in their 5-0 win.
No. 3 Star: James van Riemsdyk, Toronto Maple Leafs
The New Jersey native scored the only goal of the shootout as the Leafs defeated the New Jersey Devils, 2-1.
Honorable mention: Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and an assist against the team that offer-sheeted him, as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames. 4-2. Matt Duchene scored goal No. 11 while J.S. Giguere improved to 5-0-0. … Michael Cammalleri scored two goals. … Bryan Little scored two goals, while Eric Tangradi notched his first of the season. … Penner had a 4-point night. … Mikhail Grigorenko had two goals. … Phil Kessel’s 10th of the season was pretty spectacular:
Did You Know? “The Avalanche joined the 1995 Quebec Nordiques for the best 15-game start in franchise history. Colorado (13-2) needed 29 games to earn 26 points in last year's lockout shortened season.”
Dishonorable mention: The Matt Moulson-Cody Hodgson-Tyler Ennis line was benched in the third for Buffalo. … Craig Smith was a minus-4 and Shea Weber was a minus-3 for the Predators. … Ryan Miller of Buffalo and Carter Hutton of Nashville were pulled. … Rich Clune and Adam Pardy had a throwdown:
