FIRST STAR - ALEX OVECHKIN, LW, WASHINGTON CAPITALS
Ovechkin led all skaters in goals and tied for second in points with 8-0-8 in three games, including three multi-goal performances highlighted by back-to-back hat tricks for the
third time in his career
, to propel the League-leading Capitals (33-11-5, 71 points) to a perfect 3-0-0 week. He opened the week with a pair of goals in a 2-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes Jan. 13 to bump his career goal total to 686 and surpassTeemu Selanne into 11th place on the NHL's all-time list. Ovechkin then rattled off back-to-back hat tricks in a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils Jan. 16 and a 6-4 triumph over the New York Islanders Jan. 18 - marking the first time in his career he has scored multiple goals in three straight outings. In addition to Selanne, the 34-year-old native of Moscow, Russia, also passed Mario Lemieux (690) and moved into a tie with Steve Yzerman (692) for ninth on the
all-time goals list
while moving within eight markers of becoming the eighth member of the NHL's 700-goal club.
