NEW YORK – Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson, Calgary Flames center Blake Coleman and Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 14.
FIRST STAR – ELIAS PETTERSSON, C, VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Pettersson had a pair of four-point games and led the NHL in goals (5; tied), game-winning goals (3) and points (5-4—9) to help the Canucks (29-11-3, 61 points) post a perfect 4-0-0 week and climb into first place in the Western Conference standings. He had 2-2—4, including the second of his four straight winning tallies (also Jan. 6 at NJD), as Vancouver won 6-3 against the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers Jan. 8. Pettersson then scored another winning goal in the Canucks’ 5-2 triumph at the New York Islanders Jan. 9. Pettersson posted his 10th career four-point game (one shy of the franchise record) by collecting 2-2—4 in a 4-3 victory at the Pittsburgh Penguins Jan. 11 – capping the effort with an overtime goal for his fourth straight winner, tied for the second longest such streak in NHL history. The 25-year-old Pettersson, who was held off the score sheet in Vancouver’s fifth consecutive win Jan. 13 at the Buffalo Sabres (1-0 W), ranks second on the club with 22-35—57 this season (43 GP) and is set to appear in his fourth career NHL All-Star Game, announced Saturday as one of 12 players voted in by fans and one of six total Canucks representatives slated to attend the event in Toronto Feb. 1-3.