Stone of Golden Knights, Nevada doctor NHL First Stars of Week

NEW YORK - Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone and Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada Dr. Claudia Mejia have been named the NHL's "First Stars" for the week ending March 7.

Throughout the 2020-21 season the NHL is celebrating the remarkable efforts of the off-ice stars who make it possible for us to play our games amid a pandemic by honoring frontline healthcare heroes from the regions represented by the League's weekly and monthly "Stars."
Dr. Mejia specializes in health intervention services with the mission of providing quality healthcare and support to Southern Nevadans in low-income communities. Just days after the state's COVID-19 restrictions commenced, Dr. Mejia was on the phone connecting with the community's most vulnerable patients.
As Dr. Mejia understood the importance of each patient's health and well-being, she and her team worked around the clock to create resource guides, coordinate rideshares to appointments, work with the volunteer and pharmacy departments for prescription deliveries, and collaborate with the medical and operations teams to get a telemedicine program off the ground. Since providing telemedicine services, Dr. Mejia has been able to reach even more people in the community who are considered high-risk individuals.

Dr. Mejia also showed an extra level of compassion over the holiday season by providing essential items to more than 200 patients and their family members - and is continuing to distribute these items to assist even more of those in-need.
Rounding out the "Three Stars" of the week are Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko and Carolina Hurricanes center Martin Necas. More on each NHL player's performance can be found below:

FIRST STAR - MARK STONE, RW, VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Stone led the NHL with eight assists and 10 points in four contests (2-8-10) to power the Golden Knights (16-4-1, 33 points) to a perfect week, extending their winning streak to six games dating to Feb. 22. He set a career high as well as a franchise record with five assists, capped by the lone helper on Max Pacioretty's overtime winner, in a 5-4 victory against the Minnesota Wild March 1. Stone then registered a pair of two-point performances, posting 1-1-2 in a 5-1 triumph over the Wild March 3 and two assists - including another overtime helper - in a 5-4 win against the San Jose Sharks March 5. He concluded the week with the game-winning goal, his fourth such tally of 2020-21, in a 4-0 victory over the Sharks March 6. The 28-year-old Winnipeg native, who tops Vegas and sits 15th in the entire League with 6-21-27, ranks among the top 10 in the NHL in game-winning goals (t-2nd; 4), plus/minus (t-4th; +14) and assists (7th; 21) through 21 outings this season.

SECOND STAR - THATCHER DEMKO, G, VANCOUVER CANUCKS

Demko went 3-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average, .969 save percentage and one shutout to guide the Canucks (11-15-2, 24 points) to wins in three of their four games. He earned his first career regular-season shutout with 27 saves, including 15 in the third period, in a 4-0 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets March 1. Demko then backstopped Vancouver to a pair of wins over the League-leading Toronto Maple Leafs, turning aside 31 shots in a 3-1 victory March 4 and making 37 saves in a 4-2 triumph March 6. The 25-year-old San Diego, Calif., native has appeared in 17 total contests this season, compiling a 7-9-1 record, 2.87 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.

THIRD STAR - MARTIN NECAS, C, CAROLINA HURRICANES

Necas collected 2-5-7 in four outings as the Hurricanes (17-6-1, 35 points) extended their winning streak to five games to move within one point of first place in the Discover NHL Central Division. He notched 1-2-3, including his second overtime goal of the season, in a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers March 1. Necas then recorded one assist in a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators March 2, 1-1-2 in a 5-2 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings March 4 and one helper in a 4-2 victory against the Panthers March 7. The 22-year-old Nove Mesto na Morave, Czech Republic, native has posted 4-14-18 in 21 contests this season, already half of his point total from 2019-20 (16-20-36 in 64 GP).