MacKinnon leads 3 Stars of the Week

NEW YORK - Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle and Florida Panthers goaltender Alex Lyon have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending April 9.

FIRST STAR - NATHAN MacKINNON, C, COLORADO AVALANCHE

MacKinnon, who scored a trio of game-winning goals, shared the League lead in goals (5) and points (10) across four contests to lift Colorado (49-24-6, 104 points) into first place in the Central Division on the strength of a perfect week. He became the seventh player in Avalanche/Nordiques history, and first since Joe Sakic in 2006-07, to reach the 100-point milestone when he posted 2-1-3 (capped by his
franchise-record 10th career overtime goal
) in a 4-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks April 4. MacKinnon then registered his 15th career four-point performance (and fourth of the season) with 1-3-4, including the decisive goal, in a 6-2 triumph against the Sharks April 6. He was held off the scoresheet in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Kings April 8, but bounced back with 2-1-3 (and another overtime/game-winning goal) in a 5-4 triumph versus the Anaheim Ducks April 9. The 27-year-old MacKinnon has scored the game-winning goal in five of Colorado's last seven contests dating to March 27; only two other players in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967-68) have accounted for at least five game-winning goals over a span of seven team games: Michel Goulet (5 GWG w/ QUE in 1983-84) and Patrik Elias (5 GWG w/ NJD in 1997-98). MacKinnon, who has played in 68 of the Avalanche's 79 total contests this season, ranks among the 2022-23 League leaders in shots on goal (2nd; 350), points per game (3rd; 1.57), assists (t-5th; 68), points (6th; 107) and game-winning goals (t-10th; 8).

SECOND STAR - JORDAN EBERLE, RW, SEATTLE KRAKEN

Eberle collected 4-4-8, highlighted by a pair of game-winning goals, in four outings to propel the Kraken (45-26-8, 98 points) to a perfect week as they clinched their
first playoff berth in franchise history
. He scored once in an 8-1 triumph over the Arizona Coyotes April 3. Eberle then recorded the decisive goal in each of Seattle's next two contests, tallying 1-1-2 in a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks April 4 and 1-2-3 in a 4-2 victory over the Coyotes April 6. He finished the week with 1-1-2, reaching the 20-goal milestone for the eighth time in his 13-season NHL career (and second time in as many years with the Kraken), in a 7-3 triumph versus the Chicago Blackhawks April 8. The 32-year-old Eberle has skated in 79 total contests this season, placing among Seattle's top performers in game-winning goals (t 1st; 4), assists (2nd; 43), points (3rd; 63) and goals (t-4th; 20).

THIRD STAR - ALEX LYON, G, FLORIDA PANTHERS

Lyon stopped 117 of the 122 shots he faced, going 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average and .959 save percentage to help the Panthers (42-31-7, 91 points) move into the first Wild Card position in the Eastern Conference. He turned aside 39 of 40 attempts, including all 26 he faced after the first period, in a 2-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres April 4. Lyon then made a career-high 56 saves,
one shy of the franchise record
, in a 7-2 triumph over the Ottawa Senators April 6. He finished the week with 22 stops in a 4-2 victory against the Washington Capitals April 8 to extend both his and the team's winning streak to six games dating to March 29 (1.50 GAA, .956 SV%, 1 SO). The 30-year-old Lyon, who signed with Florida during the offseason, owns a 9-3-1 record in 13 total contests this season (2.88 GAA, .916 SV%, 1 SO) and 16-10-4 record in 37 career NHL games (3.06 GAA, .904 SV%, 1 SO).