Josi leads 3 Stars of the Month for March

NEW YORK - - Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, Calgary Flames left wing Johnny Gaudreau and Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the month of March.

FIRST STAR - ROMAN JOSI, D, NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Josi paced the NHL with 24 assists, 28 points and a +14 rating in 14 games (4-24-28) to help the Predators (39-24-4, 82 points) maintain the first Wild Card position in the Western Conference via a 9 5-0 March. Only two defensemen in League history - Bobby Orr in March 1971 (8-23-31 in 15 GP w/ BOS) and Paul Coffey in December 1985 (6-23-29 in 14 GP w/ EDM) - have recorded more points in a single calendar month than Josi, who became the first blueliner to outright lead the NHL in scoring during a month since Coffey in February 1990 (6-22-28 in 14 GP w/ PIT). Josi - who also ranked seventh in the League with an average of 25:28 of ice time per game - found the scoresheet in all but his final appearance of March, establishing a career high with a 13-game point streak that included eight multi-point performances, a run of four straight contests with at least three points (March 13-19: 2-11-13) and a pair of four-point outings: March 5 at SJS (0-4-4) and March 13 at MIN (2-2-4). The 31-year-old Bern, Switzerland, native has played in 65 total contests this season, topping NHL defensemen in scoring (18 63-81) while seeking to become the first blueliner to reach 100 points in a campaign since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 (22-80-102 in 80 GP w/ NYR). Josi is the first defenseman on any team to be named "First Star" of the month since John Carlson in October 2019 (w/ WSH) and the first Nashville player at any position to receive the honor since goaltender Pekka Rinne in November 2016.

SECOND STAR - JOHNNY GAUDREAU, LW, CALGARY FLAMES

Gaudreau ranked second in the League with 11-15-26 in 16 outings to power the Flames (40 18-9, 89 points) to a 9-4-3 March and a five-point cushion atop the Pacific Division. He collected points in 13 of his 16 contests, including seven consecutive to open the month (March 1-12: 6-7-13). Gaudreau also registered seven multi-point performances, highlighted by his first career five-assist outing March 26 vs. EDM and his sixth career hat trick March 10 vs. TBL. The 28-year-old Salem, N.J., native - who added a trio of game-winning goals (March 5 at COL, March 10 vs. TBL and March 25 vs. ARI) - has made 67 total appearances this season, placing among the League leaders in plus/minus (t-1st; +49), points (4th; 91), assists (5th; 60) and game-winning goals (t-5th; 8). He is the second straight Calgary player to earn "Second Star" of the month honors, following Jacob Markstrom in February.

THIRD STAR - SERGEI BOBROVSKY, G, FLORIDA PANTHERS

Bobrovsky posted a flawless month, going 7-0-0 with a 2.13 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and two shutouts as the Panthers (46-15-6, 98 points) moved seven points ahead of the closest competition in the Atlantic Division via a League-best 11-2-1 March. Bobrovsky - who has won seven consecutive games for the seventh time in his career and first time since March 4-22, 2018 (7 GP w/ CBJ) - bookended the month with shutouts March 3 vs. OTT (18 SV) and March 31 vs. CHI (37 SV). The 33-year-old Novokuznetsk, Russia, native and two-time Vezina Trophy winner has played in 44 total contests this season, sharing second place in the NHL with 33 wins (33-6-3) to go along with a 2.55 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and three shutouts