Steve Mason leads 3 Stars of Week

NEW YORK - Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Steve Mason, St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko and San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending Dec. 4.

Mason led the NHL with four wins in four outings, compiling a 1.71 goals-against average and .945 save percentage to propel the Flyers (14-10-3, 31 points) into the first Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. He made a season-high 45 saves - and turned aside eight-of-nine shootout attempts - in a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins Nov. 29. Mason then posted 19 saves in a 3-2 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators Dec. 1 before collecting back-to-back weekend victories: 26 saves in a 3-1 triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks Dec. 3 and 30 saves in a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators Dec. 4. The 28-year-old Oakville, Ont., native owns a 9-8-3 record with a 2.76 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in 21 appearances this season. His four-game winning streak is one shy of his career high, established Dec. 17-30, 2013 (5-0-0).
"It's a great honor," Mason said during a conference call. "So many great players throughout the League that can have big weeks from time to time. I think as a whole the team's on a roll right now and I'm a benefactor of that with the strong play in front of me."

SECOND STAR - VLADIMIR TARASENKO, RW, ST. LOUIS BLUES

Tarasenko shared the League lead with four goals in three outings (4-1-5), and also paced the NHL with two game-winning tallies, as the Blues (14-7-4, 32 points) earned five of a possible six standings points to maintain second place in the Central Division and Western Conference. He scored his sixth career overtime goal - and second of the campaign - in a 4-3 triumph against the Dallas Stars Nov. 28. Tarasenko (3-1-4) then registered his third career hat trick, including the winning goal, and matched a career high with four points in a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning Dec. 1 before being held off the scoresheet in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets Dec. 3. The 24-year-old Yaroslavl, Russia, native ranks third in the NHL with 13-14-27 in 25 contests this season.

THIRD STAR - MARTIN JONES, G, SAN JOSE SHARKS

Jones went 3-0-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average and .962 save percentage, yielding only one goal in each of his three appearances, to guide the Sharks (15-9-1, 31 points) into first place in the Pacific Division. He made 18 saves in a 2-1 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes Nov. 29, 26 saves in a 4-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings Nov. 30 and 31 saves in a 2-1 victory over the League-leading Montreal Canadiens Dec. 2. The 26-year-old North Vancouver, B.C., native shares second place in the NHL with 13 wins in 22 outings this season (13-8-1). He also ranks fifth in goals-against average (1.99) and tied for seventh in shutouts (2).