NEW YORK (Oct. 17, 2016) -Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid,
Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews and Florida Panthers goaltender
Roberto Luongo have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending
Oct. 16.
FIRST STAR - CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS
McDavid tied for the League lead in points with 3-3-6 in three games
as the Oilers (2-1-0, 4 points) opened the season with a pair of victories.
In his first regular-season game as Oilers captain, McDavid helped open
Rogers Place by notching two goals, including the game-winner, and adding
one assist in a 7-4 victory over the Calgary Flames. He tallied 1-2-3 two
nights later in a 5-3 win over the Flames in Calgary on Oct. 14. McDavid
was held pointless in a 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 16. In his
second season with the Oilers, the 19-year-old Newmarket, Ont., native has
appeared in 48 career games posting 54 points (19-35-54).
SECOND STAR - AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Matthews tied for the League lead with four goals as the Maple Leafs
gained three of a possible four points for the week. Matthews became the
first player in the modern era to record four goals in his NHL debut, a 5-4
overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 12. In his home debut,
Matthews was held off the scoresheet as Toronto defeated the Boston Bruins
4-1 on Oct. 15. The 19-year-old San Ramon, Calif., native was the first
overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft after playing the 2015-16 season for
Zurich in Switzerland's top professional league where he recorded 46 points
(24-22-46) in 36 games played.
THIRD STAR - ROBERTO LUONGO, G, FLORIDA PANTHERS
Luongo went 2-0-0 with a 0.98 goals-against average and .957 save
percentage to lead the Panthers to a pair of season opening wins. Luongo
opened the week on Oct. 13 by making 23 saves in a 2-1 victory over the New
Jersey Devils. On Oct. 15, he made 21 saves against the Detroit Red Wings
to record his 438th career win, good for sixth on the all-time wins list,
one ahead of Jacques Plante (437). In his 17th NHL season, the 36-year-old
Montreal, Que., native, who began his career with the Islanders (7 wins),
is the franchise wins leader for both the Canucks (252) and Panthers (179).
