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NHL names Ryane Clowe, Marc-Andre Fleury and Rick Nash three stars of the week

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James O’Brien

The NHL named its three best players for the week of December 6-12, with San Jose Sharks forward Ryane Clowe, Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and Columbus Blue Jackets star Rick Nash earning the honors.

Let’s take a look at their respective weeks, with our thoughts combined with some tidbits from the NHL’s press release.

First star: Clowe

The burly forward is second on the Sharks with 28 points thanks to eight goals and 20 assists. Most interestingly, though (in my opinion), is the fact that he joins Dan Cleary as a rare NHL player from Newfoundland.

Clowe led all scorers last week with eight points (three goals, five assists) as the Sharks (15-10-4) won three of four games. Clowe tallied multiple points in each game, beginning with a pair of assists in a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings Dec. 6. He notched one goal, one assist and a shootout tally in a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers Dec. 8, recorded two assists in a 6-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres Dec. 9 and scored both goals, including the overtime winner, in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks Dec. 11.

Marc-Andre Fleury

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is caught out of position as a shot by the Buffalo Sabres goes over the net during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Buffalo, N.Y. on Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. Pittsburgh won 5-2. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)

AP

Second star: Fleury

It’s difficult to contain Fleury’s great play to one week when he’s won 11 games in a row since November 17th. You have to wonder if “MAF” is starting to encroach on Vezina Trophy nominee status with the way he’s played in the last month or so. Here are his stats from the week itself, though.

Fleury posted a 3-0-0 record, 1.67 goals-against average and .944 save percentage as the Penguins (21-8-2) extended their winning streak to 12 games. Fleury made 27 saves in a 2-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils Dec. 6, stopped 23 shots in a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Dec. 8 and concluded the week by making 34 saves in a 5-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres Dec. 11.

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James O’Brien

Third star: Nash

Much like Fleury, this isn’t the first time this season that Nash earned a star of the week award. He previously earned that mark in late November as well. Let’s take a look at the week itself from the (occasionally stubbly) face of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Nash tallied six points (three goals, three assists) in three games, helping the Blue Jackets post a pair of victories and reach the 28-game mark with the best record in franchise history (16-11-1). Nash figured in each Columbus goal last week, starting with a last-minute, game-tying goal, an assist and a shootout tally in a 3-2 victory over the Dallas Stars Dec. 6.