After setting a Senators franchise record for points by a defenseman and moving into seventh overall in league scoring, Ottawa blueliner Erik Karlsson was named the NHL’s first star of the week.
Karlsson, 21, played four games last week and recorded multi-point efforts in each. He had 2G-2A (and the game-winning goal) against the Islanders, 1G-2A against both the Caps and Bruins and two assists against the Isles again on Sunday -- the Isles game was also when Karlsson broke Norm Maciver’s single-season franchise record for points by a defenseman.
(Note 1: In 1992-93, Maciver had 63 points in 80 games. Karlsson has 65 in 63.)
(Note 2: 65 points, Karlsson is 23 clear of the NHL’s second-leading defenseman scorer, Brian Campbell.)
Second star went to Tampa Bay RW Teddy Purcell. The 26-year-old is riding a six-game point streak and has points in 10 of his last 11, including three three-point outings last week. Purcell had 1G-2A against the Ducks and Jets, then set up three goals in Sunday’s 4-3 win over New Jersey. Purcell how has 17G-29A-46PTS in 61 games this year and is on pace to beat last year’s 51-point total, which was a career high.
Third star went to Dallas goalie Kari Lehtonen. He won all three of his starts last week to vault Dallas into eight in the Western Conference -- first with a 31-save shutout against Montreal, then by stopping 28 of 29 shots to beat the Wild. His biggest effort, though, came in an overtime victory against the NHL-leading Canucks, where he made 24 saves.