NEW YORK (January 30, 2023) – Ottawa Senators right winger Claude GirouxToronto Maple Leafs right winger William Nylander and the Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy are the three stars for the week ending January 29.
FIRST STAR – CLAUDE GIROUX, RA, OTTAWA SENATORS
Giroux led the NHL with four goals and three assists in seven games, recording more than one point in each of his three games to propel the Senators (23-23-3, 49 points) to a perfect 3-0 week. 0. He had a goal and an assist in each of his first two games, a 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Jan. 25 (including his 49th career game-winning goal and his third in 2022-23) and a victory 6-2 against the Maple Leafs on Jan. 27. Giroux then had two goals and an assist, his 65th career three-point game and third of the season, in a 5-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 28. The 35-year-old veteran, who has amassed more than one point in three straight games for the 12th time in his career – the first since April 8, 2022 (2-4-6 in 3 MJs with the Florida Panthers) -, maintained an average of almost a point per game in his first season with Ottawa, totaling 47 points (19 goals, 28 assists) in 49 games.
Video: MTL@OTT: Giroux picks at the mouth
SECOND STAR – WILLIAM NYLANDER, RW, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Nylander also had four goals and three assists (in four games) to help the Maple Leafs (31-12-8, 70 points) win three of their four games. He recorded two goals and two assists, all in the second period, in a 5-2 win over the Islanders on Jan. 23. Nylander then scored his 400th career point (in his 488th game) with an assist in a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Jan. 25. He finished his week with a goal in each of the last two games, a 6-2 loss at the hands of the Senators on January 27 and a 5-1 victory against the Washington Capitals on January 29. The 26-year-old Swede, who set career highs in goals (34), assists (46) and points (80) last season, leads Toronto to 14th in the NHL with 59 points (28 goals). , 31 assists) in 51 games in 2022-23 (1.16 points/game).
Video: NYI@TOR: Nylander surprises Sorokin with his 2nd goal
THIRD STAR – ANDREI VASILEVSKIY, G, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Vasilevskiy stopped 96 of 102 shots he faced, going 3-0-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .941 save percentage to lead the Lightning (32-15-1 , 65 points) towards a perfect week. He recorded his 250th NHL victory (in his 399th game) with 33 saves in a 4-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 24. Vasilevskiy then turned aside 37 pucks in a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Jan. 26, before finishing his week with 26 saves in a 5-2 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 28. The 28-year-old goaltender, who will play in the All-Star Game for the fifth time in his career next weekend, is tied for third in the League with 23 wins in 36 starts this season (23-12-1, avg. 2.51 – %arr of .918).
