Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his goal with defenceman Mike Green (52) in the third period of an NHL hockey game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in Washington. Ovechkin's goal sent the game into overtime and the Capitals won 5-4 in a shootout. Ovechkin has earned the NHL's first star of the week honours after scoring a league-high five goals and helping the Washington Capitals maintain their spot in second in the Metropolitan Division. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Alex Brandon
December 16, 2013 - 9:24 AM
NEW YORK, N.Y. - Alex Ovechkin has earned the NHL's first star of the week honours after scoring a league-high five goals and helping the Washington Capitals maintain their spot in second in the Metropolitan Division.
Los Angeles goaltender Martin Jones was named the second star, while Nashville goalie Carter Hutton earned the third star.
Ovechkin began the week with his third four-goal game — and 13th career hat trick — including the tying goal with 32.4 seconds left in regulation, in a 6-5 shootout victory over Tampa Bay.
Ovechkin scored the tying goal with 47.9 seconds left in regulation, in a 5-4 shootout win over Philadelphia. Ovechkin has a career seven game-tying goals in the final minute of regulation — three more than any other player since Ovechkin entered the league in 2005.
The Capitals (18-12-3, 39 points) earned five out of a possible six points on the week.
Jones posted a 3-0-0 record with a 1.00 goals-against average, .972 save percentage and one shutout to help the Kings (22-8-4, 48 points) move into second in the Pacific Division and third in the League standings.
The 23-year-old from North Vancouver, B.C., native made 31 saves for his second consecutive shutout in a 6-0 victory over Montreal, then extended his shutout streak before allowing a second-period goal in a 3-1 win over Toronto. He capped the week by recording 37 saves in a 5-2 win over Ottawa.
Hutton compiled a 3-0-0 record with a 1.33 goals-against average and .960 save percentage to lead the Predators (16-14-3, 35 points) to their second three-game winning streak of the season. The 27-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont., allowed one goal in both a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers and a 3-1 victory over Dallas. Hutton then posted 36 saves in a 3-2 win over San Jose.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2013