Sabres' Girgensons gets kick out of Latvians clicking his name in NHL All-Star Game fan vote

BUFFALO, N.Y. - It's Buffalo Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons and the Chicago Blackhawks leading the NHL All-Star Game fan vote with a little over a week left.

The Latvian-born Girgensons still leads all players with nearly 1.3 million votes, the NHL announced Tuesday. The other five eligible spots to be selected are held by Blackhawks.

Chicago's Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are second and third among forwards. Chicago's Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook lead defencemen, and Corey Crawford leads goalies.

Girgensons is the surprise leader thanks to Latvian-based voters, who account for about 80 per cent of the second-year player's total.

The only limit on voting is fans can use the same device no more than 10 times a day.

Voting closes on Jan. 1, and the game played at Columbus on Jan. 25.