Marleau, Crawford, St. Louis named 'Three Stars'

NEW YORK -- San Jose Sharks left wing Patrick Marleau, Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford and Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending Jan. 27 (and including the opening two days of the season, Jan. 19-20).

FIRST STAR – PATRICK MARLEAU, LW, SAN JOSE SHARKS

Marleau led the League with nine goals and 13 points, and became the second player in NHL history and first since Cy Denneny in 1917-18 (Ottawa) to record four consecutive multi-goal games to begin a season. Marleau opened the season with two tallies in a 4-1 victory at the Calgary Flames Jan. 20. He then recorded two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist in each of the next three contests – a 6-3 win at the Edmonton Oilers Jan. 22, a 5-3 triumph over the Phoenix Coyotes Jan. 24 and a 4-0 victory against the Colorado Avalanche Jan. 26. Marleau continued his explosive start to the season with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks Jan. 27. He is the first player in Sharks history to find the back of the net in each of the team's first five games of a season and the first player on any NHL team to do so since 2008, when both the Blues' Keith Tkachuk (six games) and the Sabres' Thomas Vanek (five) did so.

SECOND STAR – COREY CRAWFORD, G, CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS

Crawford posted five wins, a 1.78 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage to help the Blackhawks pick up a franchise-record six consecutive wins to begin the season. He opened the campaign with 19 saves in a 5-2 victory at the Los Angeles Kings Jan. 19, stopped 32 shots in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues Jan. 22 and made 21 saves in a 3-2 overtime victory at the Dallas Stars Jan. 24. Crawford capped his performance with a pair of weekend wins, denying 24 shots in a 3-2 victory at the Columbus Blue Jackets Jan. 26 and 29 shots in a 2-1 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings Jan. 27.

THIRD STAR – MARTIN ST. LOUIS, RW, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

St. Louis tied for second in the NHL with eight assists and ranked third with 11 points as the Lightning won four of five games to open the season. He scored two goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist in a 6-3 win over the Washington Capitals Jan. 19 and recorded a goal and an assist in a 4-3 defeat at the New York Islanders Jan. 21. St. Louis then picked up two helpers in a 6-4 victory against the Ottawa Senators Jan. 25 and closed the week with four assists in a 5-1 triumph over the Philadelphia Flyers Jan. 27.