Three Stars of the Week: Tavares, Fasth, Tlusty

NEW YORK -- New York Islanders center John Tavares, Anaheim Ducks goaltender Viktor Fasth and Carolina Hurricanes center Jiri Tlusty have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the period ending Feb. 17.

FIRST STAR -- JOHN TAVARES, C, NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Tavares notched seven points in three games last week, including a League-leading five goals, as the Islanders (6-7-1) won two of three starts. Tavares recorded one goal and one assist in a 6-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes Feb. 11 and scored once during regulation and again in the shootout as the Islanders defeated the New York Rangers 4-3 at Madison Square Garden Feb. 14. He closed the week by recording his fourth career hat trick, including the game-winning goal, and an assist in a 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils Feb. 16. The first overall selection in the 2009 NHL Draft leads the Islanders with 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in 14 games. He is on a five-game goal-scoring streak (7 G), has 11 goals in his past 10 games and has scored in each of his past five road contests (6 G).

SECOND STAR -- VIKTOR FASTH, G, ANAHEIM DUCKS

Fasth continued the brilliant start to his NHL career by posting a 3-0-0 record, 1.89 goals-against average and .935 save percentage as the Ducks (11-2-1) extended their Pacific Division lead to six points. Fasth made 28 saves in a 3-2 shootout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks Feb. 12, recorded 26 stops in a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings Feb. 15 and completed the week with a 32-save performance a 3-2 shootout win over the Nashville Predators Feb. 16. Fasth improved to 8-0-0, becoming the third goaltender in League history to win his first eight-or-more career decisions (Ottawa's Ray Emery, 9-0-0 from 2003-2005 and Philadelphia's Bob Froese, 8-0-0 in 1983). The 30-year-old native of Kalix, Sweden signed with the Ducks as a free agent in May 2012 after garnering Swedish Elite League Goaltender of the Year honors the previous two seasons.

THIRD STAR – JIRI TLUSTY, C, CAROLINA HURRICANES

Tlusty recorded six points (four goals, two assists) last week as the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes (8-4-1) won three consecutive games. He set single-game career highs in points (2-2--4) and plus-minus (+4) in a 6-4 win over the New York Islanders Feb. 11 and tallied a pair of goals, including the game-winner, the following night in a 4-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Tlusty increased his season scoring total to nine points (five goals, four assists) in 13 games with a +10 rating. He and linemates Eric Staal and Alexander Semin have combined for 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in the past four games.