NEW YORK – Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews, Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger and New York Rangers left wing Alexis Lafrenière have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending Oct. 11.
FIRST STAR – AUSTON MATTHEWS, C, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Matthews led the NHL with 3-6—9 in three contests, bookended by a pair of four-point performances, to power the Maple Leafs (3-2-1, 7 points) to five out of a possible six standings points. He registered 1-3—4, capped by his 15th career overtime goal (the 2nd-most in franchise history), as Toronto rallied from a 3-0 deficit for a 5-4 win against the Nashville Predators Oct. 6. Matthews then collected one assist in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights Oct. 8. He finished the week with 2-2—4, his 19th career four-point game, in a 6-3 triumph over the Colorado Avalanche Oct. 10. The 29-year-old Matthews ranks seventh in the League with 4-6—10 through six total outings this season. The Maple Leafs captain owns 432-358—790 in 695 career NHL appearances (all w/ TOR), the most goals and ninth-most points in the League since being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
SECOND STAR – JAKE OETTINGER, G, DALLAS STARS
Oettinger yielded one goal in three starts, making 59 saves (on 60 SA) to compile a 2-0-1 record, 0.33 goals-against average, .983 save percentage and two shutouts for the Stars (2-2-1, 5 points). He opened the week with consecutive shutouts, making 13 saves in a 5-0 triumph versus the San Jose Sharks Oct. 5 and 26 stops in a 4-0 victory against the Buffalo Sabres Oct. 8. It marked the second time in Oettinger’s NHL career that he has posted back-to-back clean sheets, following March 30 (17 SV at SEA) and April 3 (35 SV vs. EDM), 2024. Oettinger then extended his shutout sequence to a career-best 188:52 (the 3rd-longest such run in franchise history), registering 20 total saves in an eventual 2-1 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins Oct. 10. The 27-year-old Oettinger, who owns a 2-1-1 record through four total appearances this season (0.74 GAA, .963 SV%, 2 SO), ranks third in Stars/North Stars history with 186 wins in 309 career NHL games (all w/ DAL).
THIRD STAR – ALEXIS LAFRENIÈRE, LW, NEW YORK RANGERS
Lafrenière paced the NHL with five goals in three contests (5-2—7) to propel the Rangers (5-2-0, 10 points) to a pair of victories. He notched 3-1—4, his third career hat trick and second career four-point performance (also March 30, 2024 at ARI: 3-2—5), in a 5-2 win versus the New York Islanders Oct. 6. Lafrenière then scored New York’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals Oct. 9. He added 1‑1—2, including a helper on Tye Kartye’s goal 27 seconds after the opening face-off, in a 6-2 triumph over the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 11. The 25-year-old Lafrenière leads the Rangers with five goals and eight points through seven total games this season (5-3—8). He has totaled 121-137—258 in 469 career NHL contests (all w/ NYR) since being taken with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft.
