NEW YORK – Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev and Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Oct. 22.
FIRST STAR – ALEX DeBRINCAT, RW, DETROIT RED WINGS
DeBrincat, acquired in an offseason trade with the Ottawa Senators, shared the League lead in goals (5) and ranked second in points (8) across four games to power the Red Wings (5-1-0, 10 points) to a perfect week and their fifth consecutive victory dating to Oct. 14. He collected an assist in a 4-0 triumph over the Columbus Blue Jackets Oct. 16. DeBrincat then registered 2-1—3, including a helper on the decisive goal, in a 6-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins Oct. 18. He was held off the scoresheet in his return to Ottawa (a 5-2 victory Oct. 21), but rebounded with 3-1—4 – his fifth career hat trick and sixth career four-point performance – in a 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames Oct. 22. The 25-year-old Farmington Hills native became the fifth Michigan-born player to record a hat trick with Detroit, joining current teammate Dylan Larkin (2x) as well as Jimmy Carson (4x), Justin Abdelkader (2x) and Kevin Miller (1x). DeBrincat, who leads the NHL in goals and points through six total contests this season (8‑4—12) and has 7-3—10 in three appearances at Little Caesars Arena, became the third player in League history with multiple goals in each of his first three home games with a franchise (following Newsy Lalonde and Joe Malone in 1917-18, the NHL’s first season, w/ MTL) and just the second to record three or more points in each of his first three home outings with a team (after Harry Meeking in 1917-18 w/ TAN).
SECOND STAR – ALEXANDAR GEORGIEV, G, COLORADO AVALANCHE
Georgiev went 3-0-0 with a 1.67 goals-against average, .940 save percentage and one shutout to help the Avalanche (5-0-0, 10 points) continue their unblemished start to 2023-24 as they moved within two victories of matching the longest season-opening winning streak in franchise history, established in 1985-86 (7-0-0 as QUE). Georgiev stopped 37 of 38 shots, including all 22 he faced after the first period, in a 4-1 victory against the Seattle Kraken Oct. 17. He then made 18 saves for his 14th career shutout, and sixth with Colorado, in a 4-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks Oct. 19. Georgiev closed the week with 23 stops in a 6-4 triumph against the Carolina Hurricanes Oct. 21, his League-best fifth win in as many starts this season (5-0-0, 1.58 GAA, .943 SV%, 1 SO). The 27-year-old Georgiev, who owned 58 victories in 129 career appearances prior to being acquired by the Avalanche in July 2022 (58-48-11, 2.94 GAA, .908 SV%, 8 SO), paces the NHL with 45 wins in 67 contests since the start of 2022-23 (45‑16-6, 2.46 GAA, .920 SV%, 6 SO).
THIRD STAR – SAM REINHART, C, FLORIDA PANTHERS
Reinhart accounted for half of Florida’s 10 goals, scoring in all three games and totaling 5-1—6 to propel the reigning Eastern Conference champion Panthers (2-3-0, 4 points) to a pair of wins. He recorded his 31st career game-winning goal and 25th career multi-goal performance with a pair of tallies in 4-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils Oct. 16. Reinhart then notched 1-1—2, including an assist on the decisive goal, in a 3-1 triumph over the Toronto Maple Leafs Oct. 19. He finished the week by scoring twice to help Florida erase a two-goal, third-period deficit in what ultimately was a 5-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 21. The 27-year-old Reinhart, who has been producing nearly a point per game since being acquired by the Panthers in July 2021 (70-87—157 in 165 GP), shares second place in the NHL in goals (6) and ranks ninth in points (8) through his first five appearances of 2023-24.
