NEW YORK – Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha and Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending March 10.
FIRST STAR – NATHAN MacKINNON, C, COLORADO AVALANCHE
MacKinnon led the NHL in assists and points (3-7—10), extended his home point streak to 32 games and took the lead in the Art Ross Trophy scoring race, helping the Avalanche (40-20-5, 85 points) post a 3-0-0 homestand. MacKinnon tallied 2-2—4 in a 5-0 shutout over the Chicago Blackhawks March 4 and notched his second consecutive four-point effort (1-3—4), including his 40th goal of the season, in a 7-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings March 6. MacKinnon became the fourth player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to record three-or-more 40-goal campaigns, joining franchise icons Michel Goulet (7), Joe Sakic (5) and Peter Stastny (5). He concluded the week with a pair of assists in a 2-1 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild March 8. MacKinnon (32 GP) owns a share of the third-longest home point streak in NHL history with Guy Lafleur (32 in 1978-79 w/MTL). The two longest such streaks are owned by Wayne Gretzky (40 in 1988-89 w/LAK and 33 in 1985-86 w/EDM). MacKinnon’s big week vaulted him into first place in the NHL scoring race with 40-71—111, four points ahead of Nikita Kucherov (38-69—107). Entering Tuesday’s game at Calgary on a 12-game point streak (8-18—26), it has been more than a month since MacKinnon has been held off the shortsheet (Feb. 10 at Florida).
SECOND STAR – PAVEL ZACHA, C, BOSTON BRUINS
Zacha shared the NHL lead in goals (5-2—7 in 4 GP), highlighted by a pair of game-winners, as the Bruins (38-13-15, 91 points) earned seven of eight possible points and closed the gap behind the Presidents’ Trophy-leading Florida Panthers to one point. Zacha recorded points in each contest, beginning with a pair of goals including the game-winner in a 4-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs March 4. He tallied the Bruins’ lone goal in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers March 5 and an assist in a 4-1 win over the Maple Leafs March 7, Boston’s second win of the week over its division rival. Zacha finished the week with a three-point performance (2-1—3) in a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins March 9. The Brno native celebrated Hockey Day in Czechia by earning an assist on Czech teammate David Pastrnak‘s 40th goal of the season to open the scoring in the second period, tallying the game-winning goal midway through the second frame and notching a third-period goal with Pastrnak earning the primary assist. Zacha increased his season totals to 17-26—43 in 62 games, on pace to eclipse his single-season career high of 21 goals set in his debut Bruins campaign in 2022-23.
THIRD STAR – THATCHER DEMKO, G, VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Demko went 3-0-0 with a 0.81 goals-against average and .969 save percentage as the Canucks (42-17-7, 91 points) remained atop the Western Conference standings by defeating a trio of conference rivals currently holding playoff berths. Demko stopped 62 of 64 shots last week, beginning with a 23-save effort in a 2-1 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings March 5. The Canucks hit the 40-win mark in their 64th game, matching the second-fewest contests needed in franchise history (62 in 2011-12 and 64 in 2010-11). Demko tied his single-season career high in wins (33) by turning aside 27 shots in a 3-1 win over the Vegas Golden Knights March 7 and set a new career mark with his League-leading 34th victory the season in a 5-0 decision over the Winnipeg Jets March 9. Demko (12 saves) and Casey DeSmith (10 saves) combined to record Vancouver’s third shared shutout in franchise history. Demko improved his season record to 34-13-2 with a 2.47 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in 49 games. He ranks first in the NHL in wins, third in shutouts (five), sixth in SV% and seventh in GAA.
