NEW YORK – Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens and Dallas Stars left wing Jason Robertson have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” for the week ending Dec. 4.
FIRST STAR – CONNOR McDAVID, C, EDMONTON OILERS
McDavid paced the NHL with 5-6—11 in four games – all multi-point performances – to propel the Oilers (14-11-0, 28 points) to a 3-1-0 week. He registered 1-2—3, including the primary assist on both the tying goal with 4.4 seconds remaining in regulation and the overtime winner, in a 4-3 victory against the Florida Panthers Nov. 28. McDavid then recorded 1-1—2 in each of his next two outings, a 5-4 triumph over the Chicago Blackhawks Nov. 30 and a 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild Dec. 1. He capped the week with 2-2—4, his League-best fifth four-point performance of the season and 27th since entering the NHL in 2015-16, in a 5-3 win versus the Montreal Canadiens Dec. 3. The 25-year-old Edmonton captain, who is seeking his third straight Art Ross Trophy, currently tops the NHL with 47 points through 25 total contests in 2022-23 (21-26—47). He also leads the League in assists (26), power-play assists (t-14) and power-play points (23), while ranking second in both goals (21) and power-play goals (t-9).
SECOND STAR – DYLAN COZENS, C, BUFFALO SABRES
Cozens posted 4-5—9 in four appearances to guide the Sabres (11-13-1, 23 points) to a 2-1-1 week. He scored once in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Nov. 28. Cozens then potted two goals – his second career multi-goal performance (also Nov. 12, 2021 vs. EDM: 2-0—2) – in a 5-4 shootout victory against the Detroit Red Wings Nov. 30. He finished the week with his second and third career three-point outings (also Feb. 15, 2022 vs. NYI: 0-3—3), notching 1-2—3 in a 6-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche Dec. 1 and three assists in a 6-3 triumph over the San Jose Sharks Dec. 4. The 21-year-old Cozens, the seventh overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft, is averaging nearly a point per game this season (9-15—24 in 25 GP) after totaling 17-34—51 through his first 120 career NHL contests.
THIRD STAR – JASON ROBERTSON, LW, DALLAS STARS
Robertson shared the League lead with five goals in three outings (5-1—6) to power the Stars (14-6-5, 33 points) to a 2-0-1 week and extend his personal point streak to 18 contests dating to Oct. 27 (21-13—34), two shy of the franchise record. He scored once in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues Nov. 28, followed by his third career hat trick – including the game-winning goal – in a 5-0 triumph against the Anaheim Ducks Dec. 1. Robertson closed the week with 1-1—2, as well as a shootout tally, as Dallas erased a four-goal, third-period deficit in an eventual 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Wild Dec. 4. The 23-year-old Robertson, the League’s “First Star” of November, tops the NHL with 23 goals in 25 total games this season while sharing second place in game-winning goals (4) and ranking third in points (41).
