Ovechkin named NHL's "First Star"

Mar 10, 2008 - 6:13 PM NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, who recently reached the 50-goal mark, on Monday was named the NHL's "First Star" of the Week.

Also honored were New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur and San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton.

Ovechkin surpassed the 50-goal mark for the second time in his three seasons on March 3, when he recorded a hat trick and two assists in Washington's 10-2 rout of the Boston Bruins.

Ovechkin scored two goals in a 3-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday and added an assist in a 2-1 loss to the Bruins on Saturday. He finished the week on Sunday with two assists in a 4-2 loss to the Penguins.

The Russian superstar, who totaled 10 points for the week, leads the NHL in goals with 54 and in scoring with 95 points in 70 games.

Brodeur, the week's "Second Star", went 3-0-0 with a 0.98 goals-against average as the Devils moved into first place in the Eastern Conference.

He stopped 41 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, made 21 saves in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and closed the week with a 42-save effort in a 2-1 triumph over Toronto on Saturday.

Thornton earned the week's "Third Star" honor after finishing second among scorers with two goals and five assists as the Sharks extended their winning streak to a franchise-record nine games.