Pekka Rinne Named NHL Second Star of the Week

Pekka Rinne, goalie for the Nashville Predators was named the NHL Second star of the week on Monday.

From NHL.com, "Rinne has won five consecutive starts after going 3-0-0 with a .957 save percentage last week for Nashville. A finalist last season for the Vezina Trophy, the fourth-year starter led the Predators to three one-goal victories: 2-1 over the Flames, stopping 35 of 36 shots; 4-3 over the Central Division-rival Red Wings, making 37 saves on 40 shots; and 2-1 over the surging Blues to cap off his week, facing 40 shots again and turning aside 39 of them."

Ottawa Senators forward Jason Spezza was awared the first star and  Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin got the third star.

Make the jump for the full release from the NHL...



SPEZZA, RINNE AND MALKIN NAMED NHL 'THREE STARS' OF THE WEEK

NEW YORK (December 19, 2011) -- Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza, Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne and Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin have been named the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending Dec. 18.

FIRST STAR -- JASON SPEZZA, C, OTTAWA SENATORS

Spezza tallied eight points (three goals, five assists), highlighted by multiple-point games in each start, as the Senators (15-14-4) ended the week one point from a top-eight position in the Eastern Conference. Spezza notched two assists in a 3-2 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres Dec. 13, figured in both Ottawa goals (one goal, one assist) in a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins Dec. 14 and finished the week with a season-high four points (two goals, two assists) and +4 rating in a 6-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins Dec. 16. The second overall pick in the 2001 draft leads the Senators in scoring and ranks seventh in the NHL overall with 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists), just three behind League leader Phil Kessel of the Toronto Maple Leafs (19-20--39). With 568 career points in 559 NHL games, Spezza's 1.02 points-per-game average ranks fourth among active players with at least 500 career games (Washington's Alex Ovechkin, 1.26; Philadelphia's Jaromir Jagr, 1.25 and Anaheim's Teemu Selanne, 1.06).

SECOND STAR -- PEKKA RINNE, G, NASHVILLE PREDATORS

Rinne posted a 3-0-0 record, 1.62 goals-against average and .957 save percentage, helping the Predators (17-11-4) extend their winning streak to five games and climb to seventh place in the Western Conference.
He made at least 35 saves in each start, beginning with 35 in a 2-1 victory over the Calgary Flames Dec. 13. He turned aside 37 shots in a 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings Dec. 15 and matched his season high with 39 saves plus three shootout stops in a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues Dec.
17. Rinne improved his season record to 15-9-4 with a 2.42 goals-against average, .921 save percentage and three shutouts. He leads all NHL goaltenders in appearances (29), shots faced (891) and saves (823).

THIRD STAR -- EVGENI MALKIN, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Malkin led all NHL players in points and goals last week (5-3--8), earning points on 62% of the Penguins' tallies. He began the week by recording Pittsburgh's only goal in a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Dec 13. He tallied one goal and one assist in a 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators Dec. 16 and finished the week by recording five points, including the seventh hat trick of his NHL career, in an 8-3 victory over the Buffalo Sabres Dec. 17. Malkin leads the Penguins in scoring and ranks fourth in the NHL overall with 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 26 games. He has
12 points during a five-game scoring streak.

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOntheGlass