Holmqvist is NHL's second star of week

The NHL announced its three stars for the week ending Sunday: Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf, Lightning goalie Johan Holmqvist and Flyers right wing Scottie Upshall.

Getzlaf, who will play for the Western Conference in the 2008 All-Star Game in Atlanta this Sunday, led all scorers with eight points (two goals, six assists) and posted a +3 rating as the Ducks
captured three of four games during the week. He recorded points in each game, scoring a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over Dallas, Jan. 15; assisting on both goals in a 2-1 victory vs. Nashville, Jan. 17; registering three more assists in a 4-2 win against Minnesota on Jan. 18 and closing the week with a goal in a 5-2 loss at Dallas on Jan.20. Getzlaf ran his current point-scoring streak to 14 games (6-15--21) and is in 8th place in League scoring (19-38--57). His plus-25 mark is fourth best in the League.

Holmqvist posted back-to-back shutouts in his two starts during the week, stopping all 52 shots as the Lightning registered road wins at Pittsburgh (3-0, Jan. 18) and at Ottawa (2-0, Jan. 19). With his performance last week, Holmqvist improved his overall record to 16-13-4 and lowered his goals-against average to 2.89.

Hartnell has been named the League's Third Star for the second consecutive week, posting six points (five goals, one assist) in three games. He began the week with a goal in a 5-3 win vs. Florida (Jan. 16); registered his second hat-trick in six games and added an assist in a 5-3 victory against NY Islanders (Jan. 19) and closed the week with a goal in the Flyers' 6-1 win over Ottawa on Jan. 20.

Comments

[Eric]

Glad to see Holmer finally getting some credit for his remarkable play. If we provided him a good defense, imagine how different some games earlier this season could have gone. Hopefully this is a big confidence boost for him, and Torts will keep him in the net. Has anyone else noticed he has the tendency to play musical chairs in the net lately, even if the goalie won the last game?

I'll be at the Forum tuesday cheering on the Bolts. I'm hoping this is a turning point this season.

[olin]

Stora Grattis Til Kung Johan....

[Mike13]

Eric, Torts really liked what he saw in Holmqvist's play a week or so ago when he won against the Panthers, then sat him so that he could "savor" the success of that game and build on it. One cannot argue with his logic since Holmer has 2 shutouts since.

Also, Damian...Scottie Upshall is not the 3rd star of the week. Its Scott Hartnell.

[Hockey Chic]

Way to go Homer! Congrats on being named a star of the week. Keep working hard fellas and heres hoping the winning ways will continue to come.
Looking forward to welcoming back the guys tomorrow night now lets get another win.

Keep in simple, no fancy passes, shoot, shoot, shoot, skate hard, fore check, take out the trash and keep winning as a TEAM. One at a time guys..

Rosies in Hand Go Bolts. Get er done

[olin]

.....after watching the 1st period of pen's-cap's on versus tonite, I hope some bloggers got a chance to see Ovechkin try to crunch Malkin on the board's but missed/ and these guy's are russian team mate's....Reminded me of the hit's that Arty made...maybe would've been a good move JF to sign him for the 1 mil, I'm sure eventually he could have learned to stick handle the puck...his intensity was surely there..also to add that maybe we don't have a broduer,price or a luongo, we do have 2 pretty good netminder's and could have had a third in Norrena, with Mighty Mo still on board to play on that 2nd line with BR....

[Foghat Legman]

I saw that near hit and came out of my chair. Malkin didn't even go down after the spin move. You see these two clubs scrapping and snarling along the boards for the puck? Where do you suppose our #19 would be? Center ice, that's right. Never see Brad go after anybody like AO did, and if he got a hit like that it's crank up the ambulance time.
We are so stuck with that guy.

[leo]

Yessir Foggy, more stuck than a cat in a mouse-hole.
Mighty fine of you to add my boy to your goalie trio, Olin.
But he's no Jedi yet.
P.

[Mike13]

Nice to know that AO and Malkin still have that competitive thing going on between them. There were some scouts that ranked Malkin higher than Ovechkin. Its close, but AO takes the cake. Backstrom was pretty impressive too.

[keith]

Pens - Caps. Talking about hits, you had to love Brashear going on his butt after trying to tattoo the kid Staal on the boards. Staal barely moved. Maybe the old boy is losing it. Seems like he has been around the league forever.

[Patricia]

Congrats to Holmer. Said from day one, he has what it takes if Torts can stop stealing his confidence and this team can play defense hockey. He is a great goalie and we need to stop changing these goalies up so much. No one wants to look over there shoulder. Holmer has what it takes to be No#1. Just give him the title and Ramo the backup and lets move on from this situation. Now we can work on our defense!!!

[leo]

Ottawa has its eye on Marty St-Louis.
Anyone heard about that?
Details, please.
P.