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NHL Three Stars: Neuvirth saves Flyers; Koivu powers Wild

Sean Leahy
·Contributing writer
NHL Three Stars: Neuvirth saves Flyers; Koivu powers Wild

No. 1 Star: Michael Neuvirth, Philadelphia Flyers

Neuvirth was outstanding in helping the Flyers force a Game 6 with a 2-0 win over the Washington Capitals. As the team in front of him mustered only 11 shots, Neuvirth stood on his head stopping all 44 Capitals shots. Neuvirth has now stopped 75 of 76 shots since replacing Steve Mason beginning with Game 4.

No. 2 Stars: Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild

Koivu tied the game late in the third period and was the overtime hero as the Wild kept their season alive with a 5-4 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 5.

Joonas Donskoi, San Jose Sharks

The young Sharks forward opened the scoring against the Los Angeles Kings and later snapped a 3-3 tie en route to a 6-3 win, eliminating their Pacific Division rivals in five games. Brent Burns and Logan Couture recorded three assists as the Sharks ended the Kings’ seven-game winning streak when facing elimination.

No. 3 Star: Thomas Greiss, New York Islanders

Alan Quine netted the winning goal in double overtime and Greiss stopped 47 shots as the Islanders took a 3-2 series lead over the Florida Panthers with a 2-1 victory.

Honorable Mention: Quine became the third player in Islanders history to score their first career playoff goal in overtime. Thomas Hickey achieved that feat in Game 3. Quine is also the first Islanders rookie to score an overtime playoff goal since Ken Morrow in 1980 … According to the NHL, Friday marked the second time in Stanley Cup playoff history that two penalty shots occurred on same day.

Did You Know? “It's the first time a team won a Stanley Cup playoff game with 11 shots since the Capitals beat the Ottawa Senators in 1998, and that total is the fewest shots in Flyers history counting the regular season and playoffs.” (AP)

Dishonorable Mention: Washington outshot Philadelphia 35-6 at even strength and failed to beat Neuvirth … Aleksander Barkov missed an overtime penalty shot, the third one in Stanley Cup Playoff history.

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