Brown, Ward and Hemsky named Stars of Week

NEW YORK (AP) -- -- Los Angeles Kings left wing Dustin Brown, Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward and Edmonton Oilers right wing Ales Hemsky have been named the NHL's Three Stars for the week ending Jan. 25.

FIRST STAR -- Dustin Brown, LW, Kings

Brown scored the game-winning goal in consecutive road games, helping the Kings (19-20-7, 45 points) move within six points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. He tallied the game-winner, posted a +3 rating and was named the game's first star in a 5-2 victory at Minnesota on Jan. 20 and notched the winner, an assist and a +1 rating in a 6-5 win at Colorado on Jan. 21. The Kings captain completed the week by making his first career NHL All-Star Game appearance on Sunday at Montreal, posting an assist for the Western Conference in a 12-11 shootout loss to the Eastern Conference.

SECOND STAR -- Cam Ward, G, Hurricanes

Ward stopped 67 of 68 shots in road victories on consecutive nights, lifting the Hurricanes (23-20-5, 51 points) to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference entering the All-Star break. He stopped 35 shots in recording his second shutout of the season and eighth of his NHL career in a 2-0 victory at Toronto on Jan. 19 and made 32 saves in a 2-1 victory at Pittsburgh on Jan. 20. Ward improved his season record to 18-14-3 with a 2.57 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 36 appearances.

THIRD STAR -- Ales Hemsky, RW, Oilers

Hemsky thoroughly dominated his lone game last week, with two goals and two assists -- including the winner with 34.9 seconds remaining in regulation time -- as the Oilers' edged the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Jan. 20. He had a +2 rating and was named the game's first star. The victory was the Oilers' fifth in six games and it improved their record to 24-19-3, sixth in the Western Conference. "That was unreal, I haven't seen anything like that in a while," Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish said of Hemsky's performance. "Two goals and two assists. We've seen that before. But not where all four are world-class plays."

Prior Stars

Jan. 19

First Star -- C Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit
Second Star -- LW Mike Cammalleri, Calgary
Third Star -- C Rich Peverley, Atlanta

Jan. 12

First Star -- LW Wojtek Wolski, Colorado
Second Star -- RW Bobby Ryan, Anaheim
Third Star -- C Gregory Campbell, Florida

Jan. 5

First Star -- LW Rick Nash, Columbus
Second Star -- D Brian Rafalski, Detroit
Third Star -- G Cam Ward, Carolina

Dec. 29

First Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
Second Star -- C Bryan Little, Atlanta
Third Star -- G Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles

Dec. 22

First Star -- LW Loui Eriksson, Dallas
Second Star -- C Jeff Carter, Philadelphia
Third Star -- LW Patrik Elias, New Jersey

Dec. 15

First Star -- RW Phil Kessel, Boston
Second Star -- RW Petr Sykora, Pittsburgh
Third Star -- LW Thomas Vanek, Buffalo

Dec. 8

First Star -- G Pekka Rinne, Nashville
Second Star -- C Jonathan Toews, Chicago
Third Star -- C Jason Spezza, Ottawa

Dec. 1

First Star -- C Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Second Star -- G Jonas Hiller, Anaheim
Third Star -- G Chris Mason, St. Louis

Nov. 24

First Star -- C Marc Savard, Boston
Second Star -- C Henrik Sedin, Vancouver
Third Star -- G Nikolai Khabibulin, Chicago

Nov. 17

First Star -- C Nicklas Backstrom, Washington
Second Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
Third Star -- G Dan Ellis, Nashville

Nov. 10

First Star -- G Roberto Luongo, Vancouver
Second Star -- G Steve Mason, Columbus
Third Star -- G Brent Johnson, Washington

Nov. 3

First Star -- C Ryan Getzlaf, RW Corey Perry and RW Teemu Selanne, Anaheim
Second Star -- G Tim Thomas, Boston
Third Star -- LW Simon Gagne, Philadelphia

Oct. 27

First Star -- RW Jarome Iginla, Calgary
Second Star -- G Peter Budaj, Colorado
Third Star -- RW Marian Hossa, Detroit

Oct. 20

First Star -- LW Thomas Vanek, Buffalo
Second Star -- G Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota
Third Star -- LW Fabian Brunnstrom, Dallas

Oct. 13

First Star -- F Daniel Sedin, Vancouver
Second Star -- LW David Booth, Florida
Third Star -- G Martin Brodeur, New Jersey

Stars of the Month

December

First Star -- G Manny Fernandez and Tim Thomas, Boston
Second Star -- C Jeff Carter, Philadelphia
Third Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington

November

First Star -- LW Alex Ovechkin, Washington
Second Star -- C Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh
Third Star -- G Joey MacDonald, N.Y. Islanders

October

First Star -- LW Alexander Semin, Washington
Second Star -- G Henrik Lundqvist, N.Y. Rangers
Third Star -- D Shea Weber, Nashville

Rookie of the Month

December -- 6 Steve Mason, Columbus
November -- G Steve Mason, Columbus
October -- C Derick Brassard, Columbus