No. 1 Star: Chris Stewart(notes), Colorado Avalanche
According to the AP, it had been 199 games since the Avalanche had a hat trick, which was the longest active streak in the NHL. Stewart snapped that streak in impressive fashion, scoring midway in the first period, to open the second and then on a penalty shot late in the second for his first career trick. Colorado defeated the St. Louis Blues, 7-3, as Milan Hejduk(notes) scored two goals in his return to the lineup. Check the video highlights here.
No. 2 Star: Ilya Bryzgalov(notes), Phoenix Coyotes
The Bryz made 32 saves and set a new franchise record with his 34th win on the season, shutting out the Anaheim Ducks, 4-0. Wojtek Wolski(notes) scored a goal and had an assist in the win, the second shutout of the season for Bryzgalov against the Ducks.
No. 3 Star: Sidney Crosby(notes), Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby gave Pittsburgh the lead in the second and then helped put away the Dallas Stars with a shorthanded goal in the third for his 44th goal, as the Penguins rallied for a 6-3 victory. Sid's on top of the goal-scoring leader board in the NHL. Alexei Ponikarovsky(notes) scored in his Penguins' debut.
Honorable mention: Let's give a No. 3-A star to Jose Theodore(notes) of the Washington Capitals, who made 30 saves for his first shutout since March 2009, giving the Caps a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers. Eric Belanger(notes) scored his first goal for Washington. ... Milan Lucic(notes), David Krejci(notes) and Marc Savard(notes) scored and Tim Thomas made 37 saves as the Boston Bruins defeated the New York Islanders, 3-2. It was the fifth straight road win for the B's. ... Kamil Kreps(notes) scored twice and Bryan McCabe(notes) had three assists as the Florida Panthers snapped the Carolina Hurricanes' inexplicable 7-game winning streak by a 4-1 score. ... Phil Kessel(notes) scored a goal in regulation, had another waved off and then scored a gorgeous shootout goal as the Toronto Maple Leafs won in the skills competition, 2-1, over the Ottawa Senators. Pascal Leclaire(notes) had 30 saves for the Sens, including 11 in the third period. ... Steven Stamkos(notes) scored two goals to give him 40 on the season, as both he and Marty St. Louis had 3-point nights in the Tampa Bay Lightning's 6-2 rout of the Atlanta Thrashers. Of course, the victory was to be expected, as Antero Niittymaki(notes) improved to 17-0-0 lifetime against the Thrash. ... Benoit Pouliot(notes) had a goal and an assist as the Montreal Canadiens earned a huge road win at the Los Angeles Kings, 4-2. Dominic Moore(notes) scored a huge shorthanded goal in the second, Scott Gomez(notes) had two helpers and Jaroslav Halak(notes) made 23 saves. ... Another blown lead for the Columbus Blue Jackets, as the San Jose Sharks rallied for a 2-1 victory despite a 42-save effort by Steve Mason(notes). Dany Heatley(notes) and Joe Pavelski(notes) led the rally.
Did you know? Kings Hall of Fame TV play-by-play man Bob Miller was too ill to work the game, the first one he's missed since Nov. 2, 2002. It was only the 18th he's missed in 37 seasons with the club. (AP)
Dishonorable mention: Matt Niskanen(notes) was a minus-3 and Kari Lehtonen(notes) was lit up for six goals in his first start for the Stars. ... Andy McDonald(notes) and Erik Johnson(notes) were both a minus-4 for the Blues; Johnson also gave Stewart his penalty shot. Chris Mason(notes) was pulled after giving up four goals on 15 shots. ... Alex Ovechkin(notes) is now without a goal in six games. ... Finally, an end-of-the game garbage time scrap between Chris Thorburn(notes) and Matt Walker(notes) at least produced some bombs and a unique camera angle: