Philipp Grubauer was named the NHL’s third star of the week that ended Sunday.
Grubauer, who had 40 saves Sunday in the Avalanche’s 2-1 overtime loss in Chicago, went 3-0-1 during the week with a 1.49 goals-against average and .961 save percentage (stopping 149 of 155 shots).
Your @Molson_Canadian Three Stars of the Week:
— NHL (@NHL) March 25, 2019
â @KyleConnor18: 5-3—8 in 4 GP, 1st hat trick, 1 GWG
ââ @RealStamkos91: 4-4—8 in 4 GP, became franchise leader in goals
âââ Philipp Grubauer: 3-0-1, 1.49 GAA, .961 SV% pic.twitter.com/WNFUPrzCst
Grubauer made 36 saves in a 3-1 win in Minnesota on Tuesday, a career-high 44 saves in a 3-1 win in Dallas on Thursday, and 29 saves Saturday in a 4-2 win against Chicago at the Pepsi Center.
He’s played in 33 games overall with a 15-9-4 record, three shutouts, a 2.71 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.
Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor was named the NHL’s first star. He had five goals and three assists in four games.
Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos was the NHL’s second star. He had four goals and four assists in four games and became the Lightning’s all-time leading goal scorer with 384, passing Vincent Lecavalier.
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More Grubauer: He’s 6-2-1 in his past 10 games (nine starts) with three shutouts, a 1.10 goals-against average and .966 save percentage.
The Avalanche have at least one point in five consecutive games (4-0-1) and in seven of the past eight games (6-1-1).
They have a two-point lead over Arizona and Minnesota in the race for the second wild card playoff position in the Western Conference heading into Monday’s games. Chicago is five points behind with a game in hand. Minnesota is home to Nashville on Monday.
The Avalanche trail Dallas by one point for the first wild card. The Stars have a game in hand and play at Winnipeg on Monday.
The Avalanche have six games left, four at home with a two-game homestand this week, facing Vegas on Wednesday and Arizona on Friday.
The Avalanche will resume practicing Tuesday at which time we should know whether Mikko Rantanen will be able to play Wednesday. He's missed two games with an upper-body injury. Also hope to get an update on Gabriel Landeskog, who's missed eight games with an upper-body injury