Parise take top NHL weekly honor

NEW YORK, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- New Jersey left wing Zach Parise was selected the top NHL star of the week, the league announced Monday.

Parise was given first star status, while Calgary center Matthew Lombardi was named second star and Atlanta left wing Ilya Kovalchuk third star for games played Feb. 9-15, the NHL said in a release.

Parise led the NHL in scoring last week, piling up four goals and four assists as the Devils won four games and increased their lead in the Atlantic Division. He got half of his points -- two goals and two assists -- in a 4-2 win Wednesday over the New York Islanders.

Lombardi had seven points. He opened the week with a goal and two assists in a win against Montreal and closed it with two goals, including the game-winner, and an assist in a victory over Phoenix.

Kovalchuk had five goals, including his 11 career hat trick, over three games. The hat trick came in an 8-4 romp Sunday over Anaheim.