NEW YORK, March 9 (UPI) -- The National Hockey League Monday named Carolina center Eric Staal, Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and Columbus forward Rick Nash its weekly stars.
Staal was named the No. 1 star on the strength of his five goals and four assists in the week ended March 8. That performance helped the Hurricanes to three straight wins that brought the team within a point of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Fleury had three victories, stopping all but five of the 97 shots he faced. He produced a 1.63 goals-against average as the Penguins moved into a three-way tie with Florida and the New York Rangers for the final three playoff spots in the East.
Nash scored four goals and assisted on two others as the Blue Jackets went 2-1. His fourth career hat trick, in an 8-2 win over Detroit, was the first unassisted one in the NHL since Maurice Richard of Montreal accomplished the feat on March 14, 1948. The Blue Jackets, who have yet to make the playoffs since joining the league prior to 2000-01, are sixth overall in the Western Conference.
