Kuznetsov, Marchand, Burns named NHL's 3 stars for January
It's official - Evgeny Kuznetsov has gotten his game back on track.
After a miserable start to the season, the Washington Capitals forward earned first-star honors for the month of January. Kuznetsov finished second in the league with seven goals and 20 points in 15 games.
The 24-year-old recorded seven multi-point games in the month and was instrumental in the Capitals reclaiming top spot in the standings. He now sits third in team scoring with 39 points in 50 games.
Despite a $10,000 fine for his dangerous trip on Niklas Kronwall, Brad Marchand was equally lethal on the scoring sheet in January.
The Boston Bruins forward earned second-star honors, leading the NHL with 11 goals in the month - including a five-point outing against the Philadelphia Flyers - while pacing the league with three shorthanded goals and four shorthanded points.
Brent Burns also continued to do his thing and earned the month's third star. The San Jose Sharks pivot extended his lead in the defensemen scoring race by putting up a league-best six goals and 18 points in 14 games.
Burns now has a 12-point cushion in league scoring by defensemen, while his 53 points are fourth overall.