Sunday’s Three Stars: Aaron Rome, offensive juggernaut

November 14, 2011   ·   0 Comments

Sunday’s Three Stars: Aaron Rome, offensive juggernaut

No. 1 Star: Aaron Rome, Vancouver Canucks

With his goal against the New York Islanders, Aaron Rome now has more goals in his last four games than he scored in 131 previous NHL games. Rome shoveled home a loose puck in the slot past Evgeni Nabokov for a 1-0 lead at 1:57 of the first, his third goal of the season. Rome also assisted on Cody Hodgson’s third-period power-play goal and David Booth’s empty netter in the third, in the Canucks’ 4-1 win over the Isles. As if it needed to be said, it was Rome’s first 3-point game.

No. 2 Star: Steve Montador, Chicago Blackhawks

Not to be outdone in the “unlikely defensemen to become offensive juggernauts” category, Montador now has three goals in three games. He tipped home a shot on the power play at 16:11 of the first period. But before that, he scored a rather impressive goal at 5:29 of the first in the Blackhawks’ 6-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers:

No. 3 Star: Matt Cullen, Minnesota Wild

After failing to register two points in a game since Feb. 9, Cullen had his second multi-point game this month in the Wild’s 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. He scored his seventh of the year and assisted on Jared Spurgeon’s goal 3:20 later in the first period, building on Kyle Brodziak’s tally at 6:09 into a 3-0 lead while the Wild limited the Ducks to seven shots. Cullen’s goal was brilliantly set up by this Cal Clutterbuck pass:

Danny Briere, Braydon Coburn and Matt Read — on a shorthanded penalty shot — scored for the Philadelphia Flyers and Ilya Brzygalov made 31 saves in their 3-2 win over the red-hot Florida Panthers. The Cats made it interesting on goals from Evgeny Dadonov and Tomas Fleishmann. Jose Theodore turned aside 17 shots in the second and 32 for the game in the loss. … Cam Fowler had both Ducks goals, his first two of the season. … Henrik Sedin and Matt Moulson had the other goals in the Isles/Canucks game. Roberto Luongo made 23 saves. … Jonathan Toews had two goals for Chicago; Marian Hossa, Nick Leddy, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane each had two assists. Duncan Keith and Dan Carcillo were the other goal scorers. … Ryan Smyth scored his 10th in defeat for Edmonton.

Did you know? This was the 14th straight meeting between the Ducks and Wild at Honda Center in which the team that scored first won. (AP)

Dishonorable mention: Jonas Hiller was pulled by the Ducks after giving up three goals on 15 shots. … Florida forward Stephen Weiss received a game misconduct for arguing the hooking call that led to Read’s penalty shot. Overall, the officiating in the Flyers game was atrocious, including a double-minor on Max Talbot for high-sticking and then nothing for Jason Garrison’s high stick that cost Talbot a tooth. … Finally, dangerous moment here for Devin Setoguchi, but he was OK.

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