Brian Stensaas will update you after today’s practice, but Thomas Vanek and Niklas Backstrom, the NHL’s First and Second Stars of the Week, will go head-to-head when the Sabres and Wild meet Thursday. 

By the way, Stensaas emailed me that of the four injured regulars, defenseman Marek Zidlicky (ankle) is practicing today.�
VANEK, BACKSTROM AND BRUNNSTROM NAMED NHL ‘THREE STARS’ OF THE WEEK
TORONTO  (October  20,  2008)  –  Buffalo  Sabres  left  wing Thomas Vanek,
Minnesota  Wild  goaltender  Niklas  Backstrom and Dallas Stars rookie left
wing Fabian Brunnstrom have been named the NHL’s ‘Three Stars’ for the week
ending October 19.

FIRST STAR – THOMAS VANEK, LW, BUFFALO SABRES

The 24-year-old Vanek picked up eight points (six goals, two assists), in a
week  that  saw Buffalo post a 3-0-1 record. Vanek has nine points (7-2–9)
in  his  first  five  games  and  is off to the best start of his four-year
career,  posting  at  least one goal in each of Buffalo’s first five games.
Included  in  Vanek’s  League-leading goal total last week were shorthanded
goals  in  consecutive  games  (Oct.  13  at  NYI,  Oct.  15 at NYR), and a
power-play  goal in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss in Atlanta. Vanek also has
a League-best 32 shots in his five games.

SECOND STAR – NIKLAS BACKSTROM, G, MINNESOTA WILD

Backstrom  posted  a  3-0-0  record with a 1.30 goals-against average, .952
save  percentage  and  one  shutout  as the Wild won three consecutive road
games. Backstrom turned aside 80 of 84 shots for the week, beginning with a
24-save  performance in a 4-2 win over the Atlanta Thrashers on Oct. 14. He
stopped  24 shots in a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Oct. 16 and
finished off the week by posting a shutout in a 32-save performance against
Tampa Bay on Oct. 18. He has four wins on the season.

THIRD STAR – FABIAN BRUNNSTROM, LW, DALLAS STARS

In  his  NHL  debut  on  Oct.15,  Brunnstrom scored a hat trick against the
Nashville  Predators,  including  the  game-winning goal, becoming just the
third  player  in NHL history to score three times in his NHL debut — Alex
Smart  scored  three  times  in  his  debut  for Montreal in 1943, and Real
Cloutier  matched  the feat with Quebec in 1979. Brunnstrom rounded out the
week with a power-play goal against Colorado on Saturday.

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