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Kyle Okposo, NHL Three Stars of the week (Videos)

By Mike Majeski

Jan 16, 2015; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo (21) celebrates a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammates during the third period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Okposo scored four times and the Islanders defeated the Penguins 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2015; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing Kyle Okposo (21) celebrates a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins with teammates during the third period at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Okposo scored four times and the Islanders defeated the Penguins 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Taking a look at the three stars from this past week’s NHL action

Welcome to another edition of the NHL Three Stars of the Week where we will recognize three players who had outstanding performances during this past week’s NHL action. Check back every Sunday for a new list of three stars for the previous week’s play.

No. 1 Star: Kyle Okposo, New York Islanders

On Friday night the New York Islanders honored Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier with a pre-game ceremony. While it was a momentous occasion, it was probably more rewarding for Trottier to see one of the players he mentored when he worked in player development have a huge performance. Kyle Okposo led the Islanders in a come-from-behind 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Okposo scored four goals, including three straight in the third period to overcome an early 2-0 Penguins lead, as well as break a 3-3 tie in the third. John Tavares had assists on three of Okposo’s four goals. The win moved the Islanders three points ahead of the Penguins in the Metropolitan Division standings and one point behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the lead in the Eastern Conference standings. Okposo followed his four goal game with a goal and an assist in Saturday night’s 6-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens.

No. 2 Star: Mathieu Perreault, Winnipeg Jets

Mathieu Perrault scored a career-high four goals to lead the Winnipeg Jets to an 8-2 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Perrault scored 7:24 into the first period and followed that with a power play goal four minutes later to give the Jets an early 2-0 lead. Perrault completed the hat trick 15:23 into the first period and added a fourth goal for good measure.

"Four goals, it’s something very special,” Perreault said. The bounces were going my way. It was one of those crazy nights. It was a fun night. The power play has been playing great. My linemates have been awesome."

-Courtesy of NHL.com

Perreault’s four goals is the most for the franchise since the move to Winnipeg. It ties a franchise record when you include the Atlanta Thrasher (Ilya Kovalchuk was the last player to score four goals, back on November 11th, 2005).

No. 3 Star: Corey Perry. Anaheim Ducks

Somehow the Anaheim Ducks, one of the strongest teams in the NHL, hadn’t defeated the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs in their last six meetings. Corey Perry and his natural hat-trick put an end to that Wednesday night, as well as an excellent shutout effort from Ducks goaltender Frederik Andersen. Andersen stopped all 28 Maple Leafs shots. Kyle Palmieri gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead 12:41 into the first and then Perry scored two straight in the second. He scored the empty-netter in the third to complete the natural hat-trick. It was Perry’s first multi-goal game since November 29th and his fourth of the season. He then followed that performance up with a goal in the Ducks 5-1 blowout of the New Jersey Devils Friday night.

Next: Who are the most dominant offensive players in NHL history?

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