3 Stars and 3 Bums from Week 3 of the NHL

Another week has completed in the NHL, and it's time once again to look at the three best and worst players from the last seven days. Please note, this article contains no references to Tim Tebow or “Tebowing”…other than this sentence. 

There was a lot going on this week. Phil Kessel and the Maple Leafs continue their excellent start, and Leafs Nation can finally walk down the street without being pointed at and laughed at. Well, I’ll still do that, but that’s just me. 

Signs of life sprouted in Ottawa, where the Senators showed that they were an NHL franchise, and the Oilers young guns continue to impress everyone, as they find themselves in first place. 

But, since today is Halloween and my Sean Avery costume is nearly complete, we are going to focus on the guys who wear masks for a living. 

There was some great and not so great goaltending performances this week worthy of making this list. 

So here are your three stars and bums from week 3.  

Who made you cheer? Who made you throw your remote in disgust?

Third Star: Marc-Andre Fleury

Somehow, the Penguins star goaltender flies under the radar. But he doesn’t seem to get the national attention that his play often deserves.

This week, Fleury was pretty darn good, going 3-0 for Pittsburgh and sporting an impressive .960 save percentage. 

Perhaps he is over shadowed because of the other guys on his team, but without Fleury, the Penguins don’t have a chance this year.

Second Star: Carey Price

It’s hard to imagine that two years ago, Price was public enemy No. 1 in Montreal, but since then. he has been lights out…or at least pucks out. Get it? Pucks out?

But this last week saw him win three big games, two against the Canadiens’ hated rivals in Boston. 

Price was the best player in all three games, only allowing four goals and posting a .950 save percentage. As Montreal tries to get back on course this season, Price is showing they can lean on him.

First Star: Nikolai Khabibulin

So far this year, the Bulin Wall is back. Coming into the season, it seemed common knowledge that Khabibulin was going to lose his job as the No. 1 starter, as he had been pretty mediocre. 

But this year looks different. Backstopping a young and exciting team with a good defense, Khabibulin has been almost unbeatable this season and has the Oilers in first place. 

This past week saw him go 3-0, only allowing five goals and putting up an excellent .951 save percentage. Can he and the Oilers keep it up all season? It will be something to watch for.

Third Bum: Jaroslav Halak

Halak, the playoff hero from two seasons ago, is struggling in St. Louis. The Blues gave him a lot of scratch to be their No. 1 guy, and he is in danger of losing his job to Brian Elliott. 

He only got one start this past week, and it was a chance to get back on track and make a claim for the top spot.  

That didn’t happen, as he gave up four goals in a loss to Edmonton. His goals against is over 3.50, and his season long save percentage is now a worrisome .843.

Second Bum: Roberto Luongo

Everyone’s favorite whipping boy is off to a traditionally slow start. Only this time, it’s his worst slow start ever. 

Luongo continues to be a lightning rod of controversy, and this past week didn’t help. The low-light was in Edmonton, where he was pulled in the second period after allowing three goals on 14 shots. 

He did pick up a victory against the Capitals on Saturday, but gave up four goals and had an .875 save percentage. When your team scores seven, you are going to look better. 

Fans in Vancouver are expecting him to pick it up now that the calendar is changing, and he better, because the fans' leash is short this year.

First Bum: Ilya Bryzgalov

The Flyers backed a truck full of money up to the Bryzgalov homestead this offseason, and so far, he isn’t earning it. 

He appeared in three games this last week and gave up 10 goals.  

The worst of those games? He gave up four goals on 10 shots in a wild loss to the Jets and has lost four out of his last five starts. 

Bryzgalov needs to go find a nice park to clear his head in, as Philadelphia fans are not known for their patience. Things could get ugly soon.