Kreider locked up the NHL’s top honors with a hat trick in the Rangers’ comeback victory against Arizona on Saturday.
Everything keeps coming up Kreider for the New York Rangers.
The 2022 All-Star-to-be topped the NHL’s list of “Three Stars” for the week ending Jan. 23, his productive week highlighted by seven points, including five goals, over three games last week. Such antics were capped off by a hat trick showing in the Rangers’ come-from-behind win over the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, a game that saw Kreider reach the NHL’s lead in goals scored (29, since tied by Washington’s Alex Ovechkin).
Chris Kreider last night:
Hat Trick ?
Career High 29 Goals ?
First Star ? pic.twitter.com/vJAPhV3tBg— x – Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) January 23, 2022
This accolade is the latest landmark in Kreider’s breakout season, as his last goal on Saturday allowed him to set a new personal best in scoring. At 30, he is the only player left over from the 2013-14 team that went to the Stanley Cup Final and is by far the Rangers’ longest-tenured player at ten seasons in blue. In addition to his shared lead in goals scored, Kreider is the sole leader in power play goals (14) and is fourth in goals per game (0.69), also tied with Ovechkin.
In his recent endeavors, Kreider is on a five-game goal-scoring streak, complementing that total with two assists. The Rangers are 4-1-0 in that span and currently hold a one-point lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins for first place in the Metropolitan Division (though Pittsburgh has a game in hand). New York (27-11-4) returns to action on Monday night when they battle the Los Angeles Kings (7 p.m. ET, MSG+).
Monday’s weekly award is the second of Kreider’s career, previously getting the second star in game action ending on Jan. 2, 2017. Along with Adam Fox, Kreider will represent the Rangers at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game festivities in Las Vegas on Feb. 5. It’s the second nomination of his career, having previously reached the most recent edition in St. Louis in 2020.
With Kreider leading the way, St. Louis Blues goalie Ville Husso won the second star with an undefeated three-game week that featured a shutout over Seattle on Friday night. San Jose’s Timo Meier rounded out the trio after setting a Sharks franchise record with five goals, his hat trick coming in the first period, in a 7-1 win over Los Angeles last Monday.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags