Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson has been named the NHL's First Star of the Week after going 3-0 with just two total goals allowed in wins over the Los Angeles Kings, Seattle Kraken, and Buffalo Sabres last week.
Gustavsson made 82 combined saves in the three victories at Xcel Energy Center, including a 34-save shutout against the Kraken on Wednesday. For the week, he averaged 0.67 goals against and had a .976 save percentage.
Forwards Jack Eichel (Golden Knights) and Dylan Holloway (Blues) were the two other stars of the week, the league announced on Monday.
The 26-year-old Gustavsson is in his third season with the Wild and his second as their No. 1 goaltender, ahead of Marc-Andre Fleury. In 48 starts this season, he's gone 28-15-4 with a 2.48 GAA and .917 save percentage. Those 28 wins rank sixth among NHL goalies, and his save percentage is tied for fifth among goalies with at least 20 games played. In a season littered with injuries to key players, his steady play has been one reason why Minnesota is likely headed to the playoffs.
Gustavsson is the first Wild player included among the NHL's Three Stars of the Week since Marco Rossi was the first star on the week that ended Jan. 5. Gustavsson was also the third star on the week that ended Oct. 20 of last year. He's the first Wild goaltender named as the league's first star since Cam Talbot in March of 2022.
A native of Sweden, Gustavsson began his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators before signing with the Wild in July 2023.
Gustavsson and the Wild (40-25-5) will put their three-game winning streak on the line against the Dallas Stars (44-21-4) on Monday night. Minnesota sits seven points behind Dallas and four points behind the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division. The Wild are eight points clear of the Calgary Flames for one of the two wild card spots.
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