NEW YORK - Atlanta Thrashers winger Ilya Kovalchuk is the NHL's first star of the week after scoring back-to-back hat tricks.

New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist earned second star honours while Minnesota Wild winger Marian Gaborik was named the third star.

Kovalchuk led all NHL scorers last week with six goals and an assist as the Thrashers won two of their three games. Kovalchuk's productive week moved him into a tie with Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg for the league lead in goals this season with 12.

Lundqvist posted a 3-0-0 record with a 0.65 goals-against average, a .976 save percentage and one shutout last week as the Rangers won three consecutive home games.

Gaborik made a successful return after missing two games with a groin injury, recording three goals and two assists in two contests.