SEATTLE – Rasmus Dahlin’s remarkable start to his fifth season in the NHL earned the Buffalo Sabres defenseman another accolade Monday.
Dahlin, 22, was named the league’s first star of the week after he set an NHL record with a five-game goal streak to start the season. He also posted a plus-5 rating, increasing his total to plus-8 for the season, and logged an average of 24:02 of ice time across three road wins to help Buffalo improve to 4-1.
Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk and New Jersey Devils goalie Mackenzie Blackwood were named the league's second and third star, respectively.
"I told you he’ll never surprise me," Sabres coach Don Granato said Saturday following the 5-1 victory over Vancouver. "He just competes so well, and it’s fun for everyone to see the talent we were able to see behind the scenes."
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Drafted first overall in 2018, Dahlin began the road trip in Edmonton with a goal in a 4-2 win over the Oilers to become the first defenseman to post a season-opening goal streak of three games since Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman in 2014-15.
Two nights later, Dahlin made history by extending that streak to four games and added an assist in the 6-3 win in Calgary. He then added another goal to the ledger Saturday at Vancouver, setting a franchise record for longest goal streak by a defenseman at any point in a season. He also became the first Sabres skater with a five-game goal streak since Thomas Vanek accomplished the feat from Oct. 10-18, 2008.
Dahlin, an alternate captain for Buffalo, ranks first among all NHL defensemen in goals (5) and points (8). His 18 shots on goal are tied for eighth and his 24:26 average ice time per game is 12th.
