Flames' Gaudreau honored by league after dandy December
Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau had a December to remember - and the sizzling session enabled him to be named the NHL's First Star of the month on Monday.
Gaudreau collected 12 goals during the 13-game stretch, highlighted by a hat trick in Calgary's 5-4 overtime win over the Boston Bruins on Dec. 4 and another in a 4-1 victory versus the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 22. The 22-year-old Gaudreau added six assists as the red-hot Flames finished the month with a 9-4-0 mark.
Via CalgaryFlames.com:
"Not only myself, but I think a lot of players stepped up in that month. I happened to get a couple more goals and a couple more points than I normally do. ... We have a lot of leaders in this locker room to make sure we were pushing a lot harder than we did in the beginning of the season and December was a huge month for us."
Gaudreau, who was a plus-8 during December, leads the team in goals (17), assists (22) and points (39) in 38 games this season. The 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner's impressive display on the ice also powered the Flames to a franchise-best 11-game home winning streak.
#Flames LW Johnny Gaudreau is the NHL's first star of December — 12 goals, 18 points, three game-winners, two hat-tricks last month.
— Wes Gilbertson (@SUNGilbertson) January 4, 2016
After skating to a 4-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, Calgary (18-18-2) opens a four-game homestand against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.
Breaking down #Flames 9-4 record in December: When Gaudreau collected a point? 8-1. When Gaudreau scored? 6-0 When Gaudreau was blanked? 1-3
— Wes Gilbertson (@SUNGilbertson) January 4, 2016
