Rask, Bailey, Kucherov named December's 3 stars

Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, New York Islanders forward Josh Bailey, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov have been named the NHL's three stars for December.

Rask earned top marks after going 9-0-1 on the month while posting a 1.22 goals-against average, a .955 save percentage, and two shutouts. The 30-year-old's hot play saw him named the league's first star of the week prior to the Christmas break, and has helped the Bruins jump into second place in the Atlantic Division.

Related: Rask's been a rock during Bruins' incredible run

Bailey earned second star honors after leading all skaters with 22 points, including 15 assists, in 15 games. Bailey posted seven multi-point performances, and thanks to his stellar output now sits second in league scoring with 50 points.

The NHL's top producer, Kucherov was named the third star of the month. The 24-year-old led the league with an average of 1.54 points per game. He scored eight goals and 12 assists in 13 outings, to bring his totals to 24 goals and 56 points - both league highs.