RALEIGH Carolina Hurricanes rookie Sebastian Aho was a runner-up for NHL Rookie of the Month for January, but Monday he didn’t take a backseat to anyone.Aho was named the NHL’s First Star of the week after scoring four goals and adding an assist in three Hurricanes’ wins. Aho started the week off with a bang, registering his first career hat trick and the first by a Carolina rookie in more than 15 years and getting an assist in a 5-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 31. He then added the game-winning goal, a third period power play tally, in the Hurricanes’ 2-1 victory at PNC Arena on Feb. 3. Carolina then won in Brooklyn, N.Y., over the Islanders the next night, giving them three wins in a row coming out of the All-Star break.Aho, 19, ranks third among NHL rookies in goals with 16 and has 31 points, good for sixth through 51 games. Aho has been his best in divisional games with eight goals and eight assists in 19 games against the Metropolitan Division. That includes six points against both division-leading Washington Carolina’s opponent on Tuesday and Philadelphia in three games against each.
