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Shawinigan Cataractes' Giovanni Fiore notches first QMJHL hat trick: Wednesday's 3 Stars

Giovanni Fiore (#22), of the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL), Drummondville, Que., Oct. 12, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Ghyslain Bergeron
Giovanni Fiore (#22), of the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL), Drummondville, Que., Oct. 12, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Ghyslain Bergeron

No. 1 star: Giovanni Fiore, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Fiore was on fire (sorry, had to) in the Cataractes' decisive 7-2 win over the Sherbrooke Phoenix, scoring his first Quebec League hat trick. The 18-year-old from Laval, Que., who's found his perch as a complementary scorer with the Cataractes after being traded in each of his first two seasons, gave his team an early jolt by scoring just 19 seconds after the opening faceoff on a setup from Dylan Labbé. Just two minutes and 11 seconds later, Fiore scored unassisted for a quick 2-0 lead.

Four other Cataractes chipped in goals, while goalie Marvin Cüpper only had to make 18 saves. Fiore completed his hat trick by scoring with an assist from Christophe Lalonde with 3:07 left in the third period.

No. 2 star: Sam Bennett, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

The Fronts had only two six-goal outings in 55 games without Bennett. In the Calgary Flames first-rounder's return after recovering from shoulder surgery, Kingston scored six in the second period in a 7-3 blowout of the Belleville Bulls, whom they're chasing for playoff position. Bennett (1G-2A, +3) was on the ice for all but one of those tallies.


The 18-year-old centre fed left wing Jared Steege (1G-1A, +2) for a go-ahead goal four minutes into the frame, then came right back with an assist on a power-play tally by Los Angeles Kings-drafted wing Spencer Watson (1G-2A, +2). Bennett sniped one himself minutes later, completing a run off four Kingston goals in fewer than five minutes. Potential NHL first-rounder Lawson Crouse (2G, +2) also chipped in a short-handed goal during the period, finishing off a breakaway despite Belleville's David Tomasek throwing his stick.

No. 3 star: Rylan Toth, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

Toth can probably dine out for the rest of the week on his feat of winning a goaltender duel with Pittsburgh Penguins second-rounder Tristan Jarry during Red Deer's 2-1 road win over the Edmonton Oil Kings. The 18-year-old from Saskatoon made 40 saves to help end a two-game Rebels skid. Lane Bauer solved Toth in the first period, but the netminder turned aside 16 second-period shots and did so again in the third, vexing the likes of 2014 Memorial Cup MVP Edgars Kulda and Dallas Stars draft pick Brett Pollock. Toth's teammates eventually went to the mat for him, with Adam Musil and Haydn Fleury striking for goals 82 seconds apart in the third period.

Honourable mention: Jake Virtanen, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Calgary beat the Portland Winterhawks 5-4 in overtime after trailing by three goals in the second period, earning its sixth consecutive win and fourth in a row on a swing through the U.S. Division. After the Hitmen fell behind 4-1, Virtanen (1G-1A, +1) put his team on the back and pulled it back into the game, factoring into two late second-period goals that got Calgary back in contact. Kenton Helgensen forced overtime with a short-handed goal, while goalie Mack Shields (22 saves) stoned Oliver Bjorkstrand  in overtime just moments before the Hitmen counter-attacked and got the game-winner from Jake Bean.

Potent notables — Bjorkstrand ran his goal streak to 10 games, as the Winterhawks moved to within two points of the U.S. Division lead thanks to the regulation tie ... Tyson Baillie's 35th goal of the season, a short-hander with 4:03 left, sealed Kelowna's 4-2 win against Victoria ... Sophomore Cameron Hebig (2G-1A, +2) led Saskatoon to a 6-2 win over Swift Current. Blades goalie Brock Hamm, one day after his 18th birthday, made 46 saves ... Jordan Papirny recorded a 32-save shutout in Brandon's 5-0 win over Medicine Hat, while top NHL draft prospect Ivan Provorov scored in his first game back from an upper-body injury ... In the OHL, Jack Flinn (25 saves) led Owen Sound to its fifth consecutive win, 3-0 over Barrie ... In the QMJHL, Rouyn-Noranda's Mathieu Lemay scored his 40th during a loss against Val-d'Or.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.