Hudon’s natural hatty leads Chicoutimi comeback: Wednesday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Charles Hudon, Chicoutimi Sanguéens (QMJHL)

Trailing 3-1 at home with seven minutes left in regulation, Hudon took over, scoring three times in a span of 4:28 to lift the Sanguéens to a win over visiting Victoriaville.

Hudon, a fifth-round draftee of the Montreal Candadiens this year, scored at the 13:10 mark to bring Chicoutimi within 3-2. On the power play, with just under three minutes left, Victoriaville's Troy Vance hooked Hudon on a breakaway, conceding a penalty shot that Hudon buried to tie the score.

With the Sanguéens still holding the man advantage, Hudon notched the game winner 35 seconds later to stun the Tigres, who are winless through three games. Hudon, who had 66 points in 59 games last season, has four goals and seven points through three games in the new campaign.

No. 2 star: Jean-Sébastian Dea, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (QMJHL)

After notching 17 goals as a rookie a year ago, Dea came out strong this year in the preseason, scoring six goals in four games. Those games didn't count, but Dea's hot streak isn't showing any signs of fizzling out.

Dea registered a hat trick Wednesday as the Huskies routed Sherbrooke 9-2. That gives him a league-leading six goals through his first three regular-season contests. Including his preseason run, Dea's scored 12 goals in his last seven games.

The Huskies improved to 2-1 on the season with the blowout victory, while the Q's newest franchise, the Phoenix, dropped to 0-3. It could be a long year in Sherbrooke for the city's first major junior entry since the Castors left town in 2004.

No. 3 star: Ty Rimmer, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

Not only did Rimmer's Canes lose to Edmonton, but his goaltending counterpart for the Oil Kings, Tristan Jarry, posted a shutout in beating him.

Still, there was no doubt as to who the No. 1 star was at Lethbridge's Enmax Centre Wednesday night. The powerhouse Oil Kings overwhelmed the Hurricanes, outshooting them 60-20, but Rimmer singlehandedly kept his team in the game. Rimmer stopped 57 shots overall to set a new WHL season high in a 3-0 loss.

An overager this season, Rimmer was the Western Conference's top goaltender last season with the Tri-City Americans. But with youngster Eric Comrie ready to assume the starting role there, the Ams shipped Rimmer off to Lethbridge, where he's likely to be under heavy fire this season with a rebuilding team.

Rimmer's postgame tweet summed up his night:

Appreciate all the support. Thanks everybody #exhausted

Potent notables — Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice as Saint John beat Moncton 4-2 in the first game of this year's Brunswick News Rivalry Cup, a season-long competition between the Sea Dogs and Wildcats that involves, among other things, a moustache-growing contest ... Zach O'Brien (2G-1A) and Brandon Hynes (1G-2A) teamed up to lead Acadie-Bathurst to a 4-1 win over Cape Breton ... Gabriel Desjardins had four points (1G-3A) in Rouyn-Noranda's previously mentioned 9-2 blasting of Sherbrooke ... Goaltending was nonexistent in Brandon's 9-6 win over Saskatoon. Alessio Bertaggia and Jens Meilleur each had two goals and an assist for the 3-0 Wheat Kings. Nick Buonassisi also had three points (1G-2A). Josh Nicholls tallied two goals and an assist, but missed on a penalty shot, for the Memorial Cup hosts, who are off to a 1-2 start ... Morgan Klimchuk scored twice, including the overtime winner, as Regina fought back from an early three-goal deficit to beat Swift Current 4-3.