Martin shuts out Bulls, Reway helps lead shorthanded Olympiques – Wednesday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 Star - Spencer Martin, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Most goaltenders at the top of the OHL save percentage list, such as Matt Murray, Oscar Dansk or Matt Mahalak have absurd win-loss records to go along with their fine play. Not so much the case for Spencer Martin this season, the Colorado Avalanche third rounder. Perhaps that's why his name was left off of the rosters for the OHL Super Series later this month, in favour of Murray, Jake Paterson and Daniel Altshuller. After tonight's 39-save performance on the big ice at Belleville, Martin actually pulled himself into a tie with Altshuller in save percentage and above Paterson, and though it is early, Martin looks primed for another fantastic year.

There wasn't a whole lot of outrageous offensive performances in any of the CHL's 13 games Wednesday night, so we'll hand over the first star on the night to a goaltender and highlight Martin's shutout over Belleville. Not that the Bulls are an offensive juggernaut by any stretch, but 39 shots is 39 shots, and Martin earned praise on social media for his performance. In addition to 39 shots, the Bulls had six powerplays, failing to convert on any of them. For Martin, however, he's now 3-1 in his last four games, stopping 158 of his last 165 shots and getting two shutouts in the process. Even without the Super Series invite, here's hoping his name stays in the mix for Team Canada's potential goaltenders at the World U-20s in December.

The Steelheads scored three times, with Carolina prospect Trevor Carrick earning a goal and an assist.

No. 2 Star - Martin Reway, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)

Though they were without Calgary Flames first rounder Emile Poirier, who was out due to suspension, the Gatineau Olympiques managed a solid 5-2 win over the streaking Halifax Mooseheads. They were paced on offence by team captain Taylor Burke who scored two goals and added an assist, but the Montreal Canadiens prospect and Czech national Reway had three assists in the win. Each assist came on a dominant Gatineau powerplay that went 3-for-7 on the night , and Reway added three shots on goal for good measure.

Reway had a modest three-game point streak snapped in Quebec on Sunday, but he recovered for a three-point effort Wednesday. Fun fact? Reway has just one one-point game on the season, and seven multi-point efforts.

No. 3 Star - Aspen Sterzer, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Two WHL players earned three points in their games Wednesday, both of them playing for the rebuilding Blazers playing at home to Spokane. Sterzer scored the winning goal in a 5-4 game with 9:39 remaining on the clock. That capped off a two-goal, one-assist night for the undrafted Canal Flats, B.C.-native. Linemate Cole Ully, taken by Dallas back in June, had a goal and an assist in the Blazers victory.

Honourable Mention, Cameron Darcy, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL) Darcy's one-goal, three-assist effort pulled him into a tie for second in the QMJHL scoring race with 27… just 12 points back of Val-d'Or's Anthony Mantha.

Honourable Mention, Jaedon Descheneau, Kootenay Ice (WHL) - Two goals for Jaedon Descheneau in the 4-3 win against Red Deer. Descheneau went undrafted in June most likely due to his 5'9" frame, but he's now scored 24 points in just 16 games on the season. Free Jaedon.

Potent Notables: San Jose third-rounder Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau had two goals and an assist for Baie-Comeau… but Anthony Duclair had the Remparts winner in a 6-5 game. Detroit's Zach Nastasiuk with a pair of assists in Owen Sound's 5-3 win over Barrie, while Aaron Ekblad was a minus-3… 53 shots for Portland, two points each for Nic Petan, Keegan Iverson and Oliver Bjorkstrand… pretty standard night for the Winterhawks. Dalton Thrower scored the OT winner for Vancouver in Prince George as backup Jared Rathjen made 34 saves in a 3-2 win.