Advertisement

Max Domi, London Knights run win streak to 14: Saturday’s 3 Stars

Neate Sager

No. 1 star: Max Domi, London Knights (OHL)

The Guelph Storm had a good chance to deal the Knights a loss, but could not keep Domi out of the dirty areas to score two crucial goals in London's well-earned 3-1 win. Storm goalie Garret Sparks was sharp and the teams were level heading toward the five-minute mark of regulation when the potential NHL first-round pick made base camp in the goalmouth and got his stick on a Brett Welychka rebound a hiccup before he was crushed by a cross-check by 6-foot-5 defenceman Andrey Pedan. That sent the OHL-leading Londoners on to their 14th consecutive win, a 3-1 verdict.

Domi (2G, +2) also opened scoring with another close-range strike. He and linemates Alex Broadhurst and Seth Griffith worked the cycle perfect, with Domi slipping into the slot to smack in Griffith's centring pass. The Knights' other highly touted 17-year-old forward, Bo Horvat, also scored. The two-goal night gave Domi 16 goals and 40 points in 29 games, top among OHLers in next summer's NHL draft class. (The suspended Sean Monahan has 36 points in five fewer games, but is also a third-year junior.)

No. 2 star: Morgan Klimchuk, Regina Pats (WHL)

Getting five points in half a game is worth an exception to the unwritten rule that BTN only recognizes winning efforts. The 17-year-old Klimchuk (2G-3A) had his most prolific night as a junior in the Pats' oh-so-close overtime 6-5 loss to the much deeper Spokane Chiefs, whose winning goal scorer, 17-year-old defenceman Tyler King, was making a Saskatchewan homecoming.

Klimchuk, who ran his point streak to 11 games, combined for 10 points with Lane Scheidl (2G-1A) and Colten Mayor (1G-1A). The Calgary native and goalie Teagan Sacher (54 saves) were the reasons Regina cadged a regulation tie on a night when they were outshot 60-25.

No. 3 star: Alex Galchenyuk, Sarnia Sting (OHL)

Galchenyuk (3G-1A, +3) and wings Reid Boucher (2G-1A, +3) and Charlie Sarault (3A, +3) combined for 10 points in Sarnia's 5-2 win over the cellar-dwelling Peterborough Petes. The deduction for facing a weaker team keeps this from being first or second star, but the Montreal Canadiens No. 3 overall pick found space to score the first two Sting goals and made a great pass to Boucher (six goals in his last three games) for a goal that opened a 3-1 third-period lead.

Honourable mention: Brandon Glover, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

The 20-year-old goalie backed the Thunderbirds to a 4-2 win over the mighty Kelowna Rockets, one of Seattle's biggest so far this season. Glover stopped 37-of-39 shots against one of the Dub's highest-scoring teams, including 17-of-18 in a nip-tuck third period. Seattle, which moved back to .500 after 27 games and ended Kelowna's five-game win streak, had plenty of heroes. Sophomore defenceman Shea Theodore scored the winning goal and 19-year-old Connor Sanvido made two pretty passes that were converted into goals.

Honourable mention: Ben Duffy, P.E.I. Rocket (QMJHL)

Duffy (1G-2A, +3) and fellow overage scorer extraordinaire Josh Currie (1G-1A, +2) put P.E.I. on their back in a 4-1 win over the Victoriaville Tigres. They were in on the first goal of the game (Currie from Duffy) and also had the assists on the backbreaker by Louick Marcotte with 30 seconds left in Period 2 to put P.E.I. up by two goals. The dynamic duo is now 1-2 in QMJHL scoring.

Potent notables — Goalie Justin Paulic, 17, stopped 29-of-31 shots and both shootout tries to help Moose Jaw edge Kamloops 3-2. The extra-time loss dropped the Blazers into a tie for first overall with Portland, which has three games in hand ... Overage Ryon Moser (2G-1A, +3) led Swift Current to a 5-0 blanking of reeling Brandon, who badly miss star defenceman Ryan Pulock ... Red Deer's Patrik Bartosak had a 21-save shutout vs. Saskatoon ... Everett rookie rearguard Cole MacDonald scored his first WHL goal ... In the OHL, Dallas Stars first-rounder Radek Faksa had two points and converted in the shootout, helping Kitchener win 5-4 at Plymouth ... fellow Stars prospect Brett Ritchie also had a two-point night, but in a Niagara loss ... Owen Sound's Jordan Binnington, with 32 saves in a 2-1 win at Sault Ste. Marie, retook the league lead in average (2.15) and save percentage (.935) ... Kingston's Mike Morrison stopped 42-of-43 shots to edge Belleville 3-1. Winning goal scorer Darcy Greenaway notched his 11th in 13 games ... In the QMJHL, Mark Tremaine (1G-1A, +2) led Moncton to a 4-1 win over Chicoutimi. The 18-year-old has had three multi-point games, but only one point in his other 23 games ... Shawinigan Cataractes rookie Dylan Labbé had his first three-point game.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.