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Meier’s three points all the offence the Mooseheads needed in win over rival Screaming Eagles: Saturday’s 3 stars

Timo Meier's winning goal in Halifax's 3-1 win over Cape Breton increased his team-leading goal total to 32. (CP / Ghyslain Bergeron)
Timo Meier's winning goal in Halifax's 3-1 win over Cape Breton increased his team-leading goal total to 32. (CP / Ghyslain Bergeron)

No. 1 star: Timo Meier, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Meier was the man for the Mooseheads on Saturday, scoring the winning goal and assisting the other two as Halifax downed the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 3-1.

Cape Breton led 1-0 after twenty, but a Maxime Fortier goal, assisted by Meier and his import-mate Nikolaj Ehlers,evened the score heading into the final frame.

Meier made up for an earlier penalty with the winner on the man advantage at 14:23 of the final stanza, and assisted the empty netter to cap off the three point night in front of 9,120 fans at Scotiabank Centre in downtown Halifax.

Ehlers had a pair of assists in the win, which improved the Mooseheads to 26-23-3-1, two points back of Charlottetown, but three points ahead of rival Cape Breton, who dropped to 24-24-2-3.

Meier has exploded this season after a middling rookie campaign. His 34 points last season was ninth on the Mooseheads in scoring, but he’s jumped to second this season with 71 points in just 47 games, three back of teammate Ehlers for the team lead. His 32 goals lead the team.

Kevin Resop got the win in net for Halifax, while Alexandre Bélanger took the loss. Cape Breton outshot Halifax 32-28 in the contest.

No. 2 star: Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Mangiapane’s four point night helped steer the Colts to a 6-4 win over the Saginaw Spirit.

The Colts tried hard, firing 18 shots in the first period on Spirit netminder David Ovsjannikov, but couldn’t find the back of the cage, as the Spirit opened up to a 2-0 lead 21 minutes into the game.

The Colts stormed back though, scoring the next four, and five in a wild third period. Mangiapane was instrumental in the come-back, earning assists on the first two goals, then potting a goal of his own to pull the Colts ahead early in the third. He then assisted Brandon Prophet’s winning goal late in the third to seal the deal.

Mangiapane’s four pointer gives him 83 points on the season, putting him in sixth place in OHL scoring. He pulls himself ahead of phenom Connor McDavid, who has 83 points of his own, on account of goals (35 to 28).

Joseph Blandisi scored a goal and assisted two others in the win, which improved Barrie to 35-17-1-1, seven ahead of North Bay for second in the Eastern Conference, but still well back of conference-leading Oshawa. The Spirit fell to 22-28-1-1.

No. 3 star: Sergey Tolchinsky, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Tolchinsky was the focal point of the offense for the Greyhounds in their 5-0 win over the Plymouth Whalers.

He scored the winning goal, opening the scoring at 6:49 of the first, then had three primary assists on the next three Greyhound goals to put the exclamation point on his four point night. Four points give him 70 on the season, 21 off his total from last year.

Jared McCann benefitted from two Tolchinsky assists and added an assist of his own in the win, while Brandon Halverson earned the 33-save shutout.

The Greyhounds improved their Western Conference lead to six points, jumping to 41-11-0-2. Halverson’s USA teammate Alex Nedeljkovic took the loss, as the Whalers dropped to 18-31-2-2, last in the west.

Honourable mention: Tyson Baillie/Leon Draisaitl, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Baillie and Draisaitl each had four point nights in the Rockets’ 6-0 dismantling of the Moose Jaw Warriors.

They each had two goals and two assists in the win, which improved Kelowna to a WHL-best 44-9-3-1, 26 points ahead of Victoria for the B.C. Division lead.

Baillie, a Rocket veteran, improved his point totals to 63, while Draisaitl has been red hot since joining Kelowna, with 27 points in 17 games.

Jake Morrissey had the 28-save shutout, while Zach Sawchenko took the loss, dropping Moose Jaw to 22-30-3-1, leaving them eight points out of a playoff spot.

Notables: Anthony DeLuca and Christopher Clapperton each scored twice, with DeLuca adding an assist, in Rimouski’s 7-3 thrashing of Saint John. One of Clapperton’s two markers was Rimouski’s 20th goal shorthanded on the season. Simon Bourque added three assists in the win. … Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist in a miraculous comeback for Erie, coming from behind 3-0 and 4-1 to tie the score at 4-4 late in the third period, but Chris Bigras spoiled the party with the overtime winner as Owen Sound escaped with the victory 5-4. Erik Bradford had a pair of goals and an assist in the win. … Tyler Soy and Austin Carroll each scored twice, Soy adding a helper, in Victoria’s 5-2 win over Kamloops. Joe Hicketts had three assists in the win. … Samuel Blais led the way for Victoriaville with two goals and an assist in their 6-1 win over Baie-Comeau. Antoine Marcoux added a pair of goals in the victory. … Brett Gustavsen (1G, 2A) and Michael Cramarossa (2G, 1A) each had three point nights for Belleville in their 7-5 barnburner win over Peterborough. Jordan Subban scored twice for the winners, while Michael Clarke potted two in the loss. … Giorgio Estephan potted a pair in Lethbridge’s 5-3 win over Saskatoon. Mason McCarty (2G 1A) had a hand in every Blades goal in the loss. … Nikita Korostelev (1G 2A)had a three point night, while Jordan Kyrou scored twice in Sarnia’s 5-4 win over Niagara. The Sting dressed two players below the maximum. … Marvin Cüpper made 41 saves for his 29th win of the season as Shawinigan won 4-1 in Charlottetown. Alex Pawelczyk potted a pair in the win. … Cavin Leth scored twice for Swift Current in their 5-2 win over Spokane. … Chase Witala (1G 1A) scored the winner at 1:15 of the overtime as Prince George outlasted Red Deer 3-2. The Rebels fired 42 shots on Cougars netminder Tavin Grant, while the Cougars mustered 26. … Brendan Burke stopped 44-of-45 shots as Calgary got by Medicine Hat 2-1. … Donovan Neuls fired home the winner in the shootout as Seattle edged Everett 3-2 in extra fun. Matthew Barzal, who also scored in the shootout, potted the game’s tying marker in the final minute of the third for the T’Birds. … The game in Prince Albert between the Raiders and the Regina Pats was postponed due to road conditions, and a make-up date will be announced soon.