Moran and IceDogs hold McDavid pointless for the first time this season: Thursday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Brent Moran and his defence, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

Cumulative first star awarded here, as Moran and the blueliners in front of him held Erie Otters phenom Connor McDavid pointless for the first time in the 2014-15 season in a shocking come-from-behind 5-2 win Thursday. The win was only Niagara’s third of the season, and it was Erie’s first regulation loss of the year.

The IceDogs fought off a 20-shot first period from the Otters, surrendering two goals, the only two of the game for Erie. The Otters did lead 2-1 after the first horn sounded, having outshot the IceDogs 20-5 in the frame.

Niagara stormed back in the middle stanza, and got goals from Cody Payne, Johnny Corneil and Hayden McCool to pull ahead 4-2 after forty minutes of play, and hang on for the win.

Moran got the win in net for the IceDogs, making 38 saves.

Devin Williams took the loss in goal, giving up three goals on only nine shots before being replaced by Daniel Dekoning midway through.

Blake Siebenaler and Graham Knott added goals for the IceDogs, while Kyle Pettit and Kurtis MacDermid countered for the Otters.

The win was an upset, as Erie fell to 13-1-0-1, while Niagara rose to 3-13-0-0. The win snapped a six game losing streak for the IceDogs.

The Otters snapped an eight-game winning streak in what was the ultimate definition of a trap game, as Erie plays at home against Sarnia Friday, and Saginaw Saturday.

No. 2 star: Matthew Mancina, Peterborough Petes (OHL)

Mancina continued his hot play after his trade from the Guelph Storm last week, making 43 saves and was named first star in Peterborough’s last-minute 2-1 win over the North Bay Battalion.

Stephen Nosad scored the winning goal with under six seconds left in the third period to send the fans at the Peterborough Memorial Centre home happy Thursday, but it was Mancina who stole the show, stopping 17-of-18 in the final frame to keep the score deadlocked for Nosad’s heroics.

The Tecumseh, Ontario native was shipped to the Petes for a pair of third round picks, and has been lights-out in his three starts, all wins, since the trade. He has a GAA of 1.67 and save percentage of .950.

Mancina had only played three games for the Storm, who had three netminders to choose from, and he went home in mid-October to “clear his head”.

The Petes improved to 5-6-1-2 on the year, while the Battalion dropped to 8-3-3-1.

No. 3 star: Christian Dvorak/Matt Rupert, London Knights (OHL)

Dvorak and Rupert each had five points in the Knights’ 11-1 beatdown of Guelph Thursday.

The pair of five point efforts was the most on a team with a multitude of multi-point efforts expected of a huge blowout. Mitchell Marner had a goal and three assists, while Michael McCarron and Owen MacDonald each had a pair of goals.

Miraculously, the Knights were outshot 45-34 by a visiting Storm squad that didn’t muster a goal until Chadd Bauman’s marker midway through the third period. Michael Giugovaz made 44 saves in the win, a much tougher one than you would expect an 11-1 score to indicate.

Dvorak and Dakota Mermis, who had three assists, led the Knights with a +6 rating.

Notable: Zach Nastasiuk had two goals in a losing effort as Windsor doubled up Owen Sound 4-2. Ryan Moore had two assists in the win, while Cristiano DiGiacinto had the winner and was named first star.