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Niagara IceDogs’ Brett Ritchie pots 5 past the Petes: Sunday’s 3 stars

No. 1 star: Brett Ritchie, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

To say Ritchie has a hot stick would be an understatement. The Dallas Stars prospect followed up his outstanding four-goal, six-point effort against the Guelph Storm on Saturday by potting five goals in the IceDogs' 6-4 win over the Peterborough Petes. This outstanding effort earned him BTN's No. 1 star in back-to-back nights.

Ritchie's nine goals in his last two games almost doubles the five goals he scored throughout the first 17 games of the year. Although he is not really a hot-and-cold player, it is safe to say he has hit his peak for the season.

Similar to last night when Ritchie overshadowed Boston Bruins first-round pick Dougie Hamilton's career four-assist night, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound winger took the spotlight away from New York Islanders first-round pick Ryan Strome, who is listed as an honourable mention after notching a goal and four helpers.

Ritchie didn't get on the boards until 15 minutes into the first period when he sniped a power-play goal. He lit the lamp again in the second, followed by a monster three-goal third period, which included the IceDogs' empty-net marker that put the game out of reach for the Petes.

No. 2 star: Jake Patterson, London Knights (OHL)

It was a goaltending duel between Patterson and Guelph Storm's Garret Sparks. Patterson was perfect, turning away all 31 shots that came his way. Sparks, a Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, made a single mistake, letting a Remi Elie shot get past him in the third period.

The Knights made sure the Storm didn't make a late comeback by netting two empty-net goals to make it a 3-0 final.

This is Patterson's first shutout of his major junior career. He is making out to be a strong No. 2 behind overager Kevin Bailie.

No. 3 star: Peter Trainor, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)

Going into the third period, the Halifax Moosheads had a 5-1 lead over Rimouski. That didn't sit well with Trainor. He notched a goal and an apple on the power play in the first four minutes of the final period. He went on to setup Scott Oke (2G-1A, -2) and Ryan MacKinnon (1G, -1) to put the game into overtime. Simon Fortier netted the game-winning shootout goal to make it a 6-5 final for the Océanic.

Oke deserves a lot of credit for Trainor's big night. He capitalized on two of his passes in the third.

Honourable mention: Ryan Strome, Niagra IceDogs (OHL)

Strome started the IceDogs-Petes game with a bang and finished it with a bigger one. The 6-foot-1, 183-pound centre potted two assists in the first period and added two more in the third as well as the IceDogs' game-winning goal.

Obviously, Strome is in a give-and-take hot streak with his linemate Ritchie. He has posted three goals and nine points in his last three games.

Honourable mention: Emile Poireir, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL)

Poireir was a one-man show for the Olympiques. Unfortunately for him and Gatineau, his hat trick wasn't enough to get into the win column over the Val-d'Or Foreurs. The Olympiques lost 3-5.

Poirer got the ball rolling by scoring the first goal of the game. He added two more in the second period, including a short-handed marker. He was one of three players (Dominic Poulin, Mickael Beauregard) to finish in the positive.

Honourable mention: Justin Feser, Tri-City Americans (WHL)

Feser led the way in the Americans' 9-1 beat down over the Vancouver Giants. He scored three goals and one assist, potting a goal in each period.

Marcus Messier (2G), Brian Williams (2G-1A), Michal Plutnar (1G-2A), and Zachary Yuen (2A) also patted their stats against the struggling Giants.

Potent notables — Captain Barclay Goodrow scored two goals in the Brampton Battalion's 4-2 win over the Sudbury Wolves…Dylan Smoskowitz potted two second-period markers to give the Mississauga Steelheads a 4-1 win over Connor McDavid (1A, -2) and the Erie Otters…Belleville Bulls' Malcolm Subban only let one shot get past him of 34 in a 2-1 win over the Windsor Spitfires…Chicoutimi Sagueneens' Guillaume Asselin (3A, +1), Gabriel Gagnon (2G, +1), Laurent Dauphin (1G-1A, +2), and Charles Hudon (3A, +3) had big nights in a 6-2 victory over the Drummondville Voltigeurs…Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Tyler Biggs had a goal and three helpers in the Oshawa Generals' 5-2 win over the Kingston Frontenacs…Ottawa Senators prospect Matt Puempel potted two goals and an assist in the Kitchener Rangers' 3-2 win over the Owen Sound Attack…Medicine Hat Tigers' Hunter Shinkaruk netted a goal and two apples in a 3-1 win over the Kootenay Ice.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen