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Soo Greyhounds’ Michael Bunting gets first OHL hat trick, leading all-rookie Wednesday’s 3 Stars

Neate Sager

No. 1 star: Michael Bunting, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

The Greyhounds' Bunting was more fundamentally sound than the St. Louis Cardinals' fielding on Wednesday. The former ninth-rounder, who didn't even play AAA midget hockey at age 15 or 16, ended up on "Cloud 9" after scoring hat trick, with an assist for garnish, during the Soo's 8-3 win over the Sarnia Sting.

Bunting, currently 18, was picked up by the 'Hounds in last spring's OHL priority selection, after finally making an AAA team in his final year of midget eligibility. (Two seasons ago, he played AA and high school hockey.)

The Scarborough, Ont., native, scored the Soo's only goal of the game's first 30 minutes as the struggling Sting took a 3-1 lead. Midway through the second, Bunting (3G-1A, +3) drew an assist on a goal. Late in the period, Sarnia took a double minor and Bunting and 19-year-old Norwegian newcomer Jorgen Karterud (2G-1A, -1) pumped in power-play goals to stake the Soo to the lead. In the final minute, Bunting capped the "best night of my life in hockey" by completing his hat trick. The win moved the 'Hounds eight points clear of the pack in the West Division.

No. 2 star: Nick McBride, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

The Burnaby Winter Club produces more than just can't-miss centres. McBride, who played in the same midget program whose alumni roll call includes the Edmonton Oilers' Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Seattle Thunderbirds rookie standout Mat Barzal, got his first win in the Dub by outright thievery during P.A.'s 3-1 win at Regina in the front end of a home-and-home. The 16-year-old from Maple Ridge, B.C., stopped 42-of-43 shots, which bought time for the Raiders to find their form in the third period.

The 6-foot-3 McBride passed an early test by stopping Regina's Max Kammerer on a penalty shot. Regina had a huge edge in shots — 18-6 after one, 34-10 through two — but McBridge helped keep the game up for grabs. Jayden Hart broke the deadlock early in the third, and then Prince Albert weathered a five-minute penalty kill after Mike Winther was ejected for a check to the head. Winnipeg Jets first-rounder Josh Morrissey scored almost immediately after the penalty ended, sealing McBride's memorable first WHL win.

No. 3 star: Alec Baer, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

It might be — it could be — it is an all-rookie Three Stars.* Baer (1G-2A, +2) helped the Giants earn their first back-to-back wins by getting in on all three first-period goals during an eventual 4-3 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen. The 16-year-old Minnesotan's snipe was a beauty, as he beat a defenceman and got Ottawa Senators-drafted goalie Chris Driedger to commit before tucking a backhand below the supine stopper.

Vancouver, being a young team and all, gradually lost its grip on that early cushion. Calgary got back to 3-3 and the Giants' chances of getting two points seemed grim when captain Dalton Thrower got a misconduct during a skirmish at the end of regulation. But they survived playing two minutes of 3-on-3 overtime before overage Tim Traber secured a character win with a spinning shot from the slot.

Honourable mention: Darcy Ashley, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Ashley (2G-1A, +2) , Tampa Bay Lightning first-rounder Jonathan Drouin (1G-2A, +2) and Florida Panthers selection Mac Weegar (1G-1A, +1) put the Herd on their backs in a 4-2 home win over division-leading Charlottetown. Ashley, whose start to his overage season was delayed by a finger injury, took a shot that Weegar redirected for a goal to pull Halifax level at 1-1 after a period. It was tied again with 4:35 left when Ashley, off a Drouin setup, put Halifax ahead to stay. For good measure, Ashley added an empty-netter.

Potent notables — Winnipeg Jets second-rounder Nic Petan (1G-1A, +1) led Portland to its sixth win in a row, 5-3 over Medicine Hat. Petan has 13 points during the win streak ... Plymouth Whalers D Mitch Jones got his first OHL goal, a short-hander no less, during a loss at Erie. Connor McDavid (2A, +2) had his sixth consecutive multi-point game, which included a primary assist on New York Rangers prospect Troy Donnay's third-period winner ... Detroit Red Wings first-rounder Anthony Mantha made it a QMJHL-best 19 goals in 13 games by getting an empty-netter in Val-d'Or's win over Shawinigan ... Raphaël Corriveau (1G-2A, +3) and Charles-Eric Légaré (1G-2A, +2) led Cape Breton to a road win over Moncton ... Christophe Lalancette (1G-2A) scored with 2:36 left to give Drummondville a win and deal Saint John its sixth loss in a row.

(* Don't spoil a good line by noting that as an 18-year-old, Bunting's not eligible for rookie honours in the OHL.)

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet. Please address any questions, comments or concerns to btnblog@yahoo.ca.