Americans hustle; Comrie combo closes out Calgary: Wednesday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Eric Comrie, Tri-City Americans (WHL)

The WHL office is in Calgary, so it would have saved everyone time if Comrie had just stopped by to pick up his goaltender of the month award early. The Winnipeg Jets second-rounder nabbed two points for Tri-City by stopping 39-of-40 shots in a 4-1 victory that was capped off by his 16-year-old brother Ty Comrie scoring an insurance goal in the third period.

Eric Comrie now has a 1.19 average and .966 save percentage in January. He made 28 saves through a scoreless first 40 minutes at the Saddledome, twice denying Pavel Padakin on short-handed opportunities and also coming up with a big stop on Brady Brassart. The Hitmen then fell prey to one of those strange hockey paradoxes in the third after Edmonton Oilers pick Greg Chase scored 84 seconds into the third for a 1-0 lead. It woke up Tri-City, which replied with four unanswered.

Brian Williams' 30th just 1:40 after Chase's tally got Tri-City rolling; Calgary-born Philip Tot (2A, +1) set up two decisive goals in the final 10 minutes.

No. 2 star: Jonny Hogue, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

The 17-year-old goalie, a former 'Canes stick boy, got his first career win after making 41 saves in a 3-2 upset of the Prince Albert Raiders. Hogue was burned for two goals by Winnipeg Jets first-rounder Josh Morrissey in the first nine minutes. Another long night appeared to be in the offing for Lethbridge, which came in dragging an eight-game losing streak. Hogue, however, made 15 first-period saves to buy the 'Canes some time and shut down Prince Albert over the final two periods. His teammates responded by pulling out the win, with Brody Ramsay bagging the game-winner.

The result put a serious crimp in P.A.'s playoff hopes, since it remains five points out of the last spot.

No. 3 star: Mitch Holmberg, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

The Dub's leading scorer helped bring Spokane all the way back for a come-from-behind 6-5 shootout win over league-leading Kelowna, handing the Rockets their first back-to-back losses.

The Chiefs trailed by three after 40 and the only bright spot had been Holmberg's shorty in the second period, the overage's WHL-most 46th of the campaign. On the opening shift of the third, Holmberg (1G-2A, +1) teed up Liam Stewart for a back-in-business goal. It was 5-4 when a chintzy penalty call improved Spokane's chances to tie. Holmberg promptly paid Reid Gow back for a season's worth of setups and Spokane equalized with 4:36 left. Gow had two goals, doubling his season total in one night.

Chiefs backup goalie Garret Hughson made eight saves in relief and then stopped six shootout tries.

Honourable mention: Brad Morrison, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Morrison (1G-3A, +3) had his first career four-point game during P.G.'s 10-6 win over the Saskatoon Blades in a joust between also-rans. The rookie, who turned 17 on Jan. 4, had three points while the Cougars roared out to a 7-1 first-period lead. That included assists on goals nine seconds apart.

The Blades got the margin down to three goals before Morrison set up Zach Pochiro (2G-1A), the Las Vegas native, late in the second. Anyone who has a run like the Cougars' while visiting Pochiro's hometown probably gets banned from every casino on the Strip.

Honourable mention: Carl-Antoine Delisle, Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)

Delisle (2G-1A, +3) got loose for a breakaway to score the winner with 6:15 left as Victoriaville won 4-3 at Cape Breton for its eighth win in a row. The Screaming Eagles twice had two-goal leads, but the overage Delisle scored in the second and assisted on a Petr Sidlik salvo late in the second to keep the Tigres in close range. Victoriaville then pulled through in the third, with Phoenix Coyotes third-rounder Yan Pavel Laplante potting the tying goal at 1:53 and St. Louis Blues-drafted goalie François Tremblay (42 saves) holding firm.

Honourable mention: Alexis D'Aoust, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

D'Aoust (2G, +1) made his 100th junior game memorable by getting the winning goal to help the Cats beat Saint John 4-2 in a basement battle. The Trois-Rivières native opened the scoring 6:50 in and then buried another goal in the second period to open a 3-1 edge. The win moved Shawinigan within three points of the final playoff position.

Potent notables — Washington Capitals-drafted D Tyler Lewington (3A, +3) had his first WHL three-point game during Medicine Hat's win over Kootenay ... Vancouver's Dalton Sward (2G-1A, -1 in win over Kamloops) has nine goals in the Giants' last eight games ... Pittsburgh Penguins signing Matt Murray stopped 42-of-45 shots in Sault Ste. Marie's 6-3 doubling of Saginaw in the only OHL game. Murray's 26 wins is second in the league, one behind Guelph's Justin Nichols, his former understudy ... The Guelph-Owen Sound game was rescheduled to Feb. 24 due to inclement weather ... In the QMJHL, Danick Martel (1G-1A, +1) ended his six-game point drought to help Blainville-Boisbriand beat Rimouski and retake second overall, one point behind Baie-Comeau ... Ottawa Senators pick Vincent Dunn got his 20th and had a Gordie Howe hat trick during Gatineau's 6-2 rout of Acadie-Bathurst ... Fredericton native Noah Zilbert (2G, +1) scored both Saint John goals.

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.