Advertisement

Baptiste nets hat trick to spur comeback for Wolves: Sunday’s 3 stars

Baptiste's three goals give him 35 goals on the year, placing him eighth in OHL goal-scoring. (CP / Kenneth Armstrong)
Baptiste's three goals give him 35 goals on the year, placing him eighth in OHL goal-scoring. (CP / Kenneth Armstrong)

No. 1 star: Nicholas Baptiste, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Baptiste scored a hatty, including two in Sudbury’s four-goals-in-four-minutes outburst, to lead the Wolves to a 5-3 win over the Niagara IceDogs.

The Buffalo third rounder opened the scoring for the Wolves, cutting the IceDog lead to 2-1 just :16 seconds into the second period. Niagara then scored again early in the third, increasing their lead to 3-1, making Sudbury go to work.

And go to work they did.

First defender Trevor Carrick scored at 8:41 to cut the lead to 3-2, then Baptiste tied it just 15 seconds later. Carrick scored again to put the Wolves ahead for good at 9:55, and Baptiste completed his hat trick with an insurance marker at 11:02.

Carrick scored twice and added an assist in the win, while Radek Faksa had three helpers in the victory, but it was all about Baptiste’s three goals, giving him 35 on the year, and the game’s first star honours.

Troy Timpano stopped 29 shots in a rare start for the Wolves, earning the win. Blake Richard took the loss, making 32 saves, in a back-up battle.

Sudbury improved to 29-17-3-6 on the year, good enough for a three point lead on second place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference, while Niagara dropped to 18-31-2-5.

No. 2 star: Charles Hudon, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)

Hudon powered the Drakkar to surge over the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Sunday and led them to a 7-3 win.

The Habs prospect snapped a 3-3 tie with exactly a minute left in the second period, and then assisted on Baie-Comeau’s next two goals to put the game on ice. His points on Sunday leave him with 65 on the season, good enough for 13th place in QMJHL scoring.

All of Hudon’s assists were primary. He was helped by teammate Valentin Zykov, who matched his one-goal-and-three-assists output. Jérémy Grégoire scored twice for the Drakkar.

Philippe Cadorette got the win in goal, his 29th of the season, making 27 saves, as Baie-Comeau jumped to 39-14-1-3. Alexandre Bélanger hung around for all seven of the Drakkar goals and took the loss, dropping the Huskies to 31-20-3-2.

No. 3 star: Mikhail Grigorenko, Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)

Grigorenko has been on fire since he returned from the NHL, earning points in every game but two since his return and earning a hat-trick on Sunday in Quebec’s 6-1 win over Shawinigan.

Grigo’s four points give him 17 in 12 games so far this season. He opened the scoring, then added two goals in the third period to ice the win.

Olivier Archambault also had four points, of the two goals and two assists variety, in the win, while Adam Chapman had three helpers. Anthony Duclair scored his 50th goal of the season to lead the league by one.

Callum Booth stopped 39 shots for the win in goal, while Storm Phaneuf steered aside 27 in the loss. Quebec improved to 33-15-3-6, while Shawinigan remains in the hunt for the last playoff spot in the Q with a 15-34-4-4 mark.

Honourable mention: Zach Pochiro, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Pochiro scored twice and added an assist as Prince George came back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat Seattle 6-4, despite being outshot 49-28.

Pochiro scored the goal that tied the game at three, then assisted on the winning goal on the powerplay and the scored an insurance marker.

Captain Troy Bourke scored and added two assists, while three other players had to points apiece.

The Cougars scored six unanswered goals in the game and improved to 25-29-3-5 on the year with the win. Seattle fell to 37-18-2-3, but already have a playoff spot clinched in the WHL’s Western Conference.

Honourable mention: Mitch Holmberg, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Holmberg scored twice and added an assist to help his Chiefs to a 5-3 win over the Everett Silvertips and earned a season milestone in the process.

His three points give him a total of 100 on the season, his first in three digits and gives him another share of the WHL scoring lead.

Mike Aviani had a goal and two assists and Adam Helewka chipped in with three helpers in the win, which improved the Chiefs to 34-20-3-2 on the season. Eric Williams stopped 34 shots for the victory. Carter Hart took the loss, as Everett fell to 28-23-7-1.

Notables: Cain Franson scored twice and added two assists as Vancouver destroyed Kamloops 7-2. Joel Hamilton had a goal and three assists, and Jackson Houck had a goal and two helpers. … Philippe Gadoury scored twice and Nikolaj Ehlers and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and an assist as Halifax stormed Acadie-Bathurst 6-0. Zachary Fucale had a 17-save shutout. … Michael Dal Colle scored and added a helper as Oshawa wins 3-2 over North Bay. … Loïk Léveillé had a goal and two assists to lead Cape Breton to a 7-1 win over Saint John. Julien Pelletier had two goals. … Étienne Marcoux stopped all 24 shots he faced as Blainville-Boisbriand won 2-0 over Victoriaville. It was his third shutout of the year. … Philippe Desrosiers made 28 saves for the goose egg as Rimouski defeated Drummondville 3-0.