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Barrie Colts’ Mathias Niederberger calms the Storm: Saturday’s 3 stars

Kelly Friesen

No. 1 star: Mathias Niederberger, Barrie Colts (OHL)

The Guelph Storm couldn’t solve Niederberger tonight, as he led the Colts to a 2-0 victory with a 44-save shutout. From start to finish, the German native had pucks flying at him, turning away 17 shots in the first period and 16 in the final frame. The icing on the cake for Niederberger’s outstanding showing is that he outperformed Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Garret Sparks, who has seven shutouts on the year.

The Colts didn’t get on the board until roughly five minutes into the second when Steven Beyers lit the lamp for his 14th on the season. Tyson Fawcett potted Barrie’s cushion marker on the man advantage in the latter half of the third.

Niederberger has stood tall in his overage season with the Colts. Throughout his 30-11-2 record in 50 games, the 5-foot-11, 171-pounder has maintained a .932 save percentage and 2.39 average.

No. 2 star: Marek Langhamer, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

Despite the Swift Current Broncos outshooting the Tigers 38-25, Medicine Hat ran away with a 2-0 win thanks to Langhamer’s outstanding showing in the blue paint. The shutout was the Phoenix Coyotes prospect’s second of the year. He has shared the net with overager Cam Lanigan in his rookie WHL season, suiting up for 26 of the Tigers' 63 games.

Curtis Valk was the only Tiger who slid one past Broncos netminder Eetu Laurikainen, with Boston Leier notching an empty-net marker with 14 seconds left in the game.

No. 3 star: Angelo Miceli, Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)

Every time the Tigres scored in their 5-2 victory over the Shawinigan Cataractes, Miceli (3G-2A, +3) was on the score sheet. After setting up a Philippe Maillet goal in the first, the Montreal native potted a hat trick and added an apple in the second frame. Miceli's huge night gives him 31 goals and 72 points in 59 games on the season.

Honourable mention: Phillip Danault, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Danault (2G-2A, +1) played hero in the Wildcats’ 4-3 overtime win over the P.E.I. Rocket. The Chicago Blackhawks first-round pick notched Moncton’s first goal of the game in the second to tie it up at one apiece. Following setting up Yannick Veilleux and Dimitrij Jaskin in the third period, Danault notched the game winner on the power play with only 23 seconds left in extra time.

Honourable mention: Garret Hughson, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Hughson posted his first shutout of his major junior career in a 2-0 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. The 17 year old stopped 32 shots, including 14 in the middle frame. After a scoreless first period, Blake Gal and Todd Fiddler potted goals past Blazers netminder Cole Cheveldave in the second to give Hughson some breathing room.

Honourable mention: Andrey Makarov, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

The Russian goaltender led the Blades to a WHL season-high 15-game win streak by stopping 31 of 32 shots in a 7-1 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors. The Blades’ seven goals were spread around the dressing room with Matej Stransky, Brendan Walker, Nik Zajac, Dalton Thrower, Darren Dietz, Collin Valcourt, and Matt Revel notching one apiece in that order.

Potent Notables – Dallas Stars prospect Brett Ritchie potted a pair of goals to lead the Niagara IceDogs to a 4-1 win over the Kingston Frontenacs … Alex Nedeljkovic posted a 20-save shutout in the Plymouth Whalers’ 4-0 victory over the Sarnia Sting … the Everett Silvertips’ Tyler Sandhu (2G) and Landon Oslanski (3A, +1) were pivotal in their 3-2 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds … St. Louis Blues prospect Ty Rattie (2G-1A, +2) led the Portland Winterhawks to a 6-1 win over the Prince George Cougars … Cody Fowlie (2G-1A, +3) and Tyrell Goulbourne (1G-2A, +3) had three-point nights in the Kelowna Rockets’ 7-2 trump over the Victoria Royals … the Tri-City Americans’ Justin Feser netted one goal and four assists in a 8-1 shellacking over the Edmonton Oil Kings … Zachary Fortin turned away 47 of 50 shots in a Quebec Ramparts’ 6-3 victory over the Val-D’or Foreurs … the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies’ Nikita Kucherov potted four goals in a 8-2 win over the Gatineau Olympiques.

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