Chiefs’ Mitch Holmberg scores 2 short-handed goals on same penalty kill: Wednesday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Mitch Holmberg, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

Holmberg made the Saskatoon Blades’ power play look silly. In a span of one minute and 38 seconds at the end of the first period, the 20-year-old winger scored two short-handed goals, both assisted by Liam Stewart. The icing on the cake for Holmberg’s impressive performance is that those two goals were enough for the win as the Chiefs captured the two points by a score of 2-1. In addition, it's safe to assume the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder earned a favour from his teammate Tyler King - who sat in the sin bin for a tripping penalty during his two markers.

The Sherwood Park, Alta., native has been nothing short of extraordinary in his overage season. He has already racked up 32 goals and 66 points in just 30 games to lead the Dub in scoring. It seems if he’s able to keep up the ballpark scoring pace that he’s currently on, he will follow the footsteps of WHL alumni Tyler Johnson and Brendan Shinnimin by inking an NHL entry-level contract in his last year of major junior puck.

Eric Williams stood tall in the Chiefs' blue paint, turning aside 27 of 28 shots.

No. 2 star: Jayce Hawryluk, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

Tied at five with only 29 seconds left in the game, Hawryluk fired a shot from the faceoff circle that snuck by Regina Pats goalie Dawson MacAuley to help his team capture the 6-5 victory. Before his game-winning goal, the 5-foot-10, 190-pound centre assisted the opening marker from Jesse Gabrielle (1G-1A, +1) and scored a power-play goal just over three minutes later in the first period.

Hawryluk, whom NHL Central Scouting Service pegged as a B-list prospect in November, is in the midst of an outstanding 17-year-old season. He has been scoring at over a point-per-game pace with 13 goals and 34 points in 29 games.

No. 3 star: Eetu Laurikainen, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

The 19-year-old Finland native stymied the Lethbridge Hurricanes’ offense by turning away 35 of the 36 pucks that they threw his way in the 4-1 win. Laurikainen’s perfect play throughout the first two periods, stopping all 21 shots, led to the Broncos taking a commanding 3-0 lead. From there, he turned aside 14 of 15 shots to secure the victory.

New Jersey Devils prospect Graham Black (1G-2A, +4) and team captain Colby Cave (1G-1A, +3) led the Broncos on the score sheet.

Honourable mentions: Anthony Mantha and Louick Marcotte, Val-d’Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

Mantha and Marcotte put their chemistry on display in a 9-3 victory over the Rimouski Oceanic. The two snipers set each other up for a pair of goals apiece. Marcotte scored his first just over three minutes into the game and netted his second on the man advantage in the latter half of the middle frame. Mantha, meanwhile, kicked off the third period with a power-play marker and ended it with a short-handed goal. The four-point showings give Mantha, a Detroit Red Wings first-round pick, 32 goals and 66 points in 29 games and Marcotte 16 goals and 25 points in 31 games.

Potent notables -

Charles-Eric Legare (2G-1A, +3) and Maxim Lazarev (1G-2A, +3) led the Cape Breton Scream Eagles over the Quebec Ramparts in a 6-3 win… Drummondville Voltigeurs’ Frédérick Gaudreau and Jérome Verrier scored a goal and an assist apiece in a 5-1 victory against the Sherbrooke Phoenix… Oshawa Generals puck-stopper Ken Appleby stopped 42 of 44 shots in a 3-2 shootout loss to the Belleville Bulls… Owen Sound Attack forward Jaden Lindo potted two goals and an assist in a 5-3 victory over the Kitchener Rangers… Philadelphia Flyers prospect Anthony Stolarz turned aside 43 of 45 pucks for the London Knights in a 3-2 win against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds… Red Deer Rebels forwards Dominik Volek and Conner Bleackley scored a goal and a helper each in a 6-3 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders… Vancouver Giants goalie Jared Rathjen stopped 33 of 35 shots in a 3-2 win against Sam Reinhart’s Kootenay Ice.

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