Curtis Lazar’s hat trick brings Prince Albert Raiders down to earth: Friday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Curtis Lazar, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

The Ottawa Senators first-round pick made the Prince Albert Raiders pay on the scoreboard, with heavy interest. A much-anticipated matchup between the two-time conference champion Oil Kings and nationally ranked P.A. turned out to be a 9-1 laugher, with Lazar (3G-1A, +4) leading the way. The 18-year-old from Vernon, B.C., is a marked man after his extended stay with Ottawa, which might explain why he was cross-checked in the back very late by P.A.'s Hart after opening the scoring 12:42 into the game.

Lazar's linemate, Mitch Moroz, got 27 penalty minutes for starting a fight in retribution for the cheap shot. Lazar was no worse for wear. He scored again 30 seconds after play resumed and P.A. never recovered, falling behind 8-0 by the end of 40 minutes. Overages Cody Corbett (1G-1A, +5) and Riley Kieser (2G, +2) were also pivotal during the pummelling. Lazar set up Edgars Kulda for a second-period goal and completed his hat trick in the third.

No. 2 star: Anthony Richard, Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

A forward named Anthony was first star after helping Val-d'Or hand the Charlottetown Islanders their first regulation loss, only it wasn't Detroit Red Wings first-rounder Anthony Mantha. Richard (2G-1A, +2), who is almost a foot shorter than his well-known namesake, took first-star honours after scoring twice in the second period when Val-d'Or blew the game open en route to a 9-4 win.

Charlottetown had cut into an early deficit and trailed just 2-1 entering the middle frame. Richard, a 5-foot-8 centre who doesn't turn 17 for another two months, scored just 2:23 into the period, and his team tallied three more times over the next six minutes to put away the Prince Edward Islanders.

Mantha also had a two-goal night, giving him 10 in six games. Former Halifax Moosehead Randy Gazzola had three assists and a plus-4 from his defence spot.

No. 3 star: Scott Oke, Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)

The overage wing was huge in Rimouski's 6-2 road rout of Victoriaville, notching four points to help the Océanic make a statement win. Oke (2G-2A, +1), who earned a Memorial Cup ring three seasons ago with Saint John, had been quiet with just two points through seven games. But he was lethal throughout the night as Rimouski controlled play throughout. The St-Lambert, Que., native assisted on a power-play goal fewer than two minutes into the action, got in another goal before the opening 20 minutes was through and converted a feed from Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder Frédérik Gauthier (2A, +2) midway through the second period.

Honourable mention: Jordon Cooke, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Cooke helped Kelowna take the front end of a two-game series with three-time WHL Western Conference champion Portland, making 42 saves during a 6-2 Rockets win. Kelowna came in having lost 14-of-16 games to the powerful Winterhawks, but their goalie was there for them throughout, particularly with a 16-save second period when the Rockets took a two-goal lead and forced Portland to get a little desperate. Eighteen-year-old Tyson Baillie had three assists, while 16-year-old rookie forward Nick Merkley had his second two-goal game in a row.

Honourable mention: Nick Baptiste, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

The Buffalo Sabres pick got his first hat trick in major junior, leading Sudbury by Peterborough 7-4. Baptiste got started by using his speed to force Peterborough to haul him down on a second-period short-handed breakaway, earning a penalty shot that he buried. The Barrhaven, Ont., native scored a power-play goal and an empty-netter for a unique trifecta. Baptiste has seven goals in five games; as 17-year-old last season, he didn't get his seventh until Dec. 8.

Honourable mention: Chris Tierney, London Knights (OHL)

The San Jose Sharks pick led a Knights three-goal comeback for a 5-4 win over an impassioned Windsor Spitfires squad. Montreal Canadiens pick Brady Vail's fourth goal of the young season opened a 4-2 lead for Windsor after 40 minutes. In the third, London was relentless, with Tierney, picking up the slack for suspended Max Domi, scoring 6:13 into the third before drawing a helper on the tying goal 2 1/2 minutes later. London kept pressing and eventually the roof fell in when Tierney (2G-1A, +1) buried the winner with 2:33 left.

Honourable mention: Josh Sterk, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

Make it five multi-point efforts in six games for Sterk since the Kitchener Rangers moved him just before the season opener. Sterk (1G-2A) helped the Gens shade the Belleville Bulls 3-2, setting up a first-minute goal by fellow breakout 18-year-old Hunter Smith (five already) before getting a pair of power-play assists.

Potent notables — Sixteen-year-old Mathew Barzal scored on a penalty shot in the final minute of regulation to enable the Seattle Thunderbirds to pull out a 5-4 overtime road win over Medicine Hat ... Top NHL draft prospect Sam Reinhart, with two assists in a 4-3 overtime loss at Calgary, has been in on 12 of the Kootenay Ice's 14 goals through five games ... Edmonton Oilers pick Jujhar Khaira (1G-1A, +1) led Everett by Tri-City 2-0, with Austin Lotz making 29 saves for the bagel ... Overage Connor Sanvido (2G-1A, +3) led Swift Current to a 6-1 win over Regina ... Overage Todd Fiddler (2G-2A, +1) helped Moose Jaw get by Mathew Dumba-less Red Deer 6-4 ... In the OHL, 17-year-old Sam Bennett (2G-2A, +3) and Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick Henri (Hank) Ikonen (4A, +3) each had four points in Kingston's win over Ottawa. Bennett got a slew-footing match penalty ... Buffalo Sabres pick Eric Locke (3A, +2) led Saginaw to a win over Plymouth in his first game since returning from the AHL ... Toronto Maple Leafs second-rounder Matt Finn and Detroit Red Wings second-rounder Tyler Bertuzzi will each face minimum two-game suspensions for 'second fight' infractions during Guelph's 7-1 win over Owen Sound. The Storm had seven different goal scorers ... Carolina Hurricanes pick Trevor Carrick was the game's first star after leading Mississauga to a 3-2 shootout win over Barrie. All of the Steelheads' four wins have come in extra time ... In the QMJHL, Jonathan Drouin had two points (1G-1A) and won 60.9 per cent of his faceoffs (14-of-23) in Halifax's 3-2 win at Sherbrooke ... Jacob Brennan's 33 saves backed Acadie-Bathurst to a 4-1 win over provincial rival Moncton ... Christopher Clapperton's three assists helped Blainville-Boisbriand beat Drummondville to improve to a flawless 7-0-0-0 ... at the other end of the standings table, 43 saves by Marvin Cüpper were not enough for the Shawinigan Cataractes to get into the winners' circle, as they lost 4-3 in overtime at Rouyn-Noranda ...

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.