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Guelph Storm’s Justin Auger performs last-second heroics, Connor McDavid shines: Friday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Justin Auger, Guelph Storm (OHL)

The 6-foot-7 (!) right wing showed the shiftiness of a 5-7 guy while scoring his hat-trick goal with five seconds to go to vault Guelph to a 5-4 comeback win over the Plymouth Whalers. Auger (3G, +3) used his long reach to basically do a quadruple-deke to slalom around Whalers defenceman Nick Malysa before tucking a backhand behind Carolina Hurricanes-drafted goalie Matt Mahalak, capping a night where the Storm won after trailing by two goals through 40 minutes. The play was made possible through some grunt work by Ryan Horvat (2A, +1), who won a puck battle at the Whalers blueline to give Auger the opportunity.

The 18-year-old Auger also had another go-ahead goal in the third on a one-timer off a setup by Patrick Watling (2A, +1). It was a career night for the Waterloo, Ont., native, who was the man of the match in a game that included 16 NHL draft picks. Auger had only 14 points as a rookie but showed this evening that Guelph might have another high-upside forward.

No. 2 star: Connor McDavid, Erie Otters (OHL)

Some rookies would consider it a good night if they got two shots on goal against the famously close-checking Brampton Battalion. The 15-year-old phenom McDavid (2G, +2) made some memories in his home debut by scoring two goals to lead Erie to a 5-1 win over Brampton, rewarding coach Robbie Ftorek with a win on a night when the Otters paid tribute his late daughter. McDavid's goals each came on setups from Toronto Maple Leafs pick Connor Brown. Columbus Blue Jackets-drafted goalie Oscar Dansk also stopped 34-of-35 shots.

No. 3 star: Adam Lowry, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

Proof that karma exists: the Saskatoon Blades scheduled a between-periods shootout for Justin Bieber tickets on a night when they got hammered 10-1 at home by Lowry and the Swift Current Broncos. The Winnipeg Jets draft pick, with two goals and two helpers, and New Jersey Devils prospect Reece Scarlett (1G-3A, +3) each had four points in a victory that must have been sweetly satisfying for fans in the Dub's smallest city.

The Blades, who seem to be a fragile bunch these days, fired 19 opening-period shots on Broncos 'tendy Eetu Laurikainen (46 saves) and found themselves down 2-0. (Lowry had the night's first goal.) That all boiled over in the second period when Swift Current scored seven goals, including four power-play tallies in span of 5:50.

Honourable mention: Brenden Kichton, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

The New York Islanders draft pick showed why he's one of the best offensive defencemen around, getting in on all Chiefs goals in their 5-3 home win over the Victoria Royals. The overage Kichton (2G-3A, even plus/minus) had only two assists in his first three games of the year, but he went off and then some on Friday. His second goal of the contest held up as the game-winner.

Honourable mention: Anthony Bardaro, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

The small-market Raiders made it successive wins over the two Western League teams that are owned by NHL franchises, edging the Calgary Hitmen 5-4 in a shootout. The overage Bardaro (2G, -3) earned first-star honours, while Raiders star 17-year-old defenceman Josh Morrissey (1G-2A, -2) had a triumphant return to his hometown. Between Swift Current shellacking Saskatoon and the Raiders' win in Cowtown, it was a quite a night for the league's small markets.

Honourable mention: Sergey Tolchinsky, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Speaking of 5-7 guys, Tolchinsky (2G) became the first player to score a power-play goal against the Kitchener Rangers while sparking the Soo to a 4-2 (with an empty-netter) win over the nationally ranked Kitchener Rangers. The wily Russian got the Greyhounds rolling in the first period by picking a top corner behind NHL second-round pick John Gibson and also pounced on a puck in the slot in the second period for what proved to be the winning goal. Tolchinsky, 17, was named the game's second star at the Essar Centre. Pittsburgh Penguins-drafted goalie Matt Murray stopped 39-of-41 shots and did not allow an even-strength goal against the Rangers.

Honourable mention: Christopher Clapperton, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Clapperton (3G, +1) scored a hat trick to help B-B defuse the P.E.I. Rocket 6-2. The 18-year-old left wing, who was undrafted in June despite scoring nearly a point per game last season, opened the scoring for the Armada in the fifth minute of the game. In the second period, he essentially decided the issue by scoring two goals fewer than five minutes apart in the back half of the frame. Clapperton's contributions kept the Armada (5-0-0-1) unbeaten in regulation.

Potent notables — Regina Pats overage defenceman Colton Jobke needed all of 3:02 to score a goal in his first game since returning the Minnesota Wild's AHL camp ... Kamloops' Brendan Ranford had a five-point night in his first game since being released from the AHL Hamilton Bulldogs' camp ... In the OHL, Max Domi (2G-1A, +3) helped London score eight goals in a game for the third time in five tries ... Colorado Avalanche draft pick Joseph Blandisi's two goals helped Owen Sound shade Sarnia 4-3 ... the Niagara IceDogs' Brook Hiddink scored his first career goal ... Dylan Smoskowitz tallied against his former team to make it two goals in as many games since joining Mississauga, but the Barrie Colts escaped with a 4-3 shootout win, with Mark Scheifele deciding it ... The Oshawa Generals' Adam Lloyd debuted with his new team against his former Kingston team and scored the eventual winning goal ... In the QMJHL, draft-year wing Adam Erne's tying goal with 50 seconds left helped Quebec (6-0-0-0) stay unbeaten ... Halifax's Brent Andrews scored a game-winning short-handed goal with 5:54 left to nip Saint John 4-3 ... Chicoutimi's Francis Desrosiers, replacing injured Christopher Gibson, got his first shutout by making 30 saves to edge Moncton 1-0 ... Gatineau's Adam Chapman had his first three goals of the season in a 7-4 Olympiques win over expansion Sherbrooke.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Contact him at neatesager@yahoo.ca and follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.