Guelph Storm’s Justin Nichols posts 58-save effort in shootout win: Friday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 Star: Justin Nichols, Guelph Storm (OHL)

Nichols could justify filing a complaint to Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board after his monstrous 61-shot workload in a 4-3 shootout win against the Sarnia Sting.

The 5-foot-9, 163-pound netminder posted a new career high with a 58-save effort, not including his two shootout stops. He was busy right off the hop as he faced 20 shots, stopping 19, in the opening 20 minutes of play. He turned aside 17 of 18 pucks in each of the following two periods before making five saves in overtime. He let Nikita Korostelev (1G) sneak one by him on his first shot in the shootout, but he turned away the next two shots to ensure the victory.

How the Storm put 34-fewer pucks on net than the Sting is a true testament to why Nichols was practically the only reason his club won the game.

With the London Knights also capturing two points tonight, the win kept Guelph one-point back of them for third spot in the OHL’s Eastern Conference playoff race.

No. 2 Star: Colby Cave, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

In a playoff preview matchup against the Regina Pats, captain Cave’s hat trick led the Broncos to a 5-0 victory.

The overager gave Swift Current a crucial two-goal lead early in the second period when he helped redirect a Max Lajoie shot. Less than four minutes later, he buried his own rebound to knock the wind out of the Pats. He completed his three-goal effort in the final frame to wrap up the contest’s scoring.

Landon Bow’s 44-save shutout in net would have been worthy of a star on most nights, but he was edged by his teammate. He made several crucial saves early on in the game to keep his club in the lead.

No. 3 Star: Maxim Lazarev, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)

Lazarev (4G-1A, +2) didn’t let off the gas as the Eagles topped the Charlottetown Islanders 6-2.

The Russian import kicked off the night by netting the first goal of the game on the power play at the 9:56 mark in the opening frame. He completed his hat trick midway through the second period by scoring back-to-back goals, both of which were assisted by Marcus Hinds (4A, +3). He added a helper on an Evgeny Svechnikov (1G-2A, +1) marker and lit the lamp for a fourth goal in the third period to seal the victory.

Honourable mention: Brandon Robinson, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

The 6-foot-3, 216-pound wing (3G-1A, +1) cashed in on his opportunities for his first hat trick and four-point night of his major junior career.

In the 6-3 win over the Mississauga Steelheads, Robinson tied the game up at one near the midway point of the second period. He really found his groove on the power play in the final 20 minutes of action with a three-point period. He notched back-to-back markers in the first four minutes of the frame before helping set up Darby Llewellyn (1G-1A, +1) at the 5:29 mark.

Potent notables: Reilly Pickard turned aside 38 of 40 pucks as the Acadie-Bathurst Titan beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 3-2 in a shootout… St. Louis Blues pick Ivan Barbashev notched a pair of markers in the Moncton Wildcats’ 4-3 win over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens… Val’Dor Foreurs wing Anthony Beauregard (2G-2A) led his club to a 5-4 victory against the Drummondville Voltigeurs… overage wing Louick Marcotte potted three goals, including an empty-netter, as the Gatineau Olympiques topped the Quebec Remparts 7-3… New York Islanders first-rounder Michael Dal Colle (2G-2A, +3) played a vital part in the Oshawa Generals’ 7-1 shellacking over the Kingston Frontenacs… Barrie Colts wing Justin Scott (2G-1A, +3) lifted his squad to a 5-3 win against the Plymouth Whalers… London Knights forwards Max Domi (2G-2A) and Mitchell Marner (1G-3A) padded their stats in a 10-2 humiliation win over the Sudbury Wolves… Saskatoon Blades goalie Nik Amundrud turned aside 35 pucks in a 4-2 victory against the Calgary Hitmen… rookie netminder Brody Willms made 32 saves as the Moose Jaw Warriors topped the Kootenay Ice 5-1…. Rod Stewart’s son, Liam Stewart (1G-2A), scored the Spokane Chiefs’ overtime winner in a 5-4 win against the Brandon Wheat Kings… Prince George Cougars puck-stopper Ty Edmonds made 41 stops in a 4-2 victory against the Medicine Hat Tigers… Remi Laurencelle (2G-1A, +3) led the Everett Silvertips to a 6-0 win over the Vancouver Giants.

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