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Jordan Papirny saves the day for Wheat Kings: Wednesday’s 3 Stars

Kelly Friesen

No. 1 star: Jordan Papirny, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

The Wheat Kings will live to see another day thanks to Papirny’s outstanding play in the blue paint. The rookie goalie, who turns 18 tomorrow (April 10), turned aside 49 of 51 rubber bullets against the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 5-2 affair to force a Game 5. As the Oil Kings fired on all cylinders, he held the Wheaties in the game in the first 40 minutes by stopping 38 of 40 shots. The Edmonton native went on to get in front of all 11 pucks that came his way in the third period.

Papirny has ultimately solidified himself as a genuine No. 1 goalie in the second-round series. He has been the Wheat Kings’ best player in all four games despite having a 195-shot workload. As the 24th ranked North American goalie by NHL Central Scouting Service, the odds are against him to have his name called at the 2014 draft, but his impressive showing may be enough to earn a rookie camp invite.

Richard Nejezchleb (2G-1A, +2), John Quenneville (1G-1A, +1) and Peter Quenneville (2A, +1) led the Wheat Kings on the scoreboard. Overage Jens Meilleur, though, holds the bragging rights for the most important goal as he scored the game-winner on the penalty kill at the 6:32 mark in the third period.

No. 2 star: Levi Cable, Kootenay Ice (WHL)

With Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau struggling to generate offense, Cable stepped up in the ever-important Game 3 against the Medicine Hat Tigers. The 19-year-old winger opened the contest’s scoring at the 9:03 mark in the second period. After Tigers captain Curtis Valk tied the game up at one early in the third period, Cable scored a short-handed marker from a Reinhart set up. The Hudson Bay, Sk., native went on to complete the hat trick by potting one in the empty net in the final minute of play to give the Ice the 3-1 win and a 2-1 series lead.

Reinhart is still without a goal in the series, but he did notch two helpers in the third match. Descheneau, meanwhile, is yet to register a point. This after the two snipers scored 17 points apiece in their first-round series against the Calgary Hitmen.

New York Rangers prospect Mackenzie Skapski stood tall in the Ice’s crease by turning away 39 of 40 shots. He seems to have his composure back after averaging a .832 save percentage in four games against the Hitmen.

No. 3 star: Jordon Cooke, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Cooke’s 42- save effort led to the Rockets escorting the Seattle Thunderbirds out of the playoffs in a sweep. The overage goalie especially stood tall in the third period by turning aside 18 of 19 pucks to ensure the 5-2 win.

New Jersey Devils second-rounder Damon Severson (1G-1A, +1), Washington Capitals second-rounder Madison Bowey (2A, +2), Detroit Red Wings prospect Marek Tvrdon (1G-1A, +1) and rookie sensation Nick Merkley (1G-1A) all posted multiple points for the Rockets.

Honourable mentions: Daniel Walcott and Christopher Clapperton, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Walcott and Clapperton led the Armada to a 5-1 win over the Rimouski Oceanic with a goal and two assists apiece. From Nikita Jevpalovs and Walcott, Clapperton got the ball rolling at the 5:32 mark in the second period with a power-play goal. The Blainville-Boisbriand duo closed out the middle frame by setting up a Marc-Oliver Roy marker. Walcott kicked off the final period by completing Clapperton’s set up on the man advantage to give his club a commanding four-goal lead.

The win comes just a day after the Armada captured a 2-1 double overtime victory. The series sits tied at two.

Potent notables: Louis-Philip Guindon stopped 39 of 41 pucks in the Drummondville Voltigeurs’ 3-2 victory over the Val-d’Or Foreurs… Baie-Comeau Drakkar forwards Charles Hudon and Denis Gorbunov helped escort the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies out of the playoffs in a sweep by notching a goal and an assist apiece in the 4-2 win… Tampa Bay Lightning first-rounder Jonathan Drouin potted three apples and NHL draft prospect Nikolaj Ehlers scored a goal and a helper in the Halifax Mooseheads’ 4-3 victory against the Gatineau Olympiques.

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