Kelowna Rockets’ Carter Rigby buries hat trick: Sunday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Carter Rigby, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Rigby, who recently returned after missing a dozen games due to shoulder injury, scored his first three goals of the season to help Kelowna eviscerate the Everett Silvertips 8-2.

The 5:05 p.m. puckdrop in Everett meant the Rockets were playing their third game in 2½ days. Rigby, an 18-year-old who was passed over in the NHL draft this summer despite having a 21-goal season, broke the game open by scoring with 6:39 left in the second period to open a 4-1 edge. The Penticton, B.C. native's confidence spiked with that goal, as he scored two more to turn the game into a rout.

Tyson Baillie (2A, +3) had the first assist on two of Rigby's goals. Draft-year defenceman Madison Bowey also had a plus-4 night.

No. 2 star: Yannick Veilleux, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

The 'WildCataractes' were essential as Moncton 'smothered' the high-flying Halifax Mooseheads 3-0. It was a thorough team win for the Wildcats, who this weekend not only handed Nathan MacKinnon, et al., just their third regulation loss, but also beat the Baie-Comeau Drakkar for the first of two wins against higher-placed teams.

Veilleux (2G-1A, +1), who earned a Memorial Cup ring with Shawinigan last spring, was in on all of the Wildcats goals. The 19-year-old from St-Hipolyte, Que., got a power-play marker in the first period, set up Dmitri Jaskin's 20th in the second and scored again in the final frame. Veilleux's fellow Cataractes alumni also came up big, as goalie Alex Dubeau had a 25-save shutout and defenders Jonathan Narbonne and Jonathan Racine each picked up points.

No. 3 star: Joel Vienneau, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

The Wolves banded together following their rough loss on Saturday night to the Niagara IceDogs, with Vienneau posting a 34-save shutout in a 2-0 win over the Brampton Battalion. Sudbury played a textbook road game after being in action fewer than 18 hours prior, as draft-year forwards Nick Baptiste and Brody Silk each scored power-play goals for the only offence that was needed.

Vienneau, 20, was there when the Wolves needed him. He made 14 saves in the opening frame and 12 more in the third period, including one with seconds left that secured the shutout.

Honourable mention: Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

Huberdeau (3A, +2) created chances for the Sea Dogs all night, as they held off the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 5-4 in a very chippy game. The Florida Panthers prospect helped Saint John break the ice by setting up overage D-man Pierre Durepos for the only first-period goal, then set up two more in the second.

Honourable mention: Cameron Brace, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Brace tapped into his fond memories of winning the OHL title at the Hershey Centre in May 2011, notching three assists and going plus-3 in Owen Sound's 6-1 romp over the Mississauga Steelheads. The Attack were able to drive to the net much better than they did in a Saturday-night shutout loss to the London Knights. Brace, who is 19th in OHL scoring in his age-19 season, set up the opening goal by Buffalo Sabres first-rounder Daniel Catenacci. He was also prominent when Owen Sound pulled away, factoring into two Kyle Hope goals late in the second period and in the first minute of the third.

Incidentally, how come Kyle Hope and Attack goalie Brandon Hope each have "Hope" nameplates on their jerseys with no first initial?

Potent notables — Boston Bruins first-rounder Malcolm Subban had his second shutout this season with a 23-save effort in Belleville's win over Ottawa. Clint Windsor stopped 50-of-53 shots for the short-staffed 67's ... Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Boone Jenner had three points in Oshawa's 3-1 win over Niagara, including his OHL-best 24th goal ... Draft-year centre Ryan Kujawinski (2A, +1) was first star in Kingston's 4-3 win at Windsor. Los Angeles Kings-drafted defenceman Nick Ebert scored twice for the Spitfires ... In the QMJHL, overage Tommy Giroux had a hat trick to help Blainville-Boisbriand beat Gatineau ... Hometown kid Jérôme Verrier had two goals in Drummondville's 5-2 win over Victoriaville.

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