Nicolas Aube-Kubel leads Foreurs’ goal rush in big win at Gatineau: Sunday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

One period is not supposed to be enough to win, yet half a period did it for Val-d'Or in a 5-4 road win over the Gatineau Olympiques in a marquee matinee between two of the Q's top five teams. The Foreurs went from losing 0-2 at the game's midpoint to leading 5-2 at the second intermission, with the 17-year-old Aubé-Kubel (2G, +2) burying a pair during the goal rush.

The former first-round selection's first goal came at 10:04, paring Gatineau's lead to a goal. The Olympiques took a roughing penalty moments later and Anthony Mantha needed all of seven seconds to pot his QMJHL-leading 33rd goal. Defenceman Guillaume Gélinas (3A, +1) assisted on the go-ahead goal and Aubé-Kubel struck again for the fourth Foreurs goal in a span of three minutes 31 seconds.

Late in the frame, Calgary Flames first-rounder Émile Poirier was sent off for slashing. The Foreurs cashed in through Louick Marcotte scoring on the power play. That provided just enough cushion to win after Poirier set up two goals in the third to nearly bring Gatineau all the way back.

With 11 goals, Aubé-Kubel has already surpassed his rookie season output.

No. 2 star: Sébastien Gauthier, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Gauthier is having a happy honeymoon in the Mauricie. The 19-year-old defenceman whom Shawinigan recently picked up scored the third-period equalizer and assisted on the overtime goal to help the last-place Cataractes shock the Chicoutimi Saguenéens 5-4.

The Ste-Julie, Que., native was brought aboard by struggling Shawinigan after it moved overage defenceman Frank Schumacher to the contending Gatineau Olympiques. Gauthier, who had been averaging a point and a half per game for the Granby Inouk in Junior A, debuted for Shawinigan last weekend. He did enough to earn more ice and had successive three-point games to help Shawinigan earn back-to-back wins and move within two points of escaping the Q's basement.

No. 3 star: Brady Brassart, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

The selectors at the Saddledome recognized two other Hitmen following its 4-1 takedown of the road-weary Portland Winterhawks. Someone is bound to get overlooked in a big win and Brassart (2A, +2) had the primary assists on back-to-back goals in the final 2:30 of the second period that put Calgary into the lead. The overage from Vernon, B.C., set up Edmonton Oilers seventh-rounder Greg Chase (1G, +2) for a tying goal with 2:09 left in the frame, and did the setup work when Kenton Helgesen struck with four seconds left in the frame.

Chase and Pavel Padakin (2G, +2) were named the first and third stars in the building. Calgary is only a point off the pace in the Eastern Conference.

Honourable mentions: Ivan Barbashev and Christophe Lalonde, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Barbashev and Lalonde furnished the offence that Moncton needed to vanquish Victoriaville 4-3 for its third consecutive win. Lalonde (2G-1A, +3) and Conor Garland (3A, +3) were in sync throughout the afternoon at the old Coliseum, helping Moncton get a quick response after it gave up the icebreaker goal just 2:06 in and also scoring the eventual game-winner. Barbashev, the 18-year-old who's projected as a high 2014 NHL draft pick, got two goals in the second period when the Wildcats went ahead for good.

Potent notables — Edmonton's Reid Petryk (1G-1A, +2, fighting major) had a Gordie Howe hat trick during the Oil Kings' win over Medicine Hat, which was without Team Canada-camp bound Hunter Shinkaruk ... Detroit Red Wings pick Andreas Athanasiou (1G-3A, +3) led Barrie to a road win over Ottawa. Sixteen-year-old Troy Henley, a 67's rookie defenceman, scored the Teddy Bear Toss goal for his first OHL point ... Detroit Red Wings second-rounder Tyler Bertuzzi (2G, +2) scored back-to-back goals during Guelph's win at Sarnia ... New Jersey Devils prospect Ben Thomson scored on a slap shot with 52 seconds left to lift North Bay over Mississauga ... the Oshawa Generals' line of Scott Laughton (2G-1A, +2), Michael Dal Colle (2G-1A, +3) and Bradley Latour (2A, +2) combined for eight points in a 5-2 home win over Belleville ... In the QMJHL, Cam Darcy's 20th of the season gave Cape Breton an overtime win at Acadie-Bathurst ... Rimouski's Michael Joly (2G, +2) also got his 20th, but the Océanic fell to Rouyn-Noranda in a shootout ... Halifax's Darcy Ashley (1G-2A, +1) and Nikolaj Ehlers (1G-2A) helped Jonathan Drouin-less Halifax deal Charlottetown its eighth consecutive loss ... Frédéric Bergeron (1G-1A, +2) helped Blainville-Boisbriand win 4-1 at Sherbrooke and stay in top spot with 49 points in 31 games.

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.