Red Wings pick Mitch Wheaton gets career-high 4 points: Tuesday’s WHL 3 Stars

No. 1 star: Mitch Wheaton, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

The second-longest road win streak in Western league history will last through Christmas Day after Wheaton (1G-3A, +2) had a career night offensively during Kelowna's 7-1 romp at Saskatoon. The 18-year-old Detroit Red Wings fifth-rounder, who was selected last summer despite missing half of '12-13 due to injuries, was injured last month by a check from behind by Seattle's Roberts Lipsberg. Wheaton returned for the start of a six-game swing through the Prairies and the Rockets haven't lost since.

Wheaton, of Sherwood Park, Alta., had only two points in a game twice previously in the WHL. Normally a shutdown defenceman, Wheaton matched his career high by getting two secondary assists in the first period when the Rockets built a 3-1 lead. He pinched in off the point for a second-period power-play goal and drew an apple on New Jersey Devils draftee Myles Bell's insurance tally in the third.

Kelowna will go for its 14th road win in a row in its second game of the break on Dec. 28 at Vancouver.

No. 2 star: Branden Troock, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Troock (2G-1A, +3) built on his December to remember by scoring the Seattles' two third-period goals during a 5-2 home win over Tri-City. The Dallas Stars fifth-rounder whose start to his junior career was beset by injuries, has 15 points in seven games already this month, has been on a mission lately. His line with Alex Delnov (1G-3A, +4) and Ryan Gropp (1G, +4) accounted for all but one T-Birds tally on Tuesday; Anaheim Ducks first-rounder Shea Theodore accounted for the other, which you probably guessed without checking the game summary.

Tri-City was still in the hunt at 3-1 when Troock buried with 10:50 to play. The Americans pulled a goal back with 5:25 remaining, but within a minute, the Edmonton native tucked in a backhand for the sealer. Troock has an impressive 17 goals and 40 points over 34 games for Seattle. His most impressive stat is he's missed all of one game after playing in only 86 over his first three seasons.

No. 3 star: Patrik Bartosak, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

Not too tough a call to put Bartosak on the podium after he stopped 46-of-48 shots to help Red Deer upend the Medicine Hat Tigers 5-2. The 20-year-old former CHL goaltender of the year was already up for national goalie of the week honours after a shutout and a 44-save winning effort in his previous two starts.

On Tuesday, the native of Koprivnice, Czech Republic kept the visiting Tigers off the board in the opening 20 despite a 13-9 edge on the first-period shot counter. With his defence mostly doing a good job of playing traffic cop, Bartosak stopped 13-of-14 in the second and then 20-of-21 in the final frame, with both Tigers tallies coming on power plays. Seventeen-year

Honourable mention: Brandon Magee, Victoria Royals (WHL)

Magee (1G-2A, +3) made his only scheduled visit of the season count by helping Victoria end the Edmonton Oil Kings' nine-game win streak with a 5-3 decision. The 19-year-old, who's had successive multi-point efforts since sitting out a two-game match penalty-induced suspension, assisted on successive Royals markers during the first period. Victoria built a 4-1 lead by the one-minute mark of the second period against Edmonton, which has five players away on assignments with national junior team, then dug in as Edmonton rallied. Royals goalie Patrik Polivka made 37 saves before Magee potted the empty-netter. The win kept Victoria in fourth place in the Western Conference.

Potent notables — Victoria's Matt Dysktra got his first WHL game in just his third game ... Montreal Canadiens third-rounder Tim Bozon (1G-1A, +1) was named first star for Kootenay even though it lost 5-4 in a shootout to last-place Kootenay ... Edmonton Oilers seventh-rounder Greg Chase (2G, -1) helped Calgary beat Regina and move into top spot in the Eastern Conference ... Swift Current's Colby Cave (2G-1A, +1), who turns 19 on Boxing Day, hit the 20-goal mark during the Broncos' 6-3 doubling of Kamloops ... Everett overage Josh Winquist (2G, +2) passed the 25 plateau during the Silvertips' win over Portland.

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.