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Swift Current Broncos rookie Max Lajoie shines: Wednesday's 3 Stars

Neate Sager
WHL player profile of Swift Current Broncos #27 Max Lajoie during a pre-game skate against the Victoria Royals, Victoria, B.C., October 5, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Don Denton
WHL player profile of Swift Current Broncos #27 Max Lajoie during a pre-game skate against the Victoria Royals, Victoria, B.C., October 5, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Don Denton

No. 1 star: Max Lajoie, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

Julius who? In the wake of Julius Honka turning pro early with the Dallas Stars organization, Lajoie has the opportunity to fill some of the void left on the Broncos blueline. The 16-year-old Calgary native came through with his first three-point WHL game on Wednesday, helping the Broncos shade the Portland Winterhawks 5-4.

Lajoie (2G-1A, +1), playing in just his 16th major junior game, was thrown out for a power play with 19 seconds left in regulation, which was just seconds after Portland's Paul Bittner had buried the tying goal. Off the faceoff, Lajoie helped work the puck around to Colby Cave, who scored the winner to help the Broncos reclaim the win in regulation that seemed sewn up when they led by two goals at the game's 57-minute mark.

Lajoie, who is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2016, opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first minute of the second period. Before he could rest on his laurels after getting his first-ever tally at the Credit Union i-plex, Lajoie sniped again midway through the second period off a setup from Jake DeBrusk (2A, +1).

No. 2 star: Nolan Patrick, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

The 16-year-old Patrick (2G-1A) and teammate Rihards Bukarts (2G-1A, +1) helped the Wheat Kings put up a seven-spot in the first leg of a seven-game western swing with a 7-4 win over the Prince George Cougars.


The impressive Wheaties rookie was path of a power play that batted .500, going 4-for-8 on the night. Patrick got an assist on a Reid Duke goal late in the first period that staked Brandon to its first lead, then tallied 1:59 into the second. He scored the clincher, also on the PP, with 4:12 left in the game after the Cougars had pulled within a goal.

Bukarts ran his point streak to eight games. Highly touted Cougars newcomer Jared Bethune tallied his first WHL goal.

No. 3 star: Ethan Szypula, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Szypula factored into all of the scoring during a decisive second period in Owen Sound's 6-1 blowout of interconference rival Barrie, which got a bit chippy as the game got out of reach. The Attack actually gave up a short-handed goal to Buffalo Sabres pick Brendan Lemieux during that middle frame, but it scarcely matter.

The 17-year-old Szypula (2G-1A, +2) scored with support from Tyler MacArthur to push Owen Sound into a three-goal lead in the second period. The London, Ont., native got in position to convert a Petrus Palmus setup , then was in on a Daniel Milne snipe late in the frame that sapped what remained of the Colts' spirit.

Szypula played sparingly as a rookie last season. With six goals, he's already doubled what he put up as a 16-year-old.

Outstanding achievement in the field of excellence award: Connor McDavid, Alex DeBrincat and Nick Betz, Erie Otters (OHL)

Since McDavid is of another universe, it would almost seem demeaning to give him first star, plus we don't want to foster any jealousy with the other kids. McDavid (1G-3A, +3), Betz (3A, +2), DeBrincat (2G-1A, +2) and fourth forward/fifth Beatle Kurtis MacDermid (2G, +1) combined for a dozen points while Erie doubled up Niagara 8-4 in front of 11,391 fans in at First Niagara Center in Buffalo.

Honourable mention: Kailer Yamamoto, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)

It's hard to imagine a more memorable way to deal a division rival its first regulation loss. Yamamoto scored his first major junior goal, unassisted off a turnover with 12 seconds left, to vault Spokane to a 5-4 win over the Everett Silvertips. The 16-year-old centre stole the puck and moved in off right wing to roof the winning goal, breaking the donut that Everett (6-1-2-1) had in the loss column.

Potent notables — Montreal Canadiens first-rounder Nikita Scherbak (1G-1A) had a third-period tying goal for 'Tips ... Saskatoon's Cameron Hebig ended a 10-game goal drought, scoring his first of the season in the Blades' win over Kootenay. St. Louis Blues draft pick Jaedon Descheneau scored his 200th WHL point in the loss ... Dallas Stars draftee Cole Ully got his ninth goal in 14 games and was named first star during Kamloops' win over Vancouver ... Sault Ste. Marie's Tim Gettinger (2G, +2) scored his first OHL goal during a win over Sudbury ...In the lone QMJHL game, Marvin Cupper stopped 27-of-28 shots to help Shawinigan beat Rouyn-Noranda 2-1, ending its five-game losing skid and snapping the Huskies' five-game win streak.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.