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Moncton Wildcats' Barbashev, Garland have 6-point nights: Friday's 3 Stars

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28: Ivan Barbashev of the St. Louis Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 28, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28: Ivan Barbashev of the St. Louis Blues poses for a portrait during the 2014 NHL Draft at the Wells Fargo Center on June 28, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

Co-No. 1 stars: Ivan Barbashev & Conor Garland, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

The Wildcats might want to see about playing at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, N.B., for like the rest of the playoffs. While UNB doesn't have a varsity football team, Barbashev (4G-2A, +5) and Garland (6A, +6) each had the equivalent of touchdown — six points — during a 7-3 Game 5 win over Halifax in a game played at Aitken Centre due to a prior booking at Moncton Coliseum. The win sets up a potential Game 6 clincher in Halifax on Sunday.

After Moncton dodged a bullet in overtime during their series-tying win on Wednesday, they broke out fast with a Barbashev goal just 1:48 into the game and a Garland-assisted goal before the match was even 4½ minutes old. The lead reached 3-0 after Garland won a puck battle in the corner and Barbashev made a no-look pass out front to first-time playoff scorer Zack MacEwen.


Halifax twice drew within one gal in the third period, but Barbashev had a response goal and also assisted on Cameron Askew's strike with 10:22 left that opened a 5-3 lead with 10:22 left in the game. That sapped the Mooseheads' resolve and Moncton feasted in the final minutes. Garland, who was everyone the ice and had 10 shots on goal, set up two more Barbashev goals to complete the mortarboard trick, which was fitting for a game played on an university campus.

Garland was initially credited with seven assists, which would have tied a QMJHL playoff record set in 1987 by Chicoutimi's Marc Fortier. The official scorers revised the helpers on Askew's goal to Barbashev and Garrett Johnston.

No. 2 star: Josh Morrissey, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

The Winnipeg Jets first-rounder sent a message that he's found his form after healin up some injuries, racking up five points (2G-3A, +2) during the Rockets' series-clinching 7-3 blowout against the Victoria Royals.

Morrissey, appearing in just his third game of these playoffs, assisted on the icebreaker by Edmonton Oilers first-rounder Leon Draisaitl (1G-2A, +1). Just more than a minute after Victoria had taken a lead, Morrissey got a perfect cross-ice feed from Nick Merkley (2A, +1) and re-tied the game with a wrist shot.

Morrissey had scored and set up power-play goals two minutes apart later in the second period. The Calgary native and world junior godl medallist picked up his fifth point in the final frame, as the Rockets punched their ticket to a Western Conference final date against the Portland-Everett victor.

No. 3 star: Jake Virtanen, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Anyone who can please Canucks and Calgary Flames fans at the same time deserves a star. Virtanen (2G, +1), Vancouver's top pick in 2014, saved the day at the Saddledome by scoring of his second of the night against the Medicine Hat Tigers with 44.9 seconds left to force overtime. The 18-year-old barged through traffic to get the decisive last swing at a loose puck, delighing the 7,290 in attendance whose attentions might have also been on the Flames-Canucks playoff game.

Calgary's Mack Shields (55 saves on 58 shots) and Medicine Hat's Marek Langhamer (51 on 55) were each brilliant in overtime. Travis Sanheim's winner in the 28th minute of overtime came on a deflected shot, sending Calgary to the conference final against Brandon.

Virtanen's heroics might not endear him to everyone in the Canucks organization. Remember, Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins and president Trevor Linden are Tigers alumni.

Honourable mention: Anthony Beauregard, Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

Beauregard (2G-1A, +1) and his namesake Anthony Richard (1G-2A, +1) helped the Foreurs evade elimination again with a 5-2 road win against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, which leads 3-2 and will have to close out the series on the road. The 19-year-old St-Hyacinthe, Que., native did all his damage on the power play, scoring in the 17th minute of each of the first two periods and getting an assist on a last-minute goal in the second.

The last comeback from a 3-0 series deficit in the QMJHL was by Halifax against Quebec in 2012.

Honourable mention: Cole Cassels, Oshawa Generals (OHL)

Cassels (3G-1A) exceeded his goal output from Oshawa's first nine games by scoring hat trick in a series-clinching 4-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs. The Vancouver Canucks signing factored into the first two Gens goals, scoring 7:15 into the game and making a cross-ice feed that led to a Matt Mistele snapshot goal for a 2-0 lead. Niagara clawed back within a goal twice but Cassels replied with two third-period power-play goals, including a clincher that was wired by goalie Brandon Hope.

Oshawa awaits the North Bay-Barrie winner in the OHL's Eastern Conference final.

Potent notables — It was Peter Quenneville's turn to score a Game 5 series-winning overtime goal for Brandon. Quenneville (1G-2A, +2) did the honours 6:15 into OT for a 3-2 win over Regina. The Wheat Kings captain's brother, John Quenneville, closed out Edmonton in the first round ... Blake Heinrich scored the OT goal as Portland took a 3-1 lead over Everett in the U.S. Division final ... In the OHL, Oshawa's Michael Dal Colle has 21 points in 10 games. Fellow New York Islanders first-round choice Josh Ho-Sang finished as Niagara's top point-getter with 16 points in 11 ... In the QMJHL, Michael Joly (2G, +2) helped eliminate his hometown team as Rimouski beat Gatineau 4-1 to complete a five-game quarter-final win.

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