Photo credits: Garrett James Photography (Auyeung-Ashton, Bohn), Island Images Photography (Airey)
Victoria Grizzlies goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, Grizzlies forward Owen Bohn and Cranbrook Bucks goaltender Nathan Airey have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Oliver Auyeung-Ashton (G) – Victoria Grizzlies
Auyeung-Ashton was perfect in two games over the weekend, stopping all 66 shots he faced to earn two shutouts.
On Friday night, on the road against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, the 17-year-old faced 32 shots, including 14 in the second-period alone, and stopped them all to guide the Grizzlies to a 5-0 victory.
The next night, back at home, Auyeung-Ashton made 34 saves in Victoria’s 3-0 triumph over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Down two goals heading into the third, the Silverbacks pressed to even up the game in the final frame, but the Coquitlam, B.C. native made 13 stops in the period to seal the victory and earn first star of the game honours.
Going back to the week prior, Auyeung-Ashton has recorded three straight shutouts. During the Grizzlies current five-game winning streak, he has started all five games and only let in three goals in the five victories. Auyeung-Ashton has extended his league lead in save percentage to .945, has taken the BCHL lead in shutouts with five on the season and has the second-best goals-against average with a mark of 1.81.
2nd Star – Owen Bohn (F) – Victoria Grizzlies
Bohn led the BCHL in points per game last week with five in two games on a pair of goals and a trio of assists.
In Friday night’s 5-0 win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs, the 20-year-old forward was in on four of his team’s five goals in their 5-0 victory after recording a goal and three assists. He chipped in a power-play assist on the eventual game-winner in the first period, scored one of his own in the second to make it 3-0 and added a pair of additional helpers to close out the contest, including another with the man advantage. He was named first star of the game.
On Saturday, his first-period power-play goal stood up as the game-winning tally in Victoria’s 3-0 win over the visiting Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
The Augustana University commit is tied for the Grizzlies team lead in scoring with 21 points in 24 games with 11 goals and 10 assists on the year.
3rd Star – Nathan Airey (G) – Cranbrook Bucks
Airey is coming off a busy week, starting all three of Cranbrook’s games and earning a victory in each one. In total, he stopped 105 of the 110 shots he faced to post a .955 save percentage and a 1.67 goals-against average.
The 19-year-old got the call between the pipes in Cranbrook’s midweek matchup at home against the Wenatchee Wild and, despite facing a barrage of shots, managed to lead the Bucks to a narrow 3-2 victory. Airey faced 43 shots in the game and only allowed two to get by him to earn the win.
On Friday, Cranbrook played the first of back-to-back games in Prince George against the Spruce Kings and Airey stood tall in yet another close game, stopping 33 of 35 shots in his team’s 3-2 win.
The Abbotsford, B.C. product finished the week by making 31 saves on 32 attempts in a 4-1 defeat of the Spruce Kings to earn his third straight win.
Airey owns a record of of 11-6-1 and now has a .927 save percentage on the season, tied for third-highest in the BCHL, and a 2.49 goals-against average, which is sixth-best in the league, while playing the second-most minutes of any goalie.
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Honourable mentions:
Wenatchee Wild F Cade Littler: 3GP – 2G – 4A – 6PTS
Powell River Kings F Anthony Yu: 2GP – 3G – 1A – 4PTS
Nanaimo Clippers F Mike Murtagh: 2GP – 3G – 1A – 4PTS
Victoria Grizzlies D Hoyt Stanley: 2GP – 4A – 4PTS
Chilliwack Chiefs F Dalton MacGillivray: 3GP – 4G – 4PTS
Coquitlam Express G Adam Manji: 2GP – 1W – .940 SV% – 1.51 GAA
