Photo credits: Island Images Photography (Bachler), Kristal Burgess Photography (Grout), Lisa Mazurek (Busch)
Cowichan Valley Capitals forward Darius Bachler, Salmon Arm Silverbacks goaltender Ryan Grout and Vernon Vipers forward Shea Busch have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Darius Bachler (F) – Cowichan Valley Capitals
Bachler led all BCHL players with five goals in three games last week, helping the Capitals to a trio of wins.
In his team’s final game of the 2024 BCHL Showcase on Monday afternoon, the third-year player scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, then potted the eventual game-winner on a power play midway through the third, in a 4-2 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters. He was named the Caps Player of the Game.
On Friday night, Cowichan was back on the Island for a road matchup with the Nanaimo Clippers. With his team down 4-2 to start the third period, Bachler’s goal 2:31 into the final frame helped spark a dramatic comeback that saw Cowichan come all the way back to win 5-4.
He finished off his week by scoring another two goals, including another one with the man advantage, as the Capitals defeated the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at home on Saturday by a 5-2 final. Bachler was named first star of the game.
The 19-year-old from Langley, B.C. now has goals in five straight games, lighting the lamp seven times over that stretch. On the year, he has eight goals in 11 games, tying for the fifth most in the BCHL, while his 10 points are the most on his team.
2nd Star – Ryan Grout (G) – Salmon Arm Silverbacks
Grout won both of his starts last week, stopping 46 of the 47 shots he faced to post a .979 save percentage, a 0.50 goals-against average and one shutout.
The University of New Hampshire commit got the nod in Salmon Arm’s second BCHL Showcase game at 10 a.m. on Thursday and he turned in a flawless performance, stopping all 20 shots he faced, including 10 in the first period alone, to earn his second shutout of the season.
Grout was back in the crease on Saturday night for a road date with the West Kelowna Warriors where he made 26 saves on 27 shots to get the victory in a 3-1 final, facing 10 shots in each of the second and third periods.
The Sturgeon County, Alta. native has now won five of his seven starts this year and ranks second in the BCHL in save percentage (.941), goals-against average (1.56) and shutouts (two).
3rd Star – Shea Busch (F) – Vernon Vipers
Busch totaled six points in three games last week after piling up four goals and two assists.
The 2007-born forward finished off his Showcase experience with a career-best performance on Monday morning, notching his first hat trick in the league and adding an assist for a four-point outing in a 6-4 win over the Blackfalds Bulldogs. Busch opened the scoring for Vernon 5:51 into the game, then made it 2-0 with a goal early in the second. After Blackfalds battled back to tie things up, he scored shorthanded before the end of the frame to regain the lead for his team. He capped off his day with an assist on Vernon’s empty net goal and was named the Vipers Player of the Game.
In Vernon’s next game on Friday night in Cranbrook, he registered another multi-point performance, this time with a goal and an assist, in their 5-2 victory over the Bucks.
He was then held off the scoresheet on Saturday in a 4-3 road defeat at the hands of the Okotoks Oilers.
Recently ranked on NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch list for the 2025 draft, Busch is the Vipers leading scorer this year with 11 points in 11 games on a team-high seven goals and four assists.
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Honourable mentions:
Brooks Bandits G Johnny Hicks: 3GP – 3W – 2SO – .964 SV% – 0.63 GAA
Penticton Vees F Conyr Hellyer: 4GP – 3G – 4A – 7PTS
Sherwood Park Crusaders F Jeremy Loranger: 3GP – 1G – 5A – 6PTS
Blackfalds Bulldogs F Jack McAra: 3GP – 2G – 3A – 5PTS
Brooks Bandits F Nathan Free: 3GP – 1G – 4A – 5PTS
Chilliwack Chiefs F Brady Milburn: 3GP – 1G – 4A – 5PTS
Cowichan Valley Capitals G Alexei Noskov: 2GP – 2W – .945 SV% – 2.00 GAA
