Photo credits: Island Images (Battaini, Compton), Darren Francis (Grabas)
Powell River Kings forwards Chris Battaini and Eliot Compton and Chilliwack Chiefs forward Nico Grabas have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Chris Battaini (F) – Powell River Kings
Battaini led all BCHL players with seven goals in four games last week, while adding three assists to give himself 10 points, which was also tied for most in the league.
The 2005-born forward scored once in Powell River’s Tuesday night loss to the Cranbrook Bucks, then potted a pair the following night in a 6-5 overtime win against the Vernon Vipers to close out their midweek road trip. Back home on Saturday night, Battaini registered a goal and an assist in another 6-5 win, this time against the Surrey Eagles. The Pittsfield, Mass. native finished the week with his best performance of the year on Sunday afternoon in a rematch with the Eagles. He claimed his first hat trick in the BCHL and added two helpers for a five-point night in a 7-3 victory.
Battaini has points in six straight games and at least a goal in five consecutive contests. He leads the Kings in scoring and has climbed into fifth in the league’s points race with 44 in 33 games, while his 19 goals are tied for seventh in the BCHL.
2nd Star – Eliot Compton (F) – Powell River Kings
Compton tied his teammate Chris Battaini for the league lead in points last week with 10 (four goals, six assists), helping Powell River win three out of four games.
The Victoria, B.C. product collected an assist in last Tuesday’s loss to the Cranbrook Bucks before piling up two goals and two assists the following night, including the overtime winner, in a 6-5 victory over the Vernon Vipers. On Saturday, Compton picked up another assist, then went for two goals and two assists for the second time in three games, helping Powell River complete the two-game weekend sweep of the Surrey Eagles.
On the season, the 18-year-old has 16 goals, 20 assists and 36 points, third most on the team.
3rd Star – Nico Grabas (F) – Chilliwack Chiefs
Grabas picked up four goals, three assists and seven points last week in a trio of contests.
In Chilliwack’s Wednesday night home matchup with the Nanaimo Clippers, the Chiefs captain scored the opening goal of the game, then added two more helpers, including a primary assist on the overtime winner in his team’s 5-4 victory. After being held off the score sheet on Friday in a shootout loss to the Coquitlam Express, Grabas notched his second career BCHL hat trick on Saturday night, scoring his team’s first three goals of the contest. He added an assist on the fourth and eventual game-winning goal to finish with four points.
The four-year BCHL veteran now sits one back of the league lead with 22 goals, while his 46 points are third most in the BCHL.
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Honourable mentions:
Chilliwack Chiefs F Jack Plandowski: 3GP – 2G – 5A – 7PTS
Cranbrook Bucks F Adam Csabi: 3GP – 3G – 3A – 6PTS
Cranbrook Bucks F Kaslo Ferner: 3GP – 2G – 4A – 6PTS
Powell River Kings F Ryan Hedley: 4GP – 2G – 6A – 8PTS
West Kelowna Warriors F Natan Ethier: 2GP – 3G – 2A – 5PTS
Okotoks Oilers F Brady Engelkes: 2GP – 5A – 5PTS
