Photo credits: Island Images (Beneteau), Liz Wolter (Gundarah, Stevenson)
Alberni Valley Bulldogs forward Nicholas Beneteau, Surrey Eagles goaltender Ajeet Gundarah and Penticton Vees defenceman Nolan Stevenson have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Nicholas Beneteau (F) – Alberni Valley Bulldogs
Beneteau had five points in two games last week in Alberni Valley’s Coastal Conference Final matchup with the Surrey Eagles.
In Game 6 last Monday night, the Bulldogs captain notched a goal and two assists in a 5-2 win. Beneteau assisted on his team’s power-play goal to open the scoring late in the first, then notched the eventual game-winner midway through the third period when he broke a 2-2 deadlock. He finished his night by assisting on an empty-net goal in the final minute.
The following night in Game 7, Beneteau had a goal and an assist in a 3-2 loss to Surrey that ended the Bulldogs season.
The St. Lawrence University commit finished the postseason with three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in 18 games.
2nd Star – Ajeet Gundarah (G) – Surrey Eagles
Gundarah went 2-2 last week in both the Coastal Conference Finals and Fred Page Cup Finals, finishing his week with a .939 save percentage and a 1.77 goals-against average.
The Richmond, B.C. native stopped 32 of 35 shots in a Game 6 loss to the Alberni Valley Bulldogs last Monday, then followed that up with a 23-save performance in Game 7 victory, helping the Eagles to a 3-2 win to advance to the league championship series.
In Surrey’s first Fred Page Cup Final game since 2013, Gundarah stopped all 28 shots he faced to earn his first shutout of the postseason in a 6-0 victory over the Penticton Vees. He was named first star of the game. The 21-year-old closed out his week by stopping 25 of the 27 shots he faced in a 3-1 loss in Game 2.
Gundarah owns a .935 save percentage in the playoffs, tied for fourth highest in the league, and a 2.12 goals-against average, which is seventh best in the postseason.
3rd Star – Nolan Stevenson (D) – Penticton Vees
Stevenson scored two goals in Penticton’s three playoff games last week, including the final goal in one of the most dramatic comebacks in BCHL history.
With the Vees down 3-1 in the third period of last Tuesday night’s Game 7 of the Interior Conference Finals against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, the Shaunavon, Sask. product scored his first of the playoffs with less than five minutes to play to cut the deficit to one. After Conyr Hellyer tied the game with 27 seconds left in regulation, Stevenson buried a point shot 13 seconds later and with just 14 seconds on the clock, giving Penticton the win to advance to the league championship series for the third year in a row. He was named first star of the game.
The 19-year-old was held off the score sheet in the first two games of the Fred Page Cup Finals on Friday and Saturday in Surrey.
Stevenson now has two goals and an assist this postseason.
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Honourable mentions:
G Callum Tung: 2GP – 1W – .929 SV% – 2.54 GAA
