Photo credits: Corey Shaw Images (Black), Garrett James Photography (Nieuwendyk, Wilson)
Nanaimo Clippers goalie Cooper Black and Penticton Vees forwards Jackson Nieuwendyk and Luc Wilson have been named the BCHL 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Cooper Black (G) – Nanaimo Clippers
Black was perfect through two games of the Coastal Conference Finals against the Langley Rivermen. He recorded back-to-back shutouts in Games 1 and 2 over the weekend, stopping all 62 shots he faced and extending his shutout streak to three games.
The Dartmouth College commit made 36 stops in a 4-0 blanking of the Rivermen on Friday night and followed that up with a 26-save shutout the next night in a 3-0 Nanaimo win. He was named first star in both contests.
Black leads the BCHL playoffs in nearly all goaltending categories, including save percentage (.957), goals-against average (1.38) and shutouts (3). He also has a perfect 10-0 record in the postseason.
Having not allowed a goal in his past 11 periods, the 20-year-old has an opportunity to set the BCHL’s all-time shutout streak record of 252 minutes and 17 seconds, set by former Powell River Kings goalie Jonah Imoo during the 2011-12 campaign.
2nd Star – Jackson Nieuwendyk (F) – Penticton Vees
Nieuwendyk finished the week with three goals and one assist in two games, including his first career hat trick.
In Game 1 of the Interior Conference Finals on Friday night, the Dallas, Texas native registered his first three-goal game in the BCHL, but what was most impressive was that two of those goals came while his team was shorthanded. His first goal stood up as the game-winner in an 8-1 victory over the West Kelowna Warriors and he was named first star of the game. The next night in Game 2, Nieuwendyk contributed an assist in the Vees 6-0 win.
The 19-year-old has stepped his game up offensively in the postseason and has five goals and four assists for nine points in 11 games.
3rd Star – Luc Wilson (F) – Penticton Vees
Wilson tied for the league lead in points last week with five in two games, both Penticton wins, as he picked up three goals and two assists.
The four-year BCHL veteran had one goal on Friday night in the Vees 8-1 win over the West Kelowna Warriors in Game 1 of the Interior Conference Finals. On Saturday, Wilson exploded for a four-point night on two goals and two assists as Penticton skated to a 6-0 victory with four of his points coming on the power play.
Wilson used his five-point week to vault into second place on the BCHL Playoffs scoring list, just two points back of the lead with 17 in 11 games. His 13 assists are tied for the most in the postseason.
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Honourable mentions:
Penticton Vees G Kaeden Lane: 2GP – 2W – 1SO – .976 SV% – 0.50 GAA
Penticton Vees F Bradley Nadeau: 2GP – 3G – 1A – 4PTS
Penticton Vees F Josh Nadeau: 2GP – 2G – 3A – 5PTS
Nanaimo Clippers F Sean Donaldson: 2GP – 3G – 3PTS
