Photo credit: Liz Wolter (Cleaves, Lambert), Island Images (Nixon)
Vernon Vipers forward Hank Cleaves, Nanaimo Clippers goaltender Chazz Nixon and Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Isaac Lambert have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Hank Cleaves (F) – Vernon Vipers
Cleaves led the BCHL with seven points last week in two Vernon wins after piling up two goals and five helpers.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound power forward had three points in the Vipers 6-4 road win over the Victoria Grizzlies on Friday night. Cleaves chipped in with assists in the first and second period, then sealed the game with an empty-net goal in the dying seconds.
On Saturday against the Cowichan Valley Capitals, the Dartmouth College commit notched two first-period assists to help Vernon to a 4-1 lead at intermission, then scored his ninth of the season 1:52 into the middle frame to extend the advantage. He added a power-play assist in the third to finish with four points on the night, his second four-point outing of the season and third of his BCHL career, as his team won the game 9-2.
Cleaves is the Vipers second leading scorer this season with 32 points in 26 games on nine goals and 23 assists.
2nd Star – Chazz Nixon (G) – Nanaimo Clippers
Nixon posted a .985 save percentage last week after stopping 64 of the 65 shots he faced over two games where he went 1-1 with a 0.51 goals-against average.
The Clippers hosted the Surrey Eagles on Friday night and Nixon stopped 33 of the 34 shots he faced, but ultimately took the loss as Nanaimo was shutout 1-0. He was the second star of the game.
The 19-year-old was back in net on Saturday, this time on the road to face the Victoria Grizzlies. Nixon was stellar yet again, making 31 saves to blank the Grizzlies and earn his first shutout in the BCHL. He was named the game’s first star.
Since joining Nanaimo on Dec. 15, the Oshawa, Ont. product has a 6-2-0 record with a .936 save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average.
3rd Star – Isaac Lambert (F) – Salmon Arm Silverbacks
Lambert and his teammates only played one game last week, but he made a significant impact, tallying four points, including his third hat trick of the season.
Salmon Arm hosted the Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday night and Lambert found himself in on four of his team’s five goals as they skated to a 5-2 victory.
After the ‘Backs went down 1-0 in the first, Lambert responded less than two minutes later to tie the game at one. The Victoriaville, Que. native gave his team the lead with a power-play marker in the second, then completed the hat trick just eight seconds into the third period, scoring his 19th of the season, which proved to be the eventual game-winner. He added an assist for good measure later in the period to finish with four points and first star honours.
Lambert’s 19 goals lead his team and are tied for seventh among all BCHL players, while his 31 points in 39 games are second in Silverbacks scoring.
+++
Honourable mentions:
Chilliwack Chiefs G Vladimir Nikitin: 2GP – 1W – .963 SV% – 0.92 GAA
Trail Smoke Eaters F Mathieu Cobetto-Roy: 2GP – 2G – 3A – 5PTS
Trail Smoke Eaters F Adam Marshall: 2GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS
Penticton Vees F Billy Renfrew: 1GP – 4A – 4PTS
Alberni Valley Bulldogs F Philippe Lalonde: 2GP – 3G – 3PTS
Alberni Valley Bulldogs F Grayson Badger: 2GP – 4A – 4PTS
Vernon Vipers F Georgios Stavrianeas: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Vernon Vipers D Etienne Lessard: 2GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS
Langley Rivermen G Mason Beaupit: 2GP – 2W – .934 SV% – 2.00 GAA
Langley Rivermen F Dalton MacGillivray: 2GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS
Cowichan Valley Capitals F Dryden Kuramoto: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Surrey Eagles F Ryden Evers: 2GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS
