Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Penticton Vees goaltender Luca Di Pasquo, Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Nathan Mackie and Chilliwack Chiefs goaltender Lucas Szyszkya have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Luca Di Pasquo (G) – Penticton Vees
Di Pasquo went 2-0 last week, stopping 44 of the 45 shots he faced to post a .978 save percentage and a 0.50 goals-against average, while earning his first career BCHL postseason shutout.
On Friday night, the 2003-born netminder stopped 22 of 23 shots in a tight-checking 3-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild in Game 1 of their second round series. Di Pasquo made 12 saves in the first period to keep the game scoreless and shut the door after surrendering Wenatchee’s one and only goal in the middle frame, allowing the Vees to come back and earn the victory. On Saturday, he was perfect, stopping all 22 shots against in Penticton’s 7-0 blanking of the Wild.
Di Pasquo is 6-0 this postseason with a league-best 1.67 goals-against average and a save percentage of .926.
2nd Star – Nathan Mackie (F) – Salmon Arm Silverbacks
Mackie led all BCHL skaters last week with five points in three games after scoring three goals and two assists in the first two games of Salmon Arm’s series against the Vernon Vipers.
The Silverbacks captain opened the scoring in Game 1 and assisted on Salmon Arm’s other two goals to finish with a three-point night in a 4-3 overtime defeat. The following night, Mackie scored two goals, both in the third period, to seal a 5-2 victory in Game 2. After Vernon cut the Silverbacks lead to 3-2, he scored to reestablish the two-goal edge, then finished things off with his fifth of the postseason into an empty net. He was named first star of the game.
Mackie has five goals, five assists and 10 points through six games this postseason to put him in the top-10 in playoff scoring.
3rd Star – Lucas Szyszka (G) – Chilliwack Chiefs
Szyszka won his first two BCHL playoff starts last week, making 63 saves on 67 shots to post a .940 save percentage.
The 18-year-old made his postseason debut in Game 1 on Friday night and stole the show, stopping 34 of 35 shots, including 16 in the second period alone, as the Chiefs edged the Nanaimo Clippers 2-1. On Saturday in Game 2, Szyszka made 29 saves in Chilliwack’s 4-3 victory to take a two-game series lead.
His .940 save percentage this postseason is tops among all goalies.
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Honourable mentions:
Penticton Vees F Bradly Nadeau: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Penticton Vees F Josh Nadeau: 2GP – 4A – 4PTS
Penticton Vees D Joshua Niedermayer: 2GP – 1G – 2A – 3PTS
Salmon Arm Silverbacks F Ryan Gillespie: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Surrey Eagles F Trent Wilson: 2GP – 2G – 1A – 3PTS
Vernon Vipers F Isaac Tremblay: 2GP – 2G – 1A – 3PTS
Alberni Valley Bulldogs F Brandon Buhr: 2GP – 2G – 1A – 3PTS
Alberni Valley Bulldogs F Dakota MacIntosh: 2GP – 2G – 1A – 3PTS
