Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Nathan Mackie, Victoria Grizzlies forward Olivier Picard and Wenatchee Wild forward Cade Littler have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Nathan Mackie (F) – Salmon Arm Silverbacks
Mackie averaged three points per game last week, leading the league with six points, on a goal and five assists, in a pair of Salmon Arm wins. He was also lethal on the power play over the weekend, with four of his assists coming on the man advantage.
The Silverbacks captain scored the first goal of the game, just 2:11 into the first period, on Friday against the West Kelowna Warriors. He added a helper in the second and another one in the third to finish with three points in his team’s 7-1 home victory.
The following night against the Coastal Conference-leading Nanaimo Clippers, the 18-year-old contributed a trio of assists, one in each period, to finish with his second consecutive three-point performance in a 6-1 Salmon Arm win.
Mackie is the Silverbacks leading scorer and is top-20 overall in BCHL scoring with 39 points in 41 games. The Michigan State University commit also leads his team in goals with 21, which puts him in a tie for eighth league-wide.
2nd Star – Olivier Picard (F) – Victoria Grizzlies
Picard finished his week with three goals and two assists for five points in two Grizzlies victories.
The 21-year-old forward scored his second shorthanded goal of the campaign on Friday night in Surrey against the Eagles to put his team up 2-0 midway through the opening frame. Late in the third period, Picard potted his second of the game, this time on the man advantage, to seal a 6-2 Grizzlies win.
On Saturday, Picard’s goal eight minutes into the second period, also on the power play, stood up as the game-winner in Victoria’s 6-3 road win over the Langley Rivermen. He also chipped in with two assists in the game to finish with three points on the night.
Picard is riding a three-game point streak with three goals and four assists over that stretch. He is Victoria’s leading scorer and 13th in the BCHL with 41 points in 39 contests. His 22 goals are also the most on the team and tied for sixth in the league.
3rd Star – Cade Littler (F) – Wenatchee Wild
Littler netted five points over the weekend after scoring three goals and adding a pair of assists in two games.
The 2022 Calgary Flames draft pick had a goal and an assist on Friday night against the Nanaimo Clippers in a losing effort as the Wild dropped a 7-4 decision at home.
On Saturday, with his team down 3-0 to the visiting Coquitlam Express early in the second period, Littler was instrumental in his team’s comeback, scoring once in the middle frame to cut the lead to 3-2, assisting on the go-ahead goal later in the third to make it 4-3 and scoring an insurance marker less than three minutes later in an eventual 6-3 final. His two-goal, one-assist outing earned him first star of the game.
Littler is the league’s sixth-leading scorer with 47 points in 40 games and is tied for eighth in BCHL goal-scoring with 21 on the year, the most on his team.
+++
Honourable mentions:
Nanaimo Clippers F Jeremie Payant: 2GP – 4G – 4PTS
Prince George Spruce Kings F Jack Stockfish: 2GP – 2G – 3A – 5PTS
Prince George Spruce Kings F Linden Makow: 2GP – 3G – 1A – 4PTS
Prince George Spruce Kings F Ty Gagno: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Salmon Arm Silverbacks F Ethan Ullrick: 2GP – 1G – 4A – 5PTS
Salmon Arm Silverbacks G Matthew Tovell: 2GP – 2W – .966 SV% – 1.00 GAA
Salmon Arm Silverbacks F Hayden Stavroff: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Powell River Kings F Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
