Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Penticton Vees forwards Aydar Suniev and Brett Moravec and Surrey Eagles forward Jacob Bonkowski have been named the NAPA Auto Parts 3 Stars of the Week.
1st Star – Aydar Suniev (F) – Penticton Vees
Suniev led all BCHL players with eight points in three games last week after registering five goals and three assists.
The 2023 NHL Draft prospects chipped in with a pair of assists on Wednesday night in Penticton’s 8-0 defeat of the Merritt Centennials, then turned things up a notch his next game on Friday, scoring his first hat trick in a BCHL uniform against the Wenatchee Wild. Suniev scored once in the first period, then twice more in the third, helping the Vees to a 7-2 win at home. He was named the first star of the game.
On Saturday, in the team’s final game before the holiday break, Suniev recorded his third multi-point effort of the week, scoring twice and adding a helper in a 6-1 road win over the West Kelowna Warriors. His power-play marker in the first period held up as the game-winner and he was again named first star.
The University of Massachusetts commit now has 12 multi-point performances on the year and increased his season point total to 45 in 25 games, good enough for third in league scoring. His 21 goals are the second most in the BCHL.
2nd Star – Brett Moravec (F) – Penticton Vees
Moravec piled up the points last week, totaling seven in three games on five goals and two assists.
His biggest performance came on the road on Wednesday night against the Merritt Centennials where he scored four goals, the first time he has accomplished that in the BCHL, in an 8-0 victory. His ice-breaking goal in the first period stood up as the game-winner, but he went on to score another one in the frame with the man advantage and then two more in the second to earn first star honours.
He picked up where he left off on Friday night, scoring the opening goal for the second game in a row and adding an assist in Penticton’s 7-2 win over the Wenatchee Wild. He capped off a strong week with another two-point effort, chipping in a goal and a helper in his team’s 6-1 road win over the West Kelowna Warriors.
Moravec is averaging over a point per game this year with 32 in 29 contests, which ties him for 10th in league scoring.
3rd Star – Jacob Bonkowski (F) – Surrey Eagles
Bonkowski led the Eagles to a pair of victories last week, scoring four goals and adding an assist in two games played.
On Friday night, the 19-year-old University of Nebraska-Omaha commit scored twice in the Eagles 4-2 home win over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. He tied the game with a first-period tally after the Bulldogs took an early lead, then gave the Eagles a 2-1 edge 4:01 into the second, a lead that they would not give up. He was named first star of the game.
Surrey was back in action on Saturday night on the road against the Coquitlam Express and Bonkowski added another two goals, as well as an assist for a three-point night in his team’s 6-3 victory. With the Eagles down 3-1 late in the middle frame, the Richmond, B.C. product brought his team to within one, then after Surrey tied things up early in the third, Bonkowski scored a power-play marker that ended up being the game-winning goal. He was named first star for the second game in a row.
After last week’s output, Bonkowski is tied for sixth in league scoring with 35 points in 28 games, while his 17 goals are tied for third most in the BCHL.
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Honourable mentions:
Surrey Eagles F Jake Bongo: 2GP – 1G – 5A – 6PTS
Trail Smoke Eaters F Trey Fechko: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Chilliwack Chiefs D Abram Wiebe: 2GP – 4A – 4PTS
Cowichan Valley Capitals F Luke Strickland: 2GP – 2G – 2A – 4PTS
Nanaimo Clippers F Jeremie Payant: 2GP – 1G – 3A – 4PTS
Penticton Vees G Luca Di Pasquo: 2GP – 2W – 1 SO – .968 SV% – 0.50 GAA
Victoria Grizzlies F Olivier Picard: 1GP – 2G – 1A – 3PTS
