CHL Coast to Coast: Eight teams playoff-bound
Wednesday February 25, 2015
By Josh Sweetland/CHL
Eight more clubs across the CHL clinched playoff spots in recent days as the Everett Silvertips, Calgary Hitmen, Portland Winterhawks, Medicine Hat Tigers, Barrie Colts, Ottawa 67’s, Baie-Comeau Drakkar and 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup host Quebec Remparts joined the group of now 16 clubs across the country to do so.
The QMJHL saw a new league record established on Saturday as 19 year-old Baie-Comeau Drakkar goaltender Philippe Cadorette became the new all-time shutouts leader in league history, making 28 saves in a 4-0 blanking of Sherbrooke. A fourth year veteran, Cadorette earned his 16th career QMJHL shutout to surpass the mark of 15 set by former Gatineau Olympiques netminder Ryan Mior in 2007-08. Fittingly, Cadorette’s teammate Maxime St-Cyr scored three of the four goals in the victory to become the first CHL player to reach 50 goals this season.
In other record breaking news, Moncton Wildcats forward and QMJHL leading scorer Conor Garland set a new Wildcats all-time single season assists record. Garland recorded his 76th, 77th and 78th assists of the season on Friday night in a 7-2 win over Cape Breton, surpassing the mark of 76 established by Philippe Dupuis during the 2005-06 season.
Over in Ontario, OHL leading scorer Mitchell Marner kept up his torrid pace last week, earning Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week honours with 10 points (3-7–10) in three games. Marner, who is the first player to earn OHL Player of the Week honours three times in a season since Tyler Toffoli during the 2011 season, has 108 points (40-68–108) in 52 games this season.
In the OHL’s Eastern Conference, the Oshawa Generals clinched their second straight East Division title on Sunday, defeating the Ottawa 67’s 5-3 to put an end to their seven game winning streak. The Generals have been the top ranked team in the BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings in each of the past 13 weeks and have a record of 44-8-2-3.
Another Eastern Conference club has received a shot in the arm as the Kingston Frontenacs will have Sam Bennett in the lineup for the first time all season on Wednesday night. Bennett, who was Calgary’s first round, fourth overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft last summer, has been sidelined after undergoing shoulder surgery early in the season. Bennett led Kingston in scoring last season with 36 goals, 55 assists and 91 points in 57 games.
In the Western Hockey League, the Everett Silvertips, Calgary Hitmen, Portland Winterhawks and Medicine Hat Tigers secured their playoff destinies. A competitive Eastern Conference sees three of the six available divisional spots already clinched while two wild card teams have yet to be established. In the Western Conference, the Kelowna Rockets lead the way by a considerable margin followed by Everett who leads the U.S. Division with 79 points and Portland with 76.
The Calgary Hitmen have made things interesting in the Central Division, charging up behind the Medicine Hat Tigers to overtake their division lead with a 3-2 win over Seattle on Tuessday. The Hitmen have found their rhythm in 2015, going 17-4-2-0 since the turn of the new year. Meanwhile, the slumping Tigers have won just two of their past 10 contests. Philadelphia Flyers prospect Travis Sanheim has helped the Hitmen find success, surging up the list of the WHL’s scoring leaders among defencemen to lead the way with 11 goals, 44 assists and 55 points in 55 games.
The WHL goal scoring derby continues to heat up as the race to 50 includes Medicine Hat Tigers forward Cole Sanford, Kelowna Rockets winger Rourke Chartier and the red hot Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Portland Winterhawks. Sanford and Chartier are currently deadlocked at 46 goals apiece while Bjorkstrand has been in hot pursuit, scoring in nine straight games for a season total of 45.
Be sure to catch CHL action on Sportsnet this weekend as a pair of OHL matchups air across the country. Arizona Coyotes prospect Max Domi and the London Knights host the reigning OHL Champion Guelph Storm on Friday night at 7:30pm on Sportsnet East, Ontario and Pacific. The scene shifts north to Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday where Edmonton Oilers first round pick Darnell Nurse and the Greyhounds host the Knights at 3:00pm on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific.