CHL Playoff Notebook: March 22, 2019
The Canadian Hockey League playoffs continued Friday, with 20 different series getting underway, including five from the Ontario Hockey League, seven from the Western Hockey League, and eight from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Ontario Hockey League
The London Knights grabbed an early 1-0 series lead over the Windsor Spitfires thanks to a two-goal effort by captain Evan Bouchard, who also picked up a pair of assists, en route to a 4-3 victory.
Six players had multi-point outings in the Oshawa Generals‘ 7-0 rout of the Peterborough Petes, including centre Brandon Saigeon who led the way with one goal and two assists.
Hats hit the ice in the Nickel City as a three-goal night by left-wing Nolan Hutcheson powered the Sudbury Wolves to a 5-2 win over the Mississauga Steelheads.
Polarizing pair leads the pack 🐺
It’s a @Hutchy_15 🎩🎩🎩 with all three set up beautifully by @byfield55 🍎🍎🍎 as @Sudbury_Wolves win #OHLPlayoffs opener.#SBYvsMISS pic.twitter.com/AVvj5BoKFA
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) March 23, 2019
The Ottawa 67’s had little trouble finding the win column during the regular season, and kept up their winning ways Friday in a 9-3 rolling of the Hamilton Bulldogs in which San Jose Sharks prospect Sasha Chmelevski collected two goals and two assists.
Much like their season series, Game 1 between the rival Kitchener Rangers and Guelph Storm was another nail biter, coming down to the final 70 seconds before forward MacKenzie Entwistle pocketed an empty netter to secure a 4-2 win for the Storm.
Western Hockey League
Lethbridge Hurricanes defenceman Calen Addison came up big in overtime, putting home the winner just under six minutes into the extra session to lift his side to a 3-2 win and an early series lead versus the Calgary Hitmen.
Chalk up another perfect game for Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Ian Scott, who after posting eight shutouts in 2018-19 was unbeatable in Game 1 against the Red Deer Rebels to lead his team to a 3-0 victory.
For the first time in nearly 3,000 days, the Saskatoon Blades recorded a playoff win thanks to the overtime heroics of captain Chase Wouters, who lifted his squad to a 3-2 win versus the Moose Jaw Warriors.
WINNER WINNER 🐔DINNER @BladesHockey win 3-2 in overtime! #SASvsMJ | #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/BujrAyJeka
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 23, 2019
Following a tie-breaker game to earn a playoff berth, the Kamloops Blazers came up short in Game 1 against the Victoria Royals, as a two-goal performance by right-wing Dino Kambeitz powered the opposition to a 4-0 victory.
A five-goal outburst in the third period that included a trio of assists by blue-liner Jake Christiansen rocketed the Everett Silvertips to a 6-1 defeat of the Tri-City Americans.
The Seattle Thunderbirds had little response to the Vancouver Giants‘ offensive attack, coming out on the wrong end of a 7-1 score that saw 2019 NHL Draft hopeful Bowen Byram finish with one goal and one assist.
After finishing third among all rearguards in regular season scoring, Spokane Chiefs blue-liner Ty Smith continued to find the score sheet in the postseason as he picked up a pair of assists in Friday’s 5-2 win over the Portland Winterhawks.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
There was no let up from Victoriaville Tigres right-wing Egor Serdyuk, who scored twice in the first 12 minutes then added his third marker later on to complete the hat-trick in a 4-2 win against the Val-d’Or Foreurs.
The Quebec Remparts defeated the Eastern Conference champion Halifax Mooseheads in both regular season meetups, and were back at it again Friday in a 3-2 win that saw right-wing Patrick Dube record the game winner just over six minutes into the final frame.
Following nearly 26 minutes of overtime action, Charlottetown Islanders left-wing Brett Budgell put his team in the winner’s ledger in a 3-2 defeat of the Maritimes Division rival Cape Breton Screaming Eagles.
Send 'em home happy, Budge.
Double B's Double OT winner sends the Isles into Game 2 tomorrow with a 1-0 series lead! #BELIEVE
TICKETS: https://t.co/28OrWPk33Y pic.twitter.com/yDNocBrIqB
— Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) March 23, 2019
Joseph Veleno scored twice in the opening frame then added his third tally on the night midway through the second period to help the Drummondville Voltigeurs to a tidy 4-0 win versus the Gatineau Olympiques.
Extra time was needed before Baie-Comeau Drakkar centre Christopher Benoit sealed the victory midway through the first overtime in Friday’s series opener against the Moncton Wildcats.
A three-point showing, including two goals and one assist, by left-wing Simon Pinard lifted the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to a 5-1 victory against the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
One goal wasn’t enough for Jimmy Huntington, as the recently signed Tampa Bay Lightning prospect then added the overtime winner to secure a 2-1 victory for the Rimouski Oceanic over the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.
A three-goal flurry in a 71-second span powered the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to a 4-1 win against the Shawinigan Cataractes, with defenceman Justin Bergeron picking up the game winner and his second point of the night in the victory.
Bonus
In the opening night of playoff action Thursday, Owen Sound Attack left-wing Maksim Sushko played the overtime hero as he picked up his second goal and third point of the night in a 4-3 victory over the favoured Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
What a call by @BayshoreFred. Best in the biz.#HearTheSound pic.twitter.com/fWYJzsM054
— Owen Sound Attack (@AttackOHL) March 22, 2019
A pair of tallies in addition to a 23-save shutout by netminder Stephen Dhillon helped the Niagara IceDogs seal a 2-0 win against the North Bay Battalion.
After leading all OHL rookies in 2018-19, Saginaw Spirit forward Cole Perfetti picked up another achievement Thursday as he recorded his first career playoff goal in a 6-3 defeat of the Sarnia Sting.