CHL on CBC Gem | 3 Reasons to Watch – Generals vs. Colts
Saturday night is hockey night.
Available via the free CBC Gem streaming service, fans can tune in Saturday as the Oshawa Generals visit the Barrie Colts, with puck drop set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
To get you ready, here are three reasons why this OHL showdown is must-see TV:
Scouting Haight
The coming week will see plenty of attention paid to Colts rookie centre Hunter Haight. Beyond competing in Saturday’s CBC showdown, the gifted forward has also been tapped to compete in the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game slated for Wednesday in Kitchener where as part of Team Red he will have the opportunity to show his wares before hundreds of talent evaluators. A noted two-way centre who can be entrusted in all situations, Haight is a budding playmaker who brings a pro-style game. Debuting with the Colts this season, the promising freshman has impressed in coming up with 20 goals and 15 assists for 35 points through 49 appearances. Originally chosen ninth overall in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, the 17-year-old Strathroy, Ont., native is expected to hear his name called early again on draft day as he clocks in 47th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm report.
What a feed by @OHLBarrieColts' Haight!
2022 #NHL Draft prospect Hunter Haight sets up Nathan Allensen with the clutch back door feed to earn Saturday's #BestofOHL effort 🎥 pic.twitter.com/XipKOthoPs
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) March 6, 2022
Offense from Olausson
Linking up with the Generals in early January, Olausson has been a steady offensive presence since his arrival in Oshawa – to the tune of 18 points counting 12 goals and six assists coming in 27 contests. On the season, the Swedish-born right-wing has put together a productive first year in the OHL following his second-round selection in the 2021 CHL Import Draft where through 49 games split between Barrie and Oshawa he has produced at a near point-per-game pace in collecting 24 goals with 19 assists. Facing his former club for the fourth time Saturday, Olausson will look to find the scoresheet for the first time after previous hard-battled efforts saw him held scoreless. Selected 28th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021 NHL Draft, Olausson inked his entry-level contract with the club last August.
A Friday night treat for all the @Avalanche fans out there…
Here's a four-goal performance from @Oshawa_Generals forward Oskar Olausson (@oskarolausson1) #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/PwBXe8iqU7
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 19, 2022
McDonnell’s seven-game point streak
For the Generals to come away with the victory Saturday, among the opponents to key in on includes Colts veteran right-wing Declan McDonnell whose current seven-game point streak sees him as one of the hottest players in the circuit. In all, that span has seen the talented forward pick up six goals and four assists for 10 points highlighted by a three-point performance coming against rival Sudbury earlier this month. A 2020 seventh-round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning, McDonnell joined the Colts in January following part of two seasons with Kitchener. In all, the 2021-22 campaign has seen him split 48 games between the two squads in which he has collected 22 goals and 29 assists for 51 points, good for second in team scoring behind fellow NHL draftee and budding blue-liner Brandt Clarke, a 2021 first-round selection of the Los Angeles Kings who paces the Colts with 54 points through 47 appearances.
That's 2⃣0⃣🚨 for @TBLightning prospect Declan McDonnell (@decmac25_) with help from @OHLBarrieColts teammate Anthony Tabak (@tabak_6) 🎥 pic.twitter.com/Kax6EBAong
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) March 12, 2022