OHL Weekend Notebook: Nov. 1, 2021
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Knights not slowing down
The London Knights rattled off two more victories last week, improving to a League-best 8-0-0-0 mark. The Knights bested the Owen Sound Attack 4-1 on the road Wednesday night before returning home to defeat the Sarnia Sting 5-2 on Friday as captain Luke Evangelista potted a hat-trick. The Knights have been backstopped by Brett Brochu in goal, who leads all netminders with a 2.07 goals-against average and .935 save percentage through eight contests. The start to the season is London’s best since the magical 2004-05 campaign that saw a 10-game winning streak and 31-game run of undefeated hockey to start the season. They are the OHL’s only team still undefeated both at home and on the road, and their first place power play is operating at an impressive 33 percent.
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?: @HiscoxPhotos pic.twitter.com/CV0hxOnpRa
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) October 30, 2021
Pastujov keeps the points coming
Sasha Pastujov had another strong weekend, leading the League with seven points across three games as his Guelph Storm skated to a 2-1 mark. The Anaheim Ducks third round draft pick had a pair of goals in Thursday’s road loss in Windsor before netting his second hat-trick of the season on Friday as the Storm defeated the Owen Sound Attack 9-4. Pastujov is now tied with Soo Greyhounds teammates Tye Kartye and Cole MacKay for the OHL scoring lead, registering 17 points (10-7–17) through his first 10 games.
Count ’em goals 8, 9, and 10 for Pastujov@AnaheimDucks | @Storm_City pic.twitter.com/mEzHDhnaZz
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) October 30, 2021
Generals hunt down four points on northern swing
The Oshawa Generals returned from North Bay and Sudbury with four points. Ryan Stepien had a goal and two assists while first-year goaltender Patrick Leaver made 44 saves on Thursday as the Gennies beat the Battalion 3-2. Leaver was at his best again on Friday, posting a 38-save shutout for his first career OHL clean sheet. Leaver earned OHL Goaltender of the Week honours for his efforts as the Generals improved to 5-3-0-2 for second in the East Division. Edmonton Oilers prospect and Generals captain Ty Tullio is on a 10-game point streak, the longest in the League this season.
BREAKING: Oshawa’s newest brick wall installed over Halloween weekend
Patrick Leaver has been named the @OHLHockey Goaltender of the Week!#GensNationpic.twitter.com/gBsiN5uXp8
— Oshawa Generals (@Oshawa_Generals) November 1, 2021
Firebirds take back-to-back wins in Erie
The Flint Firebirds return home from three straight on the road having taken four of a possible six points after defeating the Erie Otters twice last weekend. Rookie goaltender Ian Michelone was the star of Friday’s 2-1 win, making 32 saves in his OHL debut. Zacharie Giroux and Amadeus Lombardi both scored twice in Saturday’s 6-2 triumph as Flint improved to 4-2-0-0 out of the gate.
His name’s Amadeus, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of him if he keeps scoring goals like this ?@FlintFirebirds rookie Amadeus Lombardi shows off blazing speed for his second of the night ? pic.twitter.com/ElRqemkv7Y
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 31, 2021
Petes pick up two big wins
With nearly a full week to recover from a 6-1 loss at the hands of the Kingston Frontenacs last Friday, the Peterborough Petes hit the ground running in their return to action, defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-3 at home on Thursday. Following a first star performance in that game, Tucker Robertson led the Petes to victory in Niagara on Saturday, scoring twice in a 5-4 triumph. Robertson earned OHL Player of the Week honours with three goals and two assists in the two victories. Overage winger Emmett Sproule rides a nine-game point streak, the second-longest in the League this season. The Petes did their part to keep pace in the East Division, now owning a 4-5-0-0 mark.
With back-to-back first star performances in a pair of @PetesOHLhockey victories, Tucker Robertson is the #OHL Player of the Week. #POTW
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 1, 2021
Chromiak’s lacrosse-inspired game winner
Los Angeles Kings prospect Martin Chromiak had a performance to remember on Saturday in Ottawa. The Slovakian winger netted his first career OHL hat-trick, scoring the game winner lacrosse-style 5:25 into the third period as the Kingston Frontenacs took the game 4-3. Chromiak was in on all four Kingston goals and has 11 points (5-6–11) through his first eight games of the season. It was Kingston’s first win in the nation’s capital since March 10, 2018, ending a slide of eight straight losses. Chromiak was Los Angeles’ fifth round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and signed an entry-level deal with the Kings last month.
Martin Chromiak scores ‘The Michigan Goal’!!!
Give @MatoChromiak8 the hat trick today in Ottawa.#KGNatOTT pic.twitter.com/4vbVZ91Pxo
— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) October 30, 2021
Rangers rebound, lose pair of blueliners
The Kitchener Rangers battled back from consecutive losses to the Soo Greyhounds on Saturday in Windsor as overage winger Mike Petizian struck for his first career OHL hat-trick in a 6-3 decision. Czech goaltender Pavel Cajan continued his stellar play with a 39-save effort to improve to 4-1-0-0. Kitchener lost overage Montreal Canadiens prospect Arber Xhekaj to a five-game suspension resulting from Friday’s game. Xhekaj’s blueliner partner Simon Motew left Saturday’s game in Windsor with an injury and didn’t return. Limited to carrying two import players on their roster, the Rangers waived Czech blueliner Martin Has last week as the Washington Capitals prospect was picked up by the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes and scored twice in his first three games.
The good news: Rangers snap skid with “character” win over Windsor. The bad news: Blueshirts down two defencemen. https://t.co/0D4eOfyDha
— Josh Brown (@BrownRecord) October 31, 2021
Wolves end October on a high note
The Sudbury Wolves suffered consecutive losses to the Barrie Colts and Oshawa Generals to start the weekend, but rebounded to defeat the North Bay Battalion 3-1 at home on Sunday. Led in scoring by defenceman and captain Jack Thompson, Sudbury has also received regular contributions from rookies David Goyette and Evan Konyen in the first month of the season while sophomore centreman Ethan Larmand has stepped into a prominent role up front. The Wolves were without New Jersey Devils first round pick Chase Stillman on Friday and Sunday while first overall 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Quentin Musty left Sunday’s game with an injury and didn’t return. The Sudbury Star’s Ben Leeson reports Stillman could return soon from an upper body injury while Musty will be assessed by a doctor this week.
The @Sudbury_Wolves howled their way to a Halloween victory on Sunday, defeating visiting rival North Bay 3-1 to wrap-up the month of October.
RECAP ?: https://t.co/G5PuSKfFzX pic.twitter.com/7IijxwJQHm
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 1, 2021
Seed’s return spells good things for Attack
Nineteen-year-old former first round OHL Priority Selection choice Nolan Seed made his season debut on the Owen Sound Attack blueline this past weekend, putting up three points in a pair of outings. Seed and the Attack fell victim to a dangerous Guelph Storm offence on Friday as the defender scored in a 9-4 loss. He pitched in with a goal and an assist in Saturday’s 4-3 win over the Sarnia Sting, earning first star honours. The Attack have had solid contributions from rookies thus far as Servac Petrovsky, Gavin Bryant and Colby Barlow all have at least five points on the season. Veteran defenceman Andrew Perrott has begun the year on a nine-game point streak, leading the Attack with 15 points (1-14–15) through 10 games.
Nolan Seed has been named our Huron Tractor Player of the Week for week 4 of the season!#RoarTogetherpic.twitter.com/jNqKvueRX5
— Owen Sound Attack (@AttackOHL) November 1, 2021