2017 OHL Gold Cup Day 1 Recap
The opening day of the 2017 OHL Gold Cup featured six games on the schedule and 130 OHL Priority Selection prospects hitting the ice in Kitchener.
Five different players including Nicholas Porco (SAG), Cole Schwindt (MISS), Philip Tomasino (NIAG), Jamieson Rees (SAR) and Ethan Keppen (FLNT) finished with four points over their first two games to lead all players.
Tomasino and Justin McCombs (SAR) headlined opening day action with hat-tricks as prospects from across all 20 OHL member teams represented their respective hockey associations.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s action:
TEAM GTHL BLUE 5 (1-0) vs. TEAM HNO 4 (0-1) – OT
Nicholas Porco (SAG) scored his second goal of the morning 34 seconds into overtime to give Team GTHL Blue a tournament-opening 5-4 win over Team HNO at the 2017 OHL Gold Cup.
GTHL Blue overcame an early 2-0 deficit as Cody Morgan (KGN), Eric Ciccolini (GUE), Alec Lovisek (OS) all had goals while Porco scored twice to give the back-to-back defending OHL Gold Cup champions a win to begin the event.
Defenceman Robert Calisti (SSM) collected three assists as GTHL Blue’s power play went 2-for-3 in the victory.
HNO had first period goals from defenceman Andrew Perrott (LDN) and forward Carter Tresoor (KIT). Zach Fortin also found the back of the net while Levi Siau (SBY) knotted the game at four with seven minutes remaining in the third period.
A graduate of the ALLIANCE Champion London Jr. Knights, Siau finished the game with a goal and two helpers to earn Player of the Game honours for Team HNO.
Zachary Roy (HAM) made 19 saves to record the victory while Mack Guzda (OS) matched that effort with 19 saves in defeat.
Player of the Game:
GTHL Blue – Nicholas Porco (SAG) (2G)
HNO – Levi Siau (SBY) (1G, 2A)
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TEAM GTHL RED 2 (1-0) vs. TEAM OMHA BLACK 0 (0-1)
Christian Sbaraglia (NIAG) stopped all 21 shots he faced as Team GTHL Red blanked Team OMHA Black 2-0.
Jamieson Rees (SAR) had a goal and an assist while Dylan Jackson (GUE) also found the back of the net for GTHL Red who outshot their opponent 29-21 in the win.
Ethan Langevin (SAR) turned aside 27 shots in the loss and was named Player of the Game for his team.
Player of the Game:
GTHL Red – Christian Sbaraglia (NIAG) (21-save shutout)
OMHA Black –Ethan Langevin (SAR) (27 saves)
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TEAM ALLIANCE 6 (1-0) vs. TEAM NOHA 0 (0-1)
A four-goal third period from Team ALLIANCE turned a 2-0 game after 40 minutes into a 6-0 final as Kitchener Jr. Rangers teammates Justin McCombs (SAR) and Cole Schwindt (MISS) led the way offensively.
McCombs finished the game with a hat-trick while Schwindt netted two goals and an assist. First overall pick Ryan Suzuki (BAR) pitched in with a goal while London Jr. Knights teammate Mason Howard (NIAG) finished the game with a pair of assists.
Team NOHA goaltender Joel Rainville put forth an admirable effort in the loss, turning aside 32 shots as his team was outshot 38-7.
Team ALLIANCE held the NOHA to 0-for-7 on the power play in the game
Player of the Game:
ALLIANCE – Justin McCombs (SAR) (3G)
NOHA – Joel Rainville (32 saves)
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TEAM OMHA WHITE 4 (1-0) vs. TEAM HNO 2 (0-2)
Team OMHA White climbed out to a 4-0 lead and didn’t look back, defeating Team HNO 4-2 behind a goal and an assist from Connor McMichael (HAM).
Cole Brady (GUE) made 23 saves while other OMHA White goals came from Ryan Stepien (SAG), Kurtis Evans (NB) and Tye Kartye (SSM) before Zach Fortin and Keighan Gerrie (LDN) tacked on goals for HNO.
Mack Guzda (OS) stopped all 19 shots he faced in a relief appearance for Team HNO as they fall to 0-2 at the 2017 OHL Gold Cup.
OMHA White held Team HNO to 0-for-8 on the power play.
Player of the Game:
OMHA White – Kurtis Evans (NB) (1G)
HNO – Zach Fortin (1G)
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TEAM GTHL BLUE 7 (2-0) vs. TEAM HEO 4 (0-1)
Team GTHL Blue overcame a 4-1 deficit as Philip Tomasino (NIAG) buried a hat-trick and Ethan Keppen (FLNT) recorded three assists in a 7-4 win over Team HEO.
Nicholas Porco (SAG) and Billy Constantinou (NIAG) each had a goal and an assist while Brandon Coe (NB) and Dennis Golovatchev (GUE) also found the back of the net to improve the defending champion GTHL Blue to 2-0 on the day.
Curtis Fabbro (KGN) and Josh Shimizu (ER) led the way offensively for HEO with a goal and an assist each. Jack Quinn (OTT) and Nick Chartrand (LDN) also had markers in the loss.
Team HEO managed to go 2-for-5 on the power play but came up short as Matthew Keeley made 22 saves to record the win for GTHL Blue.
Player of the Game:
GTHL Blue – Philip Tomasino (NIAG) (3G)
HEO – Josh Shimizu (ER) (1G, 1A)
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TEAM GTHL RED 5 (2-0) vs. TEAM ALLIANCE 2 (1-1)
Team GTHL Red climbed out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and despite a late push from Team ALLIANCE, managed to hand on for a 5-2 win.
A trio of former OHL Cup champions in the Mississauga Reps connection of Mike Petizian (KIT), Jamieson Rees (SAR) and Lucas Rowe (LDN) had two points each. Petizian scored twice while Rees had a goal and an assist and Rowe chipped in with a pair of helpers.
Nick Wong (OSH) and Ty Jackson (GUE) provided other GTHL Red goals while Ryan Dugas (KGN) made 29 saves to record the win.
Cole Schwindt (MISS) and Jeff Burridge (FLNT) provided goals for Team ALLIANCE as they fall to 1-1 in the tournament.
The chippy affair included a combined total of 16 power plays between the two clubs.
Player of the Game:
GTHL Red – Ty Jackson (GUE) (1G)
ALLIANCE – Grayson Ladd (KIT) (1A)
For full coverage of the 2017 OHL Gold Cup, please visit ohlgoldcup.com.
