Saturday Highlights: Spits clinch on Mickey Renaud Night

 

WINDSOR 3 – GUELPH 1
Guelph’s Anthony Popovich held the Windsor Spitfires scoreless until early in the third period when Mikhail Sergachev (9), Jeremiah Addison (23) and Luke Boka (11) broke out for goals in a 3-1 victory on Mickey Renaud Night. With the win, the Mastercard Memorial Cup host Spitfires improve to 35-13-5-3 and clinch a Western Conference playoff spot. They sit tied with the Owen Sound Attack for fourth place in the conference. Guelph’s lone goal came off the stick of rookie defenceman Ryan Merkley (10). The Spitfires improve to 3-1 against Guelph this season.
GAME CENTRE

 

OSHAWA 3 – OWEN SOUND 2 – SO
Sophomore forward Kyle McLean was the shootout hero for the second straight night, joining Jeremy Brodeur in leading the Oshawa Generals to a 3-2 road win in Owen Sound. After Friday’s 14-round marathon, the Generals managed to pick up two points in just three on Saturday as MacLean beat Owen Sound’s Michael McNiven to secure the victory and Oshawa’s seventh straight appearance in the OHL Playoffs. Brodeur made 53 saves followed by stops on all three shootout opponents he faced to backstop the Generals to victory. MacLean (4) and rookie forward Serron Noel (7) had goals for Oshawa while Jonah Gadjovich (35, 36) continued his hot streak with a pair of goals for the Attack. Owen Sound’s six game winning streak comes to an end as the Generals improve to 34-16-3-2 with their fourth straight win.
GAME CENTRE

 

KITCHENER 5 – SAGINAW 4 – OT
Joseph Garreffa (21) scored 2:33 into overtime to give the Kitchener Rangers a 5-4 road win in Saginaw. Dylan Di Perna and Darby Llewellyn gathered assists on the game winner as the Rangers won their third straight and have effectively reversed a trend of six straight road losses, coming back to win back-to-back road games this weekend. Di Perna earned third star honours with three assists for the Blueshirts while Riley Damiani (8), Llewellyn (18), Adam Mascherin (23) and Nick McHugh (11) all found the twine. Saginaw goals came from D.J. Busdeker (7), Max Grondin (5), Brady Gilmour (23) and Filip Hronek (11). The Rangers now hold a seven point lead over seventh place Flint in the Western Conference while the Spirit sit seven points out of the playoff picture with 12 games remaining.
GAME CENTRE

 

FLINT 7 – SARNIA 5
The Flint Firebirds took a big two points on home ice, defeating Sarnia 7-5 to climb past the Sting in the West Division standings. Sophomore forward C.J. Clarke (7, 8) scored twice while rookie rearguard Dennis Busby had three assists, helping the Firebirds improve to 27-23-1-4. Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Kole Sherwood (29) scored the game winner with just 1:02 remaining in the third period while Ryan Moore (33), Ty Dellandrea (9), Nicholas Caamano (27) and Maurizio Colella (12) also scored. St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou (24, 25) scored twice in the loss while Jaden Lindo (16), Anthony Salinitri (20) and Adam Ruzicka (21) also found the back of the net. The Firebirds have now won four straight on home ice and improve to 5-1 against Sarnia on the season.
GAME CENTRE

 

HAMILTON 4 – OTTAWA 3
2017 NHL Draft prospect Marian Studenic (14, 15) scored twice to lead the Hamilton Bulldogs to their fourth straight win. The 4-3 victory over the visiting Ottawa 67’s also featured goals from Brandon Saigeon (18) and Niki Petti (15) while defenceman Ben Gleason registered a pair of assists. Mathieu Foget (4), Mitchell Hoelscher (1) and Patrick White (20) responded with goals for Ottawa as their comeback bid fell just short. Ottawa’s sixth straight loss has them remaining in a three-way tie for the seventh and eighth playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. With the win, the Bulldogs pull into a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with the Kingston Frontenacs.
GAME CENTRE

 

ERIE 3 – MISSISSAUGA 0
Joseph Murdaca stopped all 19 shots he faced to post his second shutout of the season, leading the Erie Otters to a 3-0 win over his former club. The home ice victory featured a goal and an assist from Chicago Blackhawks prospect Alex DeBrincat (49) as he extended his current point streak to 14 games. Taylor Raddysh (34) and Erik Cernak (3) also scored for the Otters in their 13th straight win. Erie remains undefeated on home ice through 29 games this season and now leads the Midwest Division by eight points over second place London. The loss is Mississauga’s third straight as they continue to lead the Central Division by 10 points.
GAME CENTRE

 

BARRIE 6 – NORTH BAY 1
The Barrie Colts broke out for six goals on home ice as Lucas Chiodo (18, 19) scored twice in a 6-1 win over visiting North Bay. Joey Keane, Anthony Stefano and Kirill Nizhnikov all had two assists for the Colts while Giordano Finoro (12), Kyle Heitzner, (4), Roy Radke (15) and Jason Willms (12) lit the lamp. Brett McKenzie (27) ended David Ovsjannikov’s shutout bid with 4:37 remaining in the third period. North Bay’s loss means the Oshawa Generals and Peterborough Petes both clinch Eastern Conference playoff positions. The win marks the end of a seven game home losing skid for the Colts.
GAME CENTRE

 

SAULT STE. MARIE 8 – NIAGARA 1
New York Rangers prospect Tim Gettinger (24, 25, 26) netted his second hat-trick of the season as the Soo Greyhounds sprinted past the visiting Niagara IceDogs 8-1. Zach Senyshyn (36) and Morgan Frost (16) each had a goal and two assists while Jack Kopacka (24), Blake Speers (13) and Hayden Verbeek (10) also scored. Rookie netminder Matthew Villalta made 30 saves as the Greyhounds got back on the winning track as they improved to 39-15-2-1. Danial Singer (11) provided Niagara’s lone goal as the IceDogs remain locked up in a three-way tie for the seventh and eighth spots in the Eastern Conference.
GAME CENTRE