Friday Highlights: Onward and upward

The Kingston Frontenacs, Kitchener Rangers and Niagara IceDogs all punched their ticket to the second round of the 2016 OHL Playoffs on Friday, closing out their respective series with home ice victories.

The Frontenacs snapped a skid of 18 years without a playoff series win, advancing to the second round for the first time since 1998 behind a goal and four assists from Los Angeles Kings prospect Spencer Watson in a 6-0 win over Oshawa.

Kitchener held off the Windsor Spitfires 5-2 as Jeremy Bracco and Ryan MacInnis each had a goal and three helpers. The Rangers take the series in five games, converting for three powerplay goals at The Aud.

The Niagara IceDogs got by the Ottawa 67’s 5-2 as Josh Ho-Sang (1-2–3) and Pavel Jenys (1-1–2) each had multi-point performances. Kyle Langdon provided the eventual winner 6:25 into the third period as the IceDogs are into the second round for the sixth time in nine years.

Here’s a look at those games and more from another exciting night of action around the OHL.

 

KITCHENER 5 WINDSOR 2
KIT wins series 4-1
Three late second period markers in quick succession from the Kitchener Rangers grounded the Windsor Spitfires for good on Friday as the blueshirts claimed a 5-2 victory on home ice to take the series 4-1. The Spitfires held a 2-1 lead late in the second before three goals in a span of 1:58 turned the tables as the Rangers held on to close out the series. Kitchener took advantage of Windsor penalty trouble, going 3-for-8 on the powerplay as Jeremy Bracco and Ryan MacInnis each led the way with a goal and three assists. Draft eligible winger Adam Mascherin had a goal and two assists for Kitchener while Dawson Carty made 28 saves in goal. Gabriel Vilardi and Brendan Lemieux provided goals for Windsor as the Spits see their season draw to a close.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

KINGSTON 6 OSHAWA 0
KGN wins series 4-1
Whatever fight the Oshawa Generals had left in them, they used up in Thursday’s thrilling 4-3 overtime victory on home ice as the Frontenacs ran the show in Game 5 on Friday. Spencer Watson had a goal and four assists while Michael Dal Colle had four helpers and goaltender Jeremy Helvig registered a 20-save shutout in a 6-0 blanking of Oshawa. Kingston took the shooting column 35-20 as Carolina Hurricanes prospect Warren Foegele scored twice while Stephen Desrocher, Lawson Crouse and Ryan Verbeek also found the back of the net. Overage Oshawa goaltender Justin Nichols came on in relief to make 11 saves in his final OHL appearance. The Frontenacs win their first series in 18 years, defeating the reigning MasterCard Memorial Cup champions to advance to the second round for the first time since 1998.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

NIAGARA 5 OTTAWA 2
NIAG wins series 4-1
Kyle Langdon’s first OHL playoff goal 6:35 into the third period stood as the difference maker as the Niagara IceDogs outlasted the Ottawa 67’s 5-2 on home ice to take a 4-1 series win. Brendan Perlini, Ryan Mantha, Pavel Jenys and first star Josh Ho-Sang also scored for the Dogs, who get the better of Ottawa in the playoffs for the second straight season. Niagara outshot Ottawa 34-24, getting 22 saves from Alex Nedeljkovic who was beaten twice on the night on goals by Austen Keating and Evan de Haan. The IceDogs are off to the second round for the sixth time in the last nine seasons.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

OWEN SOUND 4 LONDON 3 OT
LDN leads series 3-2
Both games that didn’t result in a team advancing ended in overtime as the Owen Sound Attack live to fight another day on Petrus Palmu’s winner 3:36 into the extra frame. A thrilling back-and-forth affair that featured goalposts, wide open cages and goal line robberies came to an end when Palmu wristed a release over the shoulder of Tyler Parsons to force a Game 6 on Sunday afternoon in Owen Sound. The two clubs came out of the first period tied at two before former Knight Josh Sterk sent the Attack into the third period up 3-2. Aaron Berisha tied the score at three with 2:58 remaining in the third before Palmu put an end to things with his third of the series from Ethan Szypula and Jacob Friend. The Attack went 3-for-4 on the man advantage in the victory to keep their playoff run going.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

NORTH BAY 2 PETERBOROUGH 1 OT
NB leads series 3-2
Mike Amadio continued to lead by example on Friday, snapping a wrister from close quarters over the shoulder of Peterborough’s Matthew Mancina 11:08 into overtime to put the North Bay Battalion up 3-2 in the series with a 2-1 win. Brett McKenzie brought the Memorial Gardens to its feet 5:07 into the first, finishing off a nifty passing play by rookie blueliner Brady Lyle. The Petes would tie the score on Steven Lorentz’ second of the series from Adam Timleck and Jonathan Ang 12:27 into the second. The 41st shot of the night on Mancina was the difference maker as Amadio’s fourth of the series gives the Troops a chance to close things out on Sunday night in Peterborough. North Bay’s Jake Smith made 34 saves in the victory.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

 

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