OHL Cup Semi-Final matchups set for Thursday night
Quarter Final action has concluded as the 2024 OHL Cup presented by FPS Payment is down to four teams.
The North York Rangers, Vaughan Kings and Peterborough Petes all remain undefeated in tournament action, playing to 5-0 records heading into Thursday night’s Semi-Final stage.
The winners of tonight’s contest will meet in Saturday’s OHL Cup Championship Final at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto. The puck drops at 2:00pm and the game will air for free on CHL TV, as well as across the province on OHL Action Pak channel 467. Tickets for Saturday’s Championship game are $13.00 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.
Here’s a look at which teams have punched their ticket to the Final Four as the puck drops at 6:00pm and 8:00pm tonight at Scotiabank Pond in Toronto.
SEMI-FINAL #1 – North York Rangers (5-0-0) vs. Oakville Rangers (4-1-0) – 6:00pm (Rink 1)
The Oakville Rangers defeated the OMHA champion Barrie Colts with a 3-1 Quarter-Final win, along with the York-Simcoe Express, Sun County Panthers and TPH Hockey at the OHL Cup. Their lone loss came at the hands of the GTHL champion Vaughan Kings, falling 4-3 in overtime on Monday.
Top 2024 OHL Draft prospect Ethan Belchetz has remained consistent throughout the tournament, recording eight points (3-5–8) in five games. Ryder Carey also reigns among the team’s top tournament performers, registering five goals, three assists and eight points in five appearances.
Oakville finished atop the OMHA West regular season standings, playing to a 31-1-1-1 mark. Falling short in the playoffs, Oakville concluded their U16 circuit in third place.
The North York Rangers enter tonight’s tournament undefeated in the showcase, sporting a 5-0 record. Their wins have come against the Oshawa Generals, Thunder Bay Kings, Huron-Perth Lakers and Upper Canada Cyclones before taking down the Toronto Marlboros 4-1 in Quarter-Final action.
Brady Smith leads North York offensively, with 10 points (9-1–10) over five games. His nine goals lead the 2024 OHL Cup.
North York finished second in regular season action, playing to a 30-5-1 record, one point behind the GTHL champion Vaughan Kings. North York and Oakville have met face-to-face one time this season, with North York getting the win in the Semi-Finals of the Toronto Titans Tournament.
SEMI-FINAL #2 – Vaughan Kings (5-0-0) vs. Peterborough Petes (5-0-0) – 8:00pm (Rink 1)
The GTHL champion Vaughan Kings look to build on their perfect 5-0 record, punching their ticket to tonight’s OHL Cup Semi-Finals with a 3-1 win over the Mississauga Rebels.
Vaughan has dominated throughout the tournament, defeating the Oakville Rangers, York-Simcoe Express, TPH Hockey, Sun County Panthers and the Rebels.
The Kings were ranked atop the OHL Cup Top 10 in 16 of 17 weeks this past season, playing to a first place finish in the GTHL with a record of 29-3-4.
Alexander Hage (2-4-6) and Zach Nyman (2-4-6) have paced the Kings offensively in the OHL Cup, each registering six points in five games. Joseph D’Angelo has remained consistent between the pipes, turning aside 54 of the 66 shots he’s faced in four games played.
The OMHA finalist Peterborough Petes demonstrated their dominance as they surged past the Oshawa Generals in the last Quarter-Final showdown of the morning. Colin Fitzgerald continued to be a presence for his team, sealing the victory with a decisive game-winning goal.
Fitzgerald has remained a threat on the ice, registering a tournament high 13 points (8-5-13) in five games played. Matt Souter has also proven reliable, tallying eight points (3-5-8) in five matchups.
The Petes improve their undefeated record as they enter Semi-Final action for the second time in the 20-year history of the event, with previous tournament wins over the Toronto Marlboros, Niagara North Stars, Ottawa Myers Automotive and London Jr. Knights.
Playing to a regular season record of 35-20-13, good for fifth in the OMHA East division, the Petes are determined to rebound following their loss in the OMHA championship.
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