OHL This Week: April 7 to 10, 2022

 

The Mississauga Senators are 2022 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour champions, and now it’s time to turn our attention to crowning an OHL champion as the regular season winds down. Here’s a look at what’s going on across the League.

Senators come out on top in 2022 OHL Cup Championship Final:
Michael Misa had a record night, powering the wild card entry Mississauga Senators to a 6-2 win in the 2022 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Championship Final at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Read more / Misa named MVP / Gatorade All-Star Team

2022 U16 AAA Player of the Year Awards:
The Ontario Hockey League announced the six recipients of U16 AAA Player of the Year Awards for players representing the four Ontario Hockey Federation Member Partners. Read more

2022 #OHLDraft Profile: Braedyn Rogers (Quinte Red Devils):
A reliable defenceman with offensive instincts, Braedyn Rogers of the OHL Cup Semi-Finalist Quinte Red Devils would give a team a promising young right-handed shot. Watch

Bulldogs clinch East Division title:
The Hamilton Bulldogs are 2022 East Division champions, becoming the first OHL team to secure a division banner in the 2021-22 season. Read more

Bulldogs, Spitfires, Battalion included in Week 23 Edition of Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings:
The Hamilton Bulldogs, Windsor Spitfires and North Bay Battalion are included in the Week 23 edition of the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Bulldogs top the list for the first time in their history. Read more

McTavish named to CHL Team for the Week for Mar. 31-Apr. 3:
Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish of the Hamilton Bulldogs has been named to the CHL Team of the Week. Read more

Bulldogs’ Mason McTavish named OHL Player of the Week:
Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish of the Hamilton Bulldogs is the OHL Player of the Week with seven points in four contests. Read more

Generals’ Patrick Leaver named OHL Goaltender of the Week:
Patrick Leaver of the Oshawa Generals is the OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 2-0-0-1 with a 2.52 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. Read more

OHL Weekend Notebook:
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice. Read more

Two first goals and a shutout in OHL Milestone Moments:
Witness first goals from Saginaw’s Charlie Fink and Kitchener’s Adrian Misaljevic along with a first shutout for Hamilton’s Matteo Drobac. Watch

OHF/OHL U15 Program of Excellence to return May 2022:
The OHF and OHL are proud to announce the return of the U15 Program of Excellence in Spring 2022. The U15 Program of Excellence is a development experience designed to educate and inform players and parents. Read more

OHL Plays of the Week:
Press play and see highlight reel stuff from Niagara’s Pano Fimis and Juan Copeland, Windsor’s Wyatt Johnston, Kingston’s Martin Chromiak, and Barrie’s Hunter Haight. Watch

Rolling back the OHL Saves of the Week:
Get a look at big-time saves from Owen Sound’s Corbin Votary, Guelph’s Jacob Oster, Saginaw’s Andrew Oke, London’s Owen Flores, Ottawa’s Will Cranley, Oshawa’s Zachary Paputsakis and Patrick Leaver, Flint’s Luke Cavallin, and Sudbury’s Mitchell Weeks. Watch

Cole Bishop commits to IceDogs:
The Niagara IceDogs have received a commitment from sixth round 2021 OHL Priority Selection choice Cole Bishop. Read more

 

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Battalion fans raise $2750 for North Bay Humane Society: The North Bay Battalion held their first ever North Bay Humane Society Night as presented by Gateway Signs.   Over $2,750.00 was raised by Battalion Fans for the new society Adoption Centre scheduled to open in late 2022.  As part of the fun “Battalion Pets” was created which includes pictures of pets of Battalion players, fans and billet families. Battalion Pets

Flint hosts Alzheimer awareness night Saturday: The Flint Firebirds have partnered with Walk to End Alzheimer’s as they honour their overagers on Saturday night. The Firebirds ask that all fans wear purple to support the cause. Walk to End Alzheimer’s will be holding special on-ice activities and more.

Saginaw hold auction for the United Way, hold Pride Night Saturday: The Saginaw Spirit are auctioning a worn and autographed Paul Bissonnette Saginaw Spirit jacket. All bidding ends on Sunday, April 10th. Proceeds from the auction benefit United Way of Saginaw County. The Spirit will also be holding their inaugural Pride Night on Saturday at the Dow Event Center, taking on the Windsor Spitfires. More details

Guelph hosts First Responders Game on Friday: The Guelph Storm play their final home game of the regular season against the Windsor Spitfires on Friday as they hold their Fist Responders Appreciation Game.

Kitchener honours Frontline Heroes on Friday: The Kitchener Rangers will hold their Frontline Heroes Appreciation Night on Friday as they face off against Sarnia in their final home game of the season. The Rangers will be celebrating the Front Line Heroes that have allowed the community to continue functioning throughout the pandemic. Local front line workers entered a draw to win tickets to the game, and 160+ heroes will join #RTown to celebrate the night.  They have also been provided with special shirts to wear during the game. Read more

Fan Appreciation Night in Mississauga: The Mississauga Steelheads will be hosting their final regular season home game on Saturday afternoon against the Kingston Frontenacs. It will be Fan Appreciation Night at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre, where the team will celebrate 10 years of Steelheads hockey and honour several graduating players. Read more

Petes Fight Cancer on Saturday: The Peterborough Petes are gearing up for their 13th annual Pink in the Rink game this Saturday, April 9 against the Niagara Ice Dogs. The Petes will be sporting pink jerseys and ask that all fans wear pink! Only 10 thousand dollars away from reaching their 50 thousand dollar goal, the game will include a jersey auction, games, a pre-game ceremony and more. Read more

 

ALUMNI NOTES

OHL alumnus Doug Wilson steps down as Sharks GM: After 19 years at the helm, Doug Wilson has announced he’s stepping down as general manager of the San Jose Sharks. Wilson, who was named general manager on May 13, 2003, strategically built the Sharks into one of the National Hockey League’s elite franchises through strong drafting, shrewd trades and timely free agent signings. Wilson is a former Ottawa 67’s defenceman who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November 2021. Read more at nhl.com/sharks

OHL grads Bollers, Hawel and Mattinen honoured with U SPORTS hockey awards: Kyle Bollers, Liam Hawel and Nicolas Mattinen were in the national spotlight, being recognized with U SPORTS men’s hockey year-end awards. Hawel earned Rookie of the Year, Bollers earned the Student-Athlete Community Service award, and Mattinen earned Defenceman of the Year. Read More

Trevor Lewis reaches 800 games: Owen Sound Attack alumnus Trevor Lewis played in his 800th NHL game on Wednesday. Lewis has played for the Los Angeles Kings, Winnipeg Jets and now the Calgary Flames over the course of 12 full NHL seasons. The native of Salt Lake City, Utah played one season for Owen Sound in 2006-07, putting up 73 points in 62 games.

Sam Gagner reaches 500 points: Detroit Red Wings forward Sam Gagner recorded his 500th career NHL point on Wednesday. A former sixth overall NHL Draft pick in 2007, Gagner put up 118 points with the London Knights in 2006-07. Watch

Heard named ECHL Player of the Week: Plymouth Whalers alumnus Mitchell Heard has been named the ECHL Player of the Week. Heard scored five goals and added an assist, recording six points in three games for the Toledo Walleye. A native of Newcastle, Ont., Heard played four seasons for Plymouth from 2009-13. Read more

 

KEY MATCHUPS

Sarnia Sting at Erie Otters
Thursday April 7 – 6:00pm

It’s a big one in Erie tonight as the Sarnia Sting pay a visit, with the two teams battling for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Otters enter action up one point with a record of 26-32-2-2, while Sarnia sits in ninth at a mark of 25-32-4-1. Erie has won three of four against Sarnia this season.

Mississauga Steelheads at North Bay Battalion
Thursday April 7 – 7:00pm

A season-long Central Division rivalry comes down to one last meeting as the North Bay Battalion try and clinch a Central Division title on home ice against the Mississauga Steelheads. The Battalion have won five of nine meetings between the two clubs, with veteran winger Brandon Coe approaching the 100-point mark on the season Thursday night. Points are valuable for Mississauga, as the Steelheads are jostling with the Kingston Frontenacs for third place in the Eastern Conference.

 

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Thursday April 7:
Sarnia at Erie – 6:00pm
Mississauga at North Bay – 7:00pm
Guelph at Windsor – 7:30pm

Friday April 8:
Hamilton at Ottawa – 7:00pm
Barrie at Kingston – 7:00pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Sudbury – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Kitchener – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm
Windsor at Guelph – 7:30pm

Saturday April 9:
Kingston at Mississauga – 4:00pm
Erie at Flint – 7:00pm
Windsor at Saginaw– 7:05pm
Niagara at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Sudbury at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
North Bay at Barrie – 7:30pm
Kitchener at Owen Sound– 7:30pm

Sunday April 10:
Kingston at Niagara – 2:00pm
Guelph at London – 2:00pm
Barrie at Peterborough – 2:00pm
Sarnia at Flint– 5:00pm
Hamilton at Oshawa – 6:05pm