OHL This Week: March 28 to 31, 2019

 

Here’s the latest look at what’s happening across the OHL this week.

2019 OHL DEVELOPMENT COMBINE IN OSHAWA THIS WEEKEND:
76 prospects eligible for the 2019 OHL Priority Selection Presented by Real Canadian Superstore will converge on Oshawa this weekend for the OHL Development Combine. The OHL Combine offers 76 players born in 2003 the opportunity to showcase themselves both on and off the ice to OHL member team personnel.  Sport Testing results will be distributed to every OHL member team General Manager to assist in their evaluation for the OHL Priority Selection to be held on Saturday, April 6, 2019.

REVIEWING THE RECORDS FROM 2018-19:
The 2018-19 OHL season is in the books, and with it a number of updated records from across the league’s 20 member teams. Here’s a look at some of the new statistical breakthroughs accomplished this past season. Read more

WATCH THE 2019 OHL PLAYOFFS ON OHL LIVE:
Enjoy unparalleled coverage of the 2019 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs with OHL Live. New playoff packages are now available. Visit OHLLive.com for full details.

OHL PLAYOFFS FEATURED ON SPORTSNET:
Two more first round playoff matchups will be played under Sportsnet’s national spotlight over the next week showcasing four of the league’s 14 remaining teams.

• Thursday, March 28, Guelph @ Kitchener, 7:00 p.m. ET (Sportsnet 360)
• Friday, March 29, North Bay @ Niagara, 7:00 p.m. ET (Sportsnet 360)

BOUCHARD AND KEYSER NAMED CHL PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK:
In addition to being named the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week, London Knights defenceman Evan Bouchard has been named CHL Player of the Week. Joining him on the national stage, Oshawa Generals goaltender Kyle Keyser has been named the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week. Both players helped their respective clubs stake out 2-0 first round series leads. Read more

A CLOSER LOOK AT TOP 2019 #OHLDRAFT PROSPECTS:
With the 2019 OHL Priority Selection Presented by Real Canadian Superstore just over a week away, we take the opportunity to get a closer look at names expected to be called early in the proceedings on Saturday April 6th. Click on the names of the following top prospects to get a better idea of what they will bring to the Ontario Hockey League: Josh Bloom / Jacob Holmes / Liam Arnsby / Ben Gaudreau / Francesco Pinelli / Roman Schmidt

STORM’S TOROPCHENKO REPRESENTS OHL IN CIBC SHOWDOWN:
Guelph Storm forward Alexey Toropchenko is the OHL’s representative in this week’s CIBC Showdown featuring one great play from all three leagues. Watch & Vote

PLAYOFF PUCK STOPPERS IN JANES SAVES OF THE WEEK:
Playoff hockey produces the best from OHL puck stoppers in the latest edition of #JanesSaves. Featured this week is Christian Propp of the North Bay Battalion, Mack Guzda of the Owen Sound Attack, Jacob Ingham of the Mississauga Steelheads, Jordan Kooy of the London Knights, Hunter Jones of the Peterborough Petes, and Stephen Dhillon of the Niagara IceDogs. Watch

PETES’ HUTTON SCORES FIRST OHL GOAL:
Peterborough Petes rookie forward Dustin Hutton saved his first career OHL goal for the playoffs. The third overall pick of the 2018 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection lit the lamp in Oshawa on Sunday. Watch

OHL PLAYERS JOIN PRO RANKS TO FINISH SEASON:
A number of OHL players have joined professional clubs to finish out the 2018-19 season. The following players are getting a taste of the next level: Dennis Busby (Flint Firebirds/Tucson Roadrunners, AHL), Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds/Texas Stars, AHL), Hakon Nilsen (Flint Firebirds, Wichita Thunder, ECHL), Matej Pekar (Barrie Colts/Rochester Americans, AHL)

STAGE SET FOR CENTRAL REGION MIDGET AAA CHAMPIONSHIP:
The stage is officially set for the 2019 Central Region Midget AAA Championship happening at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in Bowmanville from April 1st to 7th. Players already selected by OHL clubs along with 2019 OHL Under-18 Priority Selection prospects will battle it out for a chance to take a step closer to the 2019 Telus Cup. The Clarington Toros, Toronto Young Nationals, North Bay Trappers, Greater Kingston Jr. Frontenacs, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs and Pembroke Lumber Kings will be competing. For full details visit the Ontario Hockey Federation.

CHARGING BULLS: CELEBRATING THE 1999 OHL CHAMPIONS:
Filmmakers Aaron and Angela Bell take a walk down memory lane, reliving the one and only championship in the 34-year OHL history of the Belleville Bulls. The documentary walks through the journey of the 1999 playoffs as the underdog Bulls eliminated the eventual Memorial Cup champion Ottawa 67’s in the Eastern Conference Final before hoisting the J. Ross Robertson Cup following a Game 7 series victory over the London Knights. Read more

 

ALUMNI NOTES:

Stamkos, Grubauer named NHL Stars of the Week: OHL graduates Steven Stamkos and Philip Grubauer are among the NHL’s Three Stars of the Week. Sarnia Sting grad Stamkos was named the league’s second star with four goals, four assists and eight points over four games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kingston Frontenacs graduate and former Memorial Cup champion Grubauer went 3-0-1 with a 1.49 goals-against average and .961 save percentage for the Colorado Avalanche.

Tavares enjoys four-goal night: Former Oshawa Generals and London Knights star John Tavares had a night to remember, scoring four times as the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Florida Panthers 7-5 on Monday. He becomes the eighth player to score four goals in a game this season and just the fourth Maple Leafs player to do so in the last 20 years. His last four-goal game was in January 2009 with the London Knights. Leafs teammate Nazem Kari assisted on three of those goals. The 28-year-old Tavares has 86 points (45-41–86) over 77 games this season.

Jacobs makes NHL debut: Sarnia Sting graduate Josh Jacobs made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils last Thursday in a 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. The 23-year-old defenceman has recorded 12 points (3-9–12) over 60 games with the AHL’s Binghamton Devils this season. The former second round pick of New Jersey in 2014 played one OHL season with Sarnia in 2015-16, recording 24 points (4-20–24) over 67 games.

Subban records first career shutout: Malcolm Subban turned aside all 20 shots he faced last Thursday night backstopping the Vegas Golden Knights to a 5-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets.  The 25-year-old from Toronto has appeared in 18 games this season for Vegas posting seven wins with a goals-against-average of 2.98 and save percentage of .901.  The middle of three Subban’s, Malcolm played three full seasons with the Belleville Bulls from 2010-13 recording eight shutouts throughout his OHL tenure.

Dansk named AHL Player of the Week: Erie Otters graduate Oscar Dansk has been named the AHL’s Player of the Week, going 2-0-1 with a 0.65 goals-against average and .976 save percentage with the Chicago Wolves. In 35 appearances with the Wolves this season, Dansk has a record of 22-9-4 with a 2.52 GAA and a .908 save percentage. The 25-year-old native of Stockholm, Sweden played two seasons in Erie from 2012-14, going 40-32-4-3 with a 3.25 goals-against average and .897 save percentage over 85 regular season games. He was a second round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012.

Nedeljkovic sets new Checkers franchise record: Niagara IceDogs graduate Alex Nedeljkovic set a new Charlotte Checkers franchise record, post a 23-save shutout for his record-setting 32nd win of the season. The 23-year-old from Parma, Ohio leads the AHL with a 32-7-5 record along with a 2.24 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and four shutouts over 47 games this season. A former OHL Goaltender of the Year, Nedeljkovic played four seasons in the league from 2012-16, going 89-77-8-12 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .918 save percentage over 191 regular season contests. He was Carolina’s second round pick in 2014.

Maguire receives UOIT honour: Peterborough Petes graduate Josh Maguire is excelling in his studies at UOIT. The Ridgebacks Men’s Hockey forward was recently selected as one of two male winners of the Bob and Sallie Baun Award for Top GPA in athletics. The 22-year-old from Cobourg, Ont. had 16 points (6-10–16) over 28 games with UOIT this past season. He played four seasons in Peterborough from 2012-16 before spending a season as captain of the OJHL’s Cobourg Cougars.

Fazio recognized at Queen’s: Sarnia Sting graduate and OUA champion Justin Fazio has been recognized as the top rookie athlete in men’s sports at Queen’s University. The 21-year-old Sarnia, Ont. native posted a 2.50 goals-against average and .936 save percentage over 19 games this season before backstopping the Gaels to a Queen’s Cup title. Fazio receives the Alfie Pierce Award for his efforts following a four-year OHL career that saw him play to a 92-62-10-3 record with a 3.26 goals-against average and .900 save percentage over 176 games.

 

SCHEDULE:

Thursday March 28th:
Niagara at North Bay – 7:00pm (Game 4)
Guelph at Kitchener – 7:00pm (Game 4) – Sportsnet 360
Oshawa at Peterborough – 7:05pm (Game 4)
London at Windsor – 7:05pm (Game 4)
Saginaw at Sarnia – 7:05pm (Game 4)

Friday March 29th:
North Bay at Niagara – 7:00pm (Game 5) – Sportsnet 360
Owen Sound at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm (Game 5)
Windsor at London – 7:30pm (Game 5)*
Kitchener at Guelph – 7:30pm (Game 5)*

Saturday March 30th:
Peterborough at Oshawa – 7:05pm (Game 5)
Sarnia at Saginaw – 7:05pm (Game 5)*

Sunday March 31st:
Niagara at North Bay – 2:00pm (Game 6)*
London at Windsor – 2:05pm (Game 6)*
Saginaw at Sarnia – 4:05pm (Game 6)*
Guelph at Kitchener – 6:00pm (Game 6)*
Sault Ste. Marie at Owen Sound – 7:00pm (Game 6)*
Oshawa at Peterborough – 7:05pm (Game 6)*