OHL Weekend Notebook: Nov. 28, 2023
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Spirit string together record 10 straight wins
The Saginaw Spirit are the hottest team in the OHL, surging to the top of the Week 9 edition of Power Rankings thanks to a 3-0 week that featured victories over Flint, Sarnia and Niagara. The Spirit are now 14-7-0-1. All eight of their losses to this point have been either by one goal, or have included an empty-netter for a two-goal margin, meaning Chris Lazary’s club has had a reasonable shot at winning every game this season. After missing some time to injury, Michael Misa has come back and surged offensively, sitting tied for the team lead with 29 points (12-17–29) through 21 games. Vegas Golden Knights prospect Matyas Sapovaliv is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week with 11 points (4-7–11) in three games. The Spirit will be tested in an upcoming home-and-home with the West Division-leading Soo Greyhounds.
MAKING HISTORY BABY!#SoarWithUs pic.twitter.com/sLUixXgix3
— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) November 27, 2023
Storm defeat North Bay, Kitchener, Sarnia
It was a big week for the Guelph Storm, who skated to a 3-1 win over North Bay on Friday, before a thrilling victory over the rival Kitchener Rangers on Saturday. The Storm turned a 5-2 deficit into an 8-6 victory as captain Braeden Bowman scored a hat-trick and Damian Slavik entered the game in relief to pick up the win. The Storm improved to 14-8-0-1 on Sunday in Sarnia as Jake Karabela, Jett Luchanko and Michael Buchinger each recorded a goal and an assist. The Storm are in Mississauga for a test against the Steelheads on Wednesday morning at 11:00am.
There's no stopping the big man 🤷♂️@Canucks prospect Vilmer Alriksson with one of the assists of the year, setting up Jett Luchanko with ONE HAND 🤯@Storm_City | #Canucks | #OHLxMilkUP | @MilkUPOntario pic.twitter.com/FPqA2cAuVI
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 26, 2023
Greyhounds maintain West Division lead
The Soo Greyhounds were in the golden horseshoe over the weekend, battling the Erie Otters to a 3-2 overtime loss on U.S. Thanksgiving. They rallied back for an 8-2 win in Brantford on Friday before defeating the Mississauga Steelheads 5-2 on Sunday. Marco Mignosa (3-3–6) and Jordan D’Intino (3-2–5) were both productive last week as the Greyhounds maintained their West Division lead with a record of 15-7-2-0 heading into a home-and-home with red hot Saginaw. The Hounds moved up to third on the latest edition of OHL Power Rankings.
Jordan D'Intino became the 12th player in @OHLHoundPower history to score two shorthanded goals in a game on Friday in Brantford, following Barrett Hayton as the last to do so 🎥 pic.twitter.com/NBk3sMvcI5
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 25, 2023
Spitfires find their game on the road
It’ll be a process getting to where they want to be, but the past weekend was definitely a start for the Windsor Spitfires, who return from a three-game eastern road swing with four points. The Spits stopped the red hot Peterborough Petes Thursday night as Jacob Maillet had three points and interim coach Casey Torres collected his first career victory in a 5-2 outcome. Windsor fell short in Kingston on Friday before a third period surge powered by 2024 NHL Draft prospect Liam Greentree pushed the Spits past the Ottawa 67’s 5-3. Seventeen year-old winger Cole Davis has piling up the points with multi-point totals in three of his last four games. Greentree leads the Spits with 16 goals and 34 points.
Liam Greentree is RED HOT right now 📈
The #NHLDraft prospect had a four-point third period, spearheading a comeback win for the @SpitsHockey ✈️ pic.twitter.com/DsjONERzN5
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 26, 2023
Attack coming on of late
The Owen Sound Attack suffered a 6-3 setback against the North Bay Battalion on Saturday, but turned-in an otherwise impressive week with Carter George starring in a 50-save shutout victory on Thursday night in Barrie before the Bears halted Kitchener’s eight-game winning streak with a 4-1 triumph at The Aud on Friday. Interim coach Darren Rumble seems to have his squad coming together, even without the presence of star winger Colby Barlow in the lineup as he’s been sidelined with an injury since Nov. 8th. Deni Goure (14-18–32), blueliner Sam Sedley (5-25–30) and Montreal Canadiens draftee Cedrick Guindon (13-12–25) are all producing at a clip of over a point-per-game.
Give the @OHLBarrieColts some credit, they threw everything they had at Carter George on Thursday, but the @AttackOHL #NHLDraft prospect had all the answers with a 50-save shutout! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/uMpviuzxnJ
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 24, 2023
Hamara fitting right in with Bulldogs
Ottawa Senators prospect Tomas Hamara has found a new home in Brantford, producing a goal and six assists through his first eight games since being acquired from the Kitchener Rangers. The Prague, Czechia product has points in five of his last six outings as Brantford has won seven-of-10. He starred in Sunday’s 5-2 win over visiting Kingston, firing home the third period game winner while posting a plus-4 rating, giving him a figure of plus-24 on the season. Hamara is a likely candidate for Czechia’s National Junior Team, having represented them as they claimed silver last January.
"Hamar Time" for the Bulldogs, as Tomas Hamara records a goal and an assist to lead the Dogs over the Fronts 5-2 on Sunday!https://t.co/jATv5Rpx18#OHL | #BFD pic.twitter.com/QLXUKsmauf
— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) November 27, 2023
Ludwinski streak hits 14 games
Chicago Blackhawks prospect Paul Ludwinski has pushed his point streak to 14 games, a figure tied for the longest in the league this season. The Frontenacs captain has compiled 20 points (9-11–20) over the course of his run, leading the team with 24 points (10-14–24) on the season. Kingston defeated Windsor 6-4 on Friday night before dropping a 5-2 contest in Brantford on Sunday. They’re 11-12-0-0, sitting fourth place in he East Division.
Paul Ludwinski extended his impressive league-leading 14-game point streak and claims our Performer of the Week honour.
📃 https://t.co/3wY5ZPETMj#BearTheK | @OHLHockey pic.twitter.com/ZvObhzrvr8
— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) November 27, 2023
Knights get mixed results on northern trip
The London Knights are getting regular contributions from a few forwards, and brought home four points from their jaunt through northern Ontario last weekend. The Knights doubled-up the North Bay Battalion 6-3 on Thursday before a forgettable 9-2 defeat at the hands of the Sudbury Wolves on Friday. They came back strong on Saturday in Barrie as San Jose Sharks prospect Kasper Halttunen blasted home a hat-trick in a 9-3 victory. Halttunen has points in 10 straight games while Winnipeg Jets prospect Jacob Julien is on a seven-game trend, piling up eight points (2-4–6) in three games last week. Rookie blueliner Henry Brzustewicz scored his first OHL goal over the weekend. London trails first place Kitchener by five points in the Midwest Division, owning a record of 15-8-0-1.
Kasper can't be stopped 🔥@SanJoseSharks | #SJSharks pic.twitter.com/tYcCxwhBMB
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) November 27, 2023
Generals coming up just short
The Oshawa Generals have been in games, but are finding points evasive of late. The Gennies outshot the Ottawa 67’s 79-44 in a home-and-home last weekend, losing the first game 2-1 at home before falling 3-2 with 2.5 seconds left in overtime in the nation’s capital. Oshawa skated with the Sudbury Wolves on Sunday night, trailing 5-4 with less than five minutes to go in the third period before the Wolves pulled away in a 7-5 final. Oshawa sits outside of the Eastern Conference playoff picture entering the month of December, owning a record of 8-11-2-1 with five consecutive losses.
Torrance brings down the teddy bears! 🐻
It took just a minute for the @Oshawa_Generals to let the fur fly in their 25th annual Teddy Bear Toss! pic.twitter.com/J1xGH5OCbP
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 26, 2023
Sting losing slide hits seven games
The Sarnia Sting came out of the gate fairly strong, but the young Sting have found themselves on the wrong side of the scoreboard lately, dropping their last seven decisions. Injuries haven’t helped the Sting, who have missed forwards Roman Kukumberg, Daylen Moses, Ryan Brown and blueliner Owen MacDonald in recent weeks. The Sting are at home this week, with dates against Brantford and Kitchener.
“It’s a young team but we can’t use that excuse for very long anymore.”
No fear of hard work. Together there is #StrengthInNumbers pic.twitter.com/azic7u3No8
— Sarnia Sting (@StingHockey) November 20, 2023
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