Play-In Day has featured some ‘wild’ outcomes

The brief two-year tenure of the OHL Cup Wild Card ‘Play-In’ format has yielded some interesting results and late game excitement, setting the stage for top draft eligible prospects to make the difference for their clubs.

A few of the OHL’s young stars in 2015-16 have played a starring role in Wild Card Play-In victories since 2014.

Here’s a look at some of the best OHL Cup Wild Card moments to date.

 

Bunnaman comes through in triple OT
Guelph Gryphons 3 Halton Hurricanes 2
March 11, 2014

OMHA SCTA opponents the Guelph Gryphons and Halton Hurricanes needed six periods to determine a winner before Connor Bunnaman (Kitchener Rangers) lifted the Gryphons to a 3-2 win in the third overtime.

Underage Guelph centreman Austen Keating (Ottawa 67’s) put the Gryphons up 2-0 before a pair of Halton goals, including Eddie Schulz’s (Peterborough Petes) tying marker at 12:36 of the third period set the stage for overtime.

Guelph goaltender Robert Stacey and Halton netminder Jake Lawr (Erie Otters) wouldn’t budge, both providing timely saves through the first and second overtime before Bunnaman put an end to things.

The Gryphons would beat Waterloo and Southern Tier before earning a tie against the highly touted Toronto Marlboros to earn an OHL Cup playoff berth before falling to the Chatham-Kent Cyclones in quarter-final action.

Bunnaman would go on to become Kitchener’s second round (31st overall) selection in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

 

Kutkevicius brings Rangers back against Don Mills
North York Rangers 6 Don Mills Flyers 4
March 11, 2014

Down 3-0 early in the second period, Luke Kutkevicius (Hamilton Bulldogs) put the North York Rangers on his back and carried them to the OHL Cup for just the second time in 10 years.

Kutkevicius finished with three goals and an assist, the only hat-trick recorded in OHL Cup Wild Card action to date as the Rangers roared back to defeat the Don Mills Flyers 6-4, going 3-for-8 on the powerplay in the process.

Daniil Vertiy (North Bay Battalion) went on to score three goals in four games as North York played to a 2-2 record at the 2014 OHL Cup.

Kutkevicius became Mississauga’s second round (25th overall pick) in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. He joined the Hamilton Bulldogs in January.

 

Predators return from seven year absence with seven-goal outburst
North Central Predators 7 Toronto Red Wings 0
March 17, 2015

The North Central Predators emerged as one of the 2015 OHL Cup’s pleasant surprises, scoring an opening game victory over the ALLIANCE champion Waterloo Wolves following their 7-0 trouncing of the GTHL’s Toronto Red Wings.

Barrie Colts prospect Kyle Heitzner and North Bay Battalion draftee Kam Shearer each scored twice while goaltender Luke Richardson (Kitchener Rangers) recorded the shutout as the Preds took advantage of the Red Wings without leading scorer Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads) in the lineup.

North Central played to a 1-3 mark in OHL Cup play, but made things interesting in their final game against the eventual OHL Cup finalist Don Mills Flyers, pushing them to the brink in a 5-4 contest.

 

These exciting matchups are just the beginning of a new OHL Cup tradition pitting competitive clubs hungry for a shot at Minor Midget supremacy against one another in a one-game showdown.

Anything can happen on Play-In Day!

2016 OHL Cup Wild Card Play-In Schedule

Meet the 2016 OHL Cup Wild Card Play-In competitors