Thursday Highlights: Knights, Colts sweep through second round

A Thursday night full of more ‘Marner Magic’ and the ‘Magnificent Mangiapane’ saw the London Knights and Barrie Colts claim victories to advance to the conference finals after four game second round series sweeps.

Marner led the Knights comeback charge, potting three goals in the latter half of the game to help London overcome a 3-0 deficit to eventually defeat the Kitchener Rangers 6-4 on the road. Marner finished the night with three goals and an assist while Christian Dvorak and Matthew Tkachuk each registered three assists.

The Barrie Colts silenced the North Bay Battalion with a 6-0 road win in Game 4 of their second round series as Mangiapane had two goals and two assists. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves while Cordell James also scored twice.

The Colts will meet the Niagara IceDogs in the Eastern Conference Finals while the Knights await the winner of a series between the Erie Otters and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Here’s a closer look at Thursday’s playoff action.

LONDON 6 KITCHENER 4
LDN wins series 4-0
The London Knights have eliminated the Kitchener Rangers from the OHL Playoffs for a second straight year after Mitch Marner’s hat-trick led London back from a 3-0 deficit to take Game 4 by a score of 6-4. The Rangers were in good shape after 20 minutes as goals from Darby Lewellyn and Jeremy Bracco had them up 2-0. Frank Hora scored five minutes into the second before Aaron Berisha answered prior to the midway mark of the frame to make the score 3-1 for the Rangers. Goals from Marner (3), Cliff Pu and Jacob Graves saw the Knights battle back to win 6-4. Rookie forward Robert Thomas earned second star honours with an assist in the win while Marner’s three goals and a helper earned him first star honours. The Knights have now eliminated the Rangers in their last four playoff meetings dating back to 2012.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

BARRIE 6 NORTH BAY 0
BAR wins series 4-0
After a hard-fought seven game first round series win over the Peterborough Petes, the North Bay Battalion didn’t have the gas to get by the Central Division champion Barrie Colts, who took Game 4 of the series by a score of 6-0 on Thursday. Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Mangiapane had two goals and two assists while Kevin Labanc had a goal and two helpers as the Colts scored six times on 26 shots. Veteran centreman Cordell James also found the back of the net twice while rookie Giordano Finoro scored his first career playoff goal. New Jersey Devils prospect Mackenzie Blackwood made 29 saves to record the shutout. The loss marks the end of an era for the Battalion, as overage veterans Jake Smith and Mathew Santos graduate from the program.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

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