Friday Highlights: Suzuki, Gadjovich dazzle as Attack punch playoff ticket

 

OWEN SOUND 6 – LONDON 1
The Owen Sound Attack are hot again, defeating the London Knights 6-1 on the road to clinch their seventh consecutive playoff berth. 2017 NHL Draft prospect Nick Suzuki (30) recorded a career-high six points with a goal and five assists while winger Jonah Gadjovich (32, 33, 34) potted his fourth hat-trick of the season. Kevin Hancock (25) had a goal and two assists while Santino Centorame (5) also scored and Petrus Palmu chipped in with three assists. The Attack went 3-for-4 on the man advantage, improving to 38-14-1-1 on the season, just one point back of second place London in the Midwest Division. Buffalo Sabres prospect Cliff Pu (30) provided London’s lone goal in the loss.
GAME CENTRE

 

OSHAWA 5 – OTTAWA 4 – SO
The Oshawa Generals and Ottawa 67’s dueled through a 28-shooter marathon of a shootout before sophomore forward Kyle MacLean scored in the 14th round to give the Generals a 5-4 win on home ice. The 14-round shootout is tied for the second-longest in OHL history and is Ottawa’s second of the season following a similar scenario, one in which they came away victorious on January 25th against Kingston. Jeremy Brodeur stopped all 14 shooters he faced, slamming the door on Zack Dorval to secure the win. Oshawa rookie Serron Noel (6) tied the score at four with 5:30 remaining in the third period to force overtime. Oshawa also had goals from Danil Antropov (8), Eric Henderson (20) and Robbie Burt (6) in their third straight win. Ottawa goals came from Chris Martenet (3), Austen Keating (15), Mathieu Foget (3) and Artur Tyanulin (20). Brodeur and Ottawa’s Leo Lazarev each made 29 saves in the game before each putting forth dazzling performances in the shootout. Ottawa’s fifth straight loss sees them fall into a three-way tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

ERIE 4 – MISSISSAUGA 1
The Erie Otters won a franchise record 12th straight game as Alex DeBrincat (48) had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win in Mississauga. The victory was the 200th of Kris Knoblauch’s OHL career, all having come with the Otters. Jordan Sambrook (13), Warren Foegele (20) and Dylan Strome (16) also found the back of the net as Erie outshot Mississauga 35-20 and went 2-for-4 on the power play. Veteran blueliner Darren Raddysh recorded an assist to set a new single-season franchise record for Otters defencemen, surpassing Chris Campoli’s 2003-04 mark of 46 helpers. Jacob Cascagnette (14) scored the lone goal for Mississauga in the loss as the Trout saw their run of 10 straight games undefeated in regulation come to an end. The Otters improve to 41-10-2-1 and lead London and Sault Ste. Marie by six points atop the Western Conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

PETERBOROUGH 4 – KINGSTON 3 – SO
Nikita Korostelev and Steven Lorentz (21) scored shootout markers while Scott Smith turned in a 36-save performance as the Peterborough Petes took a 4-3 shootout win in Kingston. Lorentz had a goal in regulation while Kyle Jenkins (12) and Jonathan Ang (21) also found the back of the net. 2017 NHL Draft prospect Linus Nyman tied the game at three with just four seconds remaining in the third period to help the Fronts earn a point in the shootout loss. Sam Harding (8) and Stephen Desrocher (9) also lit the lamp for the Frontenacs who take a two point lead over fifth place Hamilton in the Eastern Conference. The Petes are tied with the Oshawa Generals with 71 points atop the East Division.
GAME CENTRE

 

SAGINAW 4 – FLINT 1
The Saginaw Spirit came away as the latest victors in the I-75 Divide Cup, topping their cross-state rival Flint Firebirds 4-1 on home ice. Rookie forward D.J. Busdeker (5, 6) scored twice while Filip Hronek (10) and Kris Bennett (19) also lit the lamp and Evan Cormier made 27 saves. The Spirit outshot the Firebirds 38-28, snapping their three game losing streak to pull within seven points of eighth place Flint in the Western Conference. Kole Sherwood (28) scored Flint’s lone goal while goaltender Garrett Forrest made 34 saves.
GAME CENTRE

 

KITCHENER 4 – SAULT STE. MARIE 1
Rookie netminder Luke Richardson made 38 saves to lead the Kitchener Rangers to a 4-1 win in Sault Ste. Marie. Richardson was great from start to finish, helping the Rangers win despite being outshot 39-22 as Riley Damiani (7), Greg Meireles (16), Connor Bunnaman (29) and Joseph Garreffa (20) all had goals. Barrett Hayton (7) scored the lone goal for Sault Ste. Marie in the loss as the Hounds fell to 3-2-0-0 on their current home stand. The Kitchener win ends a skid of seven straight road losses.
GAME CENTRE

 

GUELPH 6 – BARRIE 2
Rookie defenceman Ryan Merkley (9) had a strong night with a goal and two assists while sophomore forward Nick Deakin-Poot (4, 5) scored twice in a -2 Guelph Storm home ice win over the Barrie Colts. Barret Kirwin (4), Cedric Ralph (6) and Givani Smith (22) also got in on the scoring as the Storm outshot the Colts 40-29, ending their three game losing skid. Czech forward Albert Michnac pitched in with three assists while defenceman Kyle Rhodes had two of his own. Zach Magwood (14) and Anthony Stefano (18) scored goals for Barrie while Christian Propp made 34 saves.
GAME CENTRE

 

NORTH BAY 3 – SUDBURY 2 – OT
Steve Harland (24) scored 1:30 into overtime to lead the North Bay Battalion to their second straight win, defeating the Sudbury Wolves 3-2 on the road. Overage netminder Brent Moran came up with a 34-save performance while Daniil Vertiy (12) and Justin Brazeau (18) also had goals, leading the shorthanded Troops into a three-way tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with Ottawa and Niagara. Drake Pilon (4) and Dmitry Sokolov (39) scored goals for Sudbury as the Wolves lost despite outshooting the Battalion 36-26. The Troops have won three of their five meetings with Sudbury this season.
GAME CENTRE