OHL Playoff Tracker

In Kitchener, Nick Spaling scored the winning goal on a powerplay early in the second period to help the Rangers to a 4-1 win in Game 7 of the Rogers OHL Championship Series on Monday.

Brandon Mashinter, Nazem Kadri and Mike Duco also scored and Mikkel Boedker had two assists in the win, giving the Rangers their second OHL championship in the past six years.

The Rangers jumped out to a 3-0 series lead before the Bulls responded with three straight wins to force Game 7.

“Our backs were against the wall and we down some men,” said Rangers’ coach and GM Peter DeBoer, who also guided the Rangers to OHL and Memorial Cup championships in 2003. “It was sheer grit and determination and playing a team game. I told the guys that we won that game with our team play the way we won all year. I couldn’t be prouder of these guys. This is something that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

Josh Unice stopped 26 of 27 shots in the win.

Shawn Matthias scored for Belleville in his first game of the playoffs.

Mike Murphy made 47 saves in the loss.

Justin Azevedo picked up an assist in the win and won the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as the most valuable player of the playoffs as selected by the media covering the championship series. Azevedo was the top scorer in the playoffs with 10 goals and 36 points in 20 games.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” Azevedo said after the game. “Everyone in this room deserves this. Words can`t explain it.”

The Rangers return to the ice on Friday when they face the Gatineau Olympiques in the opening game of the 2008 MasterCard Memorial Cup on home ice. The Bulls face the Spokane Chiefs on Saturday.

“We’ve still got another one to go,” Azevedo said.

Photos: Aaron Bell / OHL

ROGERS OHL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FOR THE J. ROSS ROBERTSON CUP

Series “H”
Kitchener Rangers vs. Belleville Bulls
(Kitchener wins series 4-3)
Game 1 — Wed., April 30 – KITCHENER 5, Belleville 2
Game 2 – Fri., May 2 – Kitchener 5, BELLEVILLE 2
Game 3 – Sun., May 4 – KITCHENER 5, Belleville 3
Game 4 – Tues., May 6 – BELLEVILLE 5, Kitchener 4 (OT)
Game 5 – Thurs., May 8 – Belleville 2, KITCHENER 1
Game 6 – Sat., May 10 – BELLEVILLE 6, Kitchener 3
Game 7 – Mon., May 12 – KITCHENER 4, Belleville 1

ROGERS OHL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Rogers Eastern Conference Championship for the Bobby Orr Trophy

Series “G”
BELLEVILLE BULLS vs. OSHAWA GENERALS
(Belleville wins series 4-1)
Game 1 – Wed. April 16 – BELLEVILLE 3, Oshawa 2
Game 2 – Fri. April 18 – Belleville 4, OSHAWA 3
Game 3 – Sat. April 19 – BELLEVILLE 5, Oshawa 2
Game 4 – Mon. April 21 – OSHAWA 2, Belleville 1
Game 5 – Wed. April 23 – BELLEVILLE 11, Oshawa 0

Rogers Western Conference Championship for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy

Series “G”
KITCHENER RANGERS vs. SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS
(Kitchener wins series 4-1)
Game 1 — Wed. April 16 – KITCHENER 3, S.S. Marie 1
Game 2 — Thurs. April 17 – S.S. Marie 3, KITCHENER 1
Game 3 — Sunday April 20 – Kitchener 6, SAULT STE. MARIE 3
Game 4 — Monday April 21 – Kitchener 7, SAULT STE. MARIE 3
Game 5 — Wed. April 23 – KITCHENER 5, Sault Ste. Marie 0

SECOND ROUND – CONFERENCE SEMI-FINAL SERIES

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Series “E”
BELLEVILLE BULLS vs. BARRIE COLTS
(Belleville wins series 4-0)
Game 1 – Wed Apr 2 – BELLEVILLE 7, Barrie 2
Game 2 – Thu Apr 3 – Belleville 5, BARRIE 1
Game 3 – Sat Apr 5 – BELLEVILLE 2, Barrie 1
Game 4 – Tue Apr 8 – Belleville 3, BARRIE 2

Series “F”
OSHAWA GENERALS vs. NIAGARA ICEDOGS
(Oshawa wins series 4-2)
Game 1 – Thu Apr 3 – OSHAWA 6, Niagara 1
Game 2 – Sat Apr 5 – NIAGARA 5, Oshawa 3
Game 3 – Sun Apr 6 – OSHAWA 4, Niagara 1
Game 4 – Tue Apr 8 – Oshawa 6, NIAGARA 4
Game 5 – Fri Apr 11 – Niagara 8, OSHAWA 3
Game 6 – Sun Apr 13 – Oshawa 5, NIAGARA 2

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Series “E”
KITCHENER RANGERS vs. SARNIA STING
(Kitchener wins series 4-0)
Game 1 – Fri Apr 4 – KITCHENER 3, Sarnia 0
Game 2 – Sat Apr 5 – Kitchener 3, SARNIA 2 (3OT)
Game 3 – Tue Apr 8 – KITCHENER 6, Sarnia 2
Game 4 – Wed Apr 9 – Kitchener 6, SARNIA 2

Series “F”
SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS vs. GUELPH STORM
(Sault Ste. Marie wins series 4-1)
Game 1 – Thu Apr 3 – Guelph 4, SAULT STE. MARIE 1
Game 2 – Fri Apr 4 – SAULT STE. MARIE 3, Guelph 1
Game 3 – Mon Apr 7 – Sault Ste. Marie 2, GUELPH 1
Game 4 – Tue Apr 8 – Sault Ste. Marie 3, GUELPH 2
Game 5 – Thu Apr 10 – SAULT STE. MARIE 4, Guelph 1

EASTERN CONFERENCE – QUARTER-FINAL SERIES

Series “A” – BELLEVILLE BULLS vs. PETERBOROUGH PETES
(Belleville wins series 4-1)
Wed., March 19 – BELLEVILLE 4, Peterborough 1
Thurs., March 20 – PETERBOROUGH 5, Belleville 4 (OT)
Sat., March 22 – BELLEVILLE 4, Peterborough 3
Mon., March 24 – Belleville 3, PETERBOROUGH 2 (OT)
Tues., March 25 – BELLEVILLE 7, Peterborough 1

Series “B” – BRAMPTON BATTALION vs. BARRIE COLTS
(Barrie wins series 4-1)
Thurs., March 20 – Barrie 3, BRAMPTON 1
Sat., March 22 – BARRIE 3, Brampton 2 (OT)
Sun., March 23 – BRAMPTON 5, Barrie 1
Tues., March 25 – BARRIE 2, Brampton 1 (OT)
Thurs., March 27 – Barrie 2, BRAMPTON 0

Series “C” – OSHAWA GENERALS vs. OTTAWA 67’s
(Oshawa wins series 4-0)
Fri., March 21 – OSHAWA 3, Ottawa 2
Sun., March 23 – OSHAWA 5, Ottawa 2
Tues., March 25 – Oshawa 2, OTTAWA 1
Thurs., March 27 – Oshawa 4, OTTAWA 1

Series “D” – NIAGARA ICEDOGS vs. MISSISSAUGA ST. MICHAEL’S MAJORS
(Niagara wins series 4-0)
Thurs., March 20 – NIAGARA 4, Mississauga 0
Fri., March 21 – Niagara 3, MISSISSAUGA 1
Sun., March 23 – NIAGARA 5, Mississauga 0
Tues., March 25 – Niagara 6, MISSISSAUGA 3

WESTERN CONFERENCE – QUARTER-FINAL SERIES

Series “A” – KITCHENER RANGERS vs. PLYMOUTH WHALERS
(Kitchener wins series 4-0)
Fri., March 21 – KITCHENER 9, Plymouth 2
Sat., March 22 – Kitchener 6, PLYMOUTH 4
Mon., March 24 – KITCHENER 7, Plymouth 3
Wed., March 26 – Kitchener 7, PLYMOUTH 4

Series “B” – SAULT STE. MARIE GREYHOUNDS vs. SAGINAW SPIRIT
(Sault Ste. Marie wins series 4-0)
Fri., March 21 – SAULT STE. MARIE 5, Saginaw 4
Mon., March 24 – SAULT STE. MARIE 2, Saginaw 1
Wed., March 26 – Sault Ste. Marie 6, SAGINAW 2
Thurs., March 27 – Sault Ste. Marie 4, SAGINAW 2

Series “C” – WINDSOR SPITFIRES vs. SARNIA STING
(Sarnia wins series 4-1)
Thurs., March 20 – Sarnia 3, WINDSOR 0
Fri., March 21 – SARNIA 5, Windsor 2
Sun., March 23 – WINDSOR 4, Sarnia 2
Tues., March 25 – SARNIA 5, Windsor 4
Thurs., March 27 – Sarnia 4, WINDSOR 3 (OT)

Series “D” – LONDON KNIGHTS vs. GUELPH STORM
(Guelph wins series 4-1)
Fri., March 21 – Guelph 3, LONDON 2
Sat., March 22 – GUELPH 4, London 1
Tues., March 25 – Guelph 5, LONDON 3
Thurs., March 27 – London 2, GUELPH 1
Fri., March 28 – Guelph 5 LONDON 0

* Denotes if necessary games