OHL This Week: Feb. 19 to 22, 2015

Wednesday February 18, 2015

By Josh Sweetland/OHL

With several teams atop their respective conferences trending upward as the OHL season enters mid-February, teams in the lower half of the standings will push hard to gain some much needed points this weekend before March madness ensues in just a few weeks.

The Ottawa 67’s, Barrie Colts and Guelph Storm all seem to be finding keys to success of late, rattling off consecutive wins last week to stabilize their position in the standings while others haven’t been so consistent and look to seize another opportunity to put things together this weekend.

Here’s a look at what’s going on across the OHL this week.

 

AT THE RINKS

Spitfires honour Mickey Renaud: The Windsor Spitfires will honour former captain Mickey Renaud on Wednesday night when the Plymouth Whalers make their final visit to the City of Roses. In addition, the Spits will honour outgoing Plymouth Whalers as well as former Spitfires owner Peter Karmanos Jr. prior to puck drop. For full details on Wednesday’s pre-game event visit windsorspitfires.com.

Sting hold Pink in the Rink Friday: The Sarnia Sting will support Breast Cancer Awareness in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society on Friday when they host the Owen Sound Attack. A select number of Sting players will be using specialty pink sticks that will be auctioned off post-game. Donations will also be accepted at the Canadian Cancer Society information table on Game Day. With a minimum donation of $1, fans will be entered to win a signed, Jakob Chychrun ‘Pink in the Rink’ stick. The Sting ask that fans wear their pink on Friday night and support Breast Cancer Awareness. For full details, visit sarniasting.com.

Yardmen goes pink on Saturday: The Belleville Bulls are teaming up with the Belleville General Hospital Foundation to host Pink in the Rink! This year the event will raise funds for the ‘I’m In Cancer Care Campaign’ with the set annual goal of $7 million in fundraising efforts. Fans are asked to wear pink to the game on Saturday and stay in their seats following the game when limited edition game worn pink Bulls jerseys will be auctioned off for charity!

Pucks 4 Heart Night in Oshawa: The Oshawa Generals will host their third annual Pucks 4 Heart Night on Saturday when they play host to the Kingston Frontenacs. The Generals are teaming up with the Heart & Stroke Foundation as former General Brett MacLean will be at the General Motors Centre to preside over the ceremonial faceoff. MacLean, who was a second round pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2007, had his playing career cut short by a heart condition after his life was saved by CPR and a defibrillator. The Port Elgin, ON, now actively campaigns for CPR awareness and the Heart & Stroke Foundation. The Generals will wear limited edition Pucks 4 Heart jerseys on Saturday, with the jerseys being auctioned off post-game with proceeds going to charity. For full details, visit oshawagenerals.com.

Mascot Madness in Plymouth on Friday, Star Wars Night Saturday: A long-standing Whalers tradition, the team will host their annual Mascot Madness game on Friday night at home to Windsor. Get out to the rink and see mascots of all shapes and sizes! The game is also a Whalers $6 Friday! A night later on Saturday, the Whalers host the Sarnia Sting on Star Wars Night! Don’t miss out!

 

GREYHOUNDS’ HALVERSON AND TOLCHINSKY TAKE WEEKLY HONOURS

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds had a week to remember, clinching the West Division title for the second season in a row. The Hounds had some help from Sergey Tolchinsky and Brandon Halverson as both players were recognized with weekly honours from the OHL and CHL.

Tolchinsky was named the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week after the Russian winger recorded eight points (3-5–8) in three Greyhound victories over Sarnia, Plymouth and Saginaw. The 2015 IIHF World Junior silver medalist is currently 12th in league scoring with 70 points in 47 games including 23 goals and 47 assists while recording just six penalty minutes to date.

Halverson took Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week honours after he pitched consecutive shutouts over the long weekend in Plymouth and Sarnia, turning aside all 63 of the shots he faced. The Traverse City, MI, native also collected a pair of victories over Sarnia and Saginaw last Wednesday and Friday respectively. Selected by the New York Rangers in the second round of the 2014 NHL Draft, Halverson currently carries a 30-4-0-2 record with four shutouts, along with a goals-against-average of 2.70 and save percentage of .913.

 

ALUMNI NOTES

Kane leads NHL in scoring: Former London Knights sniper Patrick Kane leads the NHL in scoring with 27 goals, 36 assists and 63 points in 57 games. The Chicago Blackhawks winger has helped lead his club to a 35-18-4 record on the season, good for third in the Central Division. The Hawks host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday before taking on Colorado Friday and Boston on Sunday.

Toffoli named NHL’s second star of week: Los Angeles Kings winger Tyler Toffoli was the NHL’s second star of the week last week after recording his first NHL hat-trick in a win over the Calgary Flames. Toffoli, who has overcome mononucleosis this season, currently has 18 goals, 18 assists and 36 points in 50 games with a plus-minus rating of plus-19. In his first full NHL season, Toffoli has helped the Kings to a record of 26-18-12.

A former Ottawa 67’s forward, Toffoli is third in 67’s all-time franchise goal scoring behind Peter Lee and Yvan Joly. Toffoli scored 163 goals while adding 170 assists for 333 points over 252 career OHL games from 2008-2012.

Jordan scores first NHL goal: Former Plymouth Whalers blueliner Michal Jordan scored his first NHL goal on Monday in Carolina’s 6-3 win over Ottawa. The Czech defenceman tallied on the powerplay at 2:33 of the third period, scoring for the first time in 23 career NHL games.

Now 24 years-old, Jordan played with the Whalers from 2007-2010, suiting up in 160 games to record 31 goals, 71 assists and 102 points. Prior to being recalled by the Hurricanes, Jordan was the captain of the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. 

Thomas scores first NHL goal: Former London Knight and Oshawa General Christian Thomas scored his first NHL goal last week, a rocket of a wrist shot past Edmonton Oilers goaltender Viktor Fasth. A 5’9″, 176Ib native of Toronto, Thomas is currently in his third pro season and has spent time this year in both Montreal and with the Canadiens AHL affiliate in Hamilton. Thomas was a second round pick of the New York Rangers in 2010 before being dealt to Montreal in the summer of 2013 in exchange for winger Danny Kristo.

Thomas played four seasons in the OHL from 2008-2012 and was involved in a deal that saw him go to the Oshawa Generals in exchange for John Tavares during the 2008-09 season. Thomas finished his OHL career with 137 goals, 120 assists and 257 points in 244 games.

Painchaud named ECHL Player of the Week: Brampton Beast forward Chad Painchaud has been named the ECHL Player of the Week after he recorded nine goals and an assist in three games last weekend. The 28 year-old former Mississauga IceDogs and Sarnia Sting forward is currently in his ninth pro season after spending three years in the OHL from 2003-2006.

A native of Mississauga, ON, Painchaud was a fourth round draft pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He scored 69 goals and added 79 assists in his 174 game OHL career and competed in the 2004 CHL Top Prospects Game.

Hope lifts Windsor past Brock in OT: Former Oshawa Generals and Owen Sound Attack forward Kyle Hope scored a big goal on Sunday to help the Windsor Lancers advance to the OUA West Semi-Finals. Hope scored an unassisted goal 10:45 into overtime to help the Lancers eliminate the Brock Badgers. Former Belleville Bulls, Ottawa 67’s and Sarnia Sting blueliner Julian Luciani also scored twice for Windsor in the 4-3 win. The Lancers will square off with the Lakehead Thunderwolves to begin Semi-Final play on Wednesday.

Grant, Bureau, Bailie push Gaels past Laurentian: To the east, Kris Grant, Corey Bureau, Kevin Bailie and the Queen’s Golden Gaels scored a big victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Sunday. Grant notched two assists, including one on the overtime winner that pushed the Gaels into the OUA East Semi-Finals where they’ll square off with the McGill Redmen starting on Wednesday. Bailie came up with 35 saves in the 2-1 win on Sunday.

Locke scores twice to push St. Fx into semis: Eric Locke scored twice to give the St. FX X-Men the boost they needed to get past the UPEI Panthers 3-1 last week as they advanced to the AUS Semi-Finals. Locke is joined by fellow OHL alumni in Craig Duininck, Nathan Chiarlitti, Kristoff Kontos and Zack MacQueen on an X-Men team that will face the University of New Brunswick in game one of a Semi-Final series on Thursday.

 

KEY WEEKEND MATCHUPS

Belleville Bulls (23-25-3-4) vs. Peterborough Petes (21-27-1-4)
Thursday February 19 at Peterborough

The Peterborough Petes enter an important weekend and look for an opportunity to gain some ground in a competitive lower half of the Eastern Conference that sees three clubs separated by a single point. With the Kingston Frontenacs and Mississauga Steelheads squaring off on Friday and at least one of those teams receiving two points, the heat is on the Petes to keep pace in the push for a playoff spot.

The Petes and Belleville Bulls meet for the first time since Belleville took a 7-5 win last Saturday on home ice, following that up with a win over Kitchener to create a buffer between themselves and the trio of teams trailing in the standings. The Bulls currently hold a six point lead on the Petes with 53 points and a record of 23-25-3-4.

Peterborough will look to get the weekend off on the right foot as they host Belleville on Thursday before heading out for a pair of tough road games in Niagara and Erie.

Overage winger Josh MacDonald leads the Petes in scoring with 25 goals, 21 assists and 46 points in 48 games. He’s joined by fellow London native Michael Clarke who has elevated his game of late with four goals and six assists through seven February contests.

The Bulls recently shook a lengthy home winless streak and enter the final month of the season looking to establish some consistency in an effort to lock down a playoff spot.

Defenceman Jordan Subban, who recently set a Bulls all-time franchise record for most points by a defenceman, has had a strong month of February offensively, scoring five goals and adding two assists in seven games. He’s been joined by 18 year-old forward Michael Cramarossa in stepping up his game as Cramarossa has two goals and six assists in seven games this month.

The Bulls look to widen the gap and create a three-way dance between Peterborough, Mississauga and Kingston down the stretch, but not if the Petes have anything to say about it.

Kingston Frontenacs (20-24-5-3) vs. Mississauga Steelheads (22-30-2-1)
Friday February 20 at Mississauga

The other half of the Eastern Conference’s logjam at the bottom squares off on Friday night as the Kingston Frontenacs visit the Mississauga Steelheads. The Fronts enter the weekend on the high ground, leading both Peterborough and Mississauga by a point while holding a game in hand on the Petes and three in hand on Mississauga. Needless to say Saturday’s tilt will be a big one for the fish.

The Steelheads try and shake a three game skid against a Kingston club they’ve played well against in past encounters this season. The Steelheads defeated Kingston in a weekend home-and-home back in October, winning 5-1 on October 10 and following that up with a 3-2 shootout win on October 11.

A goaltender can be a tough thing to replace though, and for the Steelheads, that narrative has undoubtedly been a part of their season. Since starting goaltender Spencer Martin went down with a season-ending injury on December 21, the club has gone 6-14-1-1 but on the other hand, has managed to win some challenging road games in both Saginaw and Sarnia within that span. Overage goaltender Jacob Brennan has come in and put his best foot forward in the Mississauga crease, posting a .909 save percentage through 15 games after spending three-and-a-half seasons in the QMJHL.

The Frontenacs also enter action on a three game slide with a pair of losses to Ottawa and one to Oshawa in their rearview mirror. They’ll continue looking to 17 year-old draft eligible winger Lawson Crouse for contributions. Crouse leads the Fronts in goals this season with 21 and is looking to benefit from the recent return of winger Spencer Watson to the lineup after the Los Angeles Kings prospect missed considerable time with a broken ankle.

Both clubs have had a tough go of late, but one has to win on Friday. The Frontenacs and Steelheads both gear up for three-in-three sets this weekend.

 

WEEKEND SCHEDULE:

Thursday, February 19

Kitchener at North Bay – 7:00pm
Belleville at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Barrie – 7:30pm

Friday, February 20

Peterborough at Niagara – 7:00pm
Windsor at Plymouth – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Sarnia – 7:05pm
North Bay at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Erie at Guelph – 7:30pm
Oshawa at London – 7:30pm
Kingston at Mississauga – 7:30pm
Saginaw at Ottawa – 7:30pm
Kitchener at Sudbury – 7:30pm

Saturday, February 21

Mississauga at Ottawa – 2:00pm
Peterborough at Erie – 7:00pm
Saginaw at Belleville – 7:05pm
Kingston at Oshawa – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Plymouth – 7:05pm
Kitchener at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Niagara at Barrie – 7:30pm
Guelph at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday, February 22

Saginaw at Kingston – 2:00pm
Guelph at Mississauga – 2:00pm
Niagara at North Bay – 2:00pm
Barrie at Sudbury – 2:00pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 2:05pm
London at Sarnia – 4:05pm

 

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