OHL This Week: Mar. 12 to 15, 2015

Wednesday March 11, 2015

By Josh Sweetland/OHL

Only four playoff spots remain unclaimed across the OHL as a tight race at the bottom of the Western Conference sees Windsor, Saginaw and Plymouth enter the weekend separated by just one point.

In the East, the Mississauga Steelheads are faced with a pair of tough matchups against Barrie and Oshawa to keep pace with Belleville and Peterborough in the race for the final two spots in the conference.

It’s the time of year everyone looks forward to. The 2015 OHL Playoffs are just around the corner!

 

AT THE RINKS

Don Cherry in London Thursday in support of Kidney Foundation: The London Knights have partnered with The Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Cherry family and the Multi-Organ Transplant Program at London Health Sciences Centre to promote greater awareness about organ and tissue donation. Together, all parties involved aim to educate hockey fans about organ donation in Canada and encourage those listening to register as an organ donor. Colourful Canadian hockey legend Don Cherry will help kick-off the campaign on Thursday night which happens to be World Kidney Day. Don will be introduced at opening ceremonies and will encourage those in attendance to “Play It Forward, Don’t Sit On the Bench & Register To Be An Organ Donor Today.” For more information, visit londonknights.com.

Sting host St. Patrick’s Day Game: The Sarnia Sting will be bringing out specialty themed St. Patrick’s Day jerseys on Friday night at home to the Saginaw Spirit. The Sting look to clinch a playoff spot against a Spirit team in dire need of points. The Sting will be auctioning off the jerseys post-game, with proceeds going to the Sting Foundation. For more information, visit sarniasting.com.

Red and Black Game in Ottawa: Fans of the Ottawa 67’s will have a chance to meet players with the Ottawa Redblacks and Ottawa Fury FC during Friday night’s Ontario Hockey League matchup with the Oshawa Generals. Scheduled to attend the aptly named “Red and Black Game” from the Redblacks are quarterback Henry Burris, defensive lineman Jonathan Williams, receiver Brad Sinopoli and linebacker James Green. Redblacks players will be available in the arena concourse during the first intermission to meet fans and sign autographs. Fury FC players Phil Davies, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Romuald Peiser and Mauro Eustaquio will be on hand for autographs during the second intermission.

Bulls support Canadian Tire Jumpstart: The Belleville Bulls are supporting the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Foundation on Saturday night when they host the Ottawa 67’s. A number of great raffle items will be available on the south concourse of the Yardmen Arena, with proceeds going to the Canadian Tire Jumpstart charity that helps support sports in local communities.

 

OTTERS’ ALEX DeBRINCAT NAMED PIONEER ENERGY OHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Rookie Erie Otters forward Alex DeBrincat is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 8 after leading the league with nine points in three games scoring three goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-4.

DeBrincat becomes the fourth different Otter to earn the award this season after producing three multi-point games in three victories that helped secure the club’s fourth Midwest Division title and first since 2002.

In his first OHL season, DeBrincat leads all rookies in scoring and ranks ninth overall in the league with 89 points including 43 goals and 46 assists in 62 games.  He is eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft.

 

ALUMNI NOTES

Puempel scores first NHL goal: Matt Puempel scored Ottawa’s lone goal in a 3-1 home ice loss to Boston on Tuesday. Former Peterborough Petes teammate Ryan Spooner led the way for the Boston cause, collecting his first NHL goal multi-goal game with a pair of markers. After registering 44 goals, 37 assists and 81 points in 136 AHL contests over the past three seasons, Puempel received a call-up late last month and has suited up in four games for the Senators.

A native of Essex, ON, Puempel played in 195 career OHL games between Peterborough and Kitchener, scoring 119 goals, 94 assists and 213 points. He was Ottawa’s first round (24th overall) pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Matt Murray named AHL Player of the Week: After shattering the AHL shutout streak record, Matt Murray has been named the AHL’s Player of the Week. On Saturday afternoon, Murray stopped all 32 shots in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s 3-0 win at league-leading Manchester. It was his fourth consecutive shutout and his ninth of the year, tying a 72-year-old record for the most in a season by an AHL rookie goaltender. Then on Sunday in Springfield, Murray established an all-time league mark by extending his shutout streak to 304 minutes and 11 seconds – more than 35 minutes better than the previous record – and finished with 32 saves in a 4-1 victory over the Falcons, his seventh win in a row and 11th in his last 12 decisions. In 30 appearances for the Penguins this season, Murray is 18-8-2 and leads the AHL in goals-against average (1.57), save percentage (.940) and shutouts (nine).

A Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds graduate, Murray played in the OHL from 2010-2014, appearing in 166 games while posting a record of 79-60-4-10 with a 3.42 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage with eight shutouts. He was Pittsburgh’s third round (83rd overall) pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Syvret joins Wilkes-Barrie/Scranton Penguins: Former London Knights captain and 2005 Memorial Cup champion Danny Syvret has agreed to a contract with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 29 year-old Syvret has skated in 617 AHL contests and compiled 59 goals, 258 assists and 301 PIM.  He was named to the First-Team AHL All-Star squad and also selected to the AHL All-Star Classic during the 2008-09 season, in which he posted 57 points (12-45–57) in 76 contests for the Philadelphia Phantoms.

A native of Millgrove, ON, Syvret skated with the London Knights for three seasons from 2002-2005. He compiled 34 goals, 88 assists and 122 points in 199 career OHL contests  and was named the 2005 CHL Defenceman of the Year and received the Max Kaminsky Trophy, given to the OHL’s most outstanding defenceman.

Painchaud named ECHL Player of the Month: Brampton Beast forward Chad Painchaud has been named the ECHL Player of the Month for February.Painchaud scored 17 goals, including four game-winners and three on the power play, and added three assists for 20 points in 11 games during the month.The 28-year-old had five multi-goal games, including four hat tricks, in February.

A 174-game OHL veteran, Painchaud played three seasons between the Mississauga IceDogs and Sarnia Sting from 2003-2006. The native of Mississauga, ON, finished his career with 69 goals, 79 assists and 148 points.

D’Agostini named OUA Male Athlete of the Week: The Guelph Gryphons captured the Queen’s Cup for the first time since the 1996-97 season on Saturday night, thanks in part to an outstanding performance from rookie goaltender Andrew D’Agostini. The Public Management student-athlete turned aside all 18 shots he faced as the Gryphons defeated the UQTR Patriotes 4-0.  With the Patriotes buzzing in the third, D’Agostini made three saves in close succession, bringing the sold out crowd at the Gryphon Centre to their feet. It was a good week for D’Agostini, as the former Peterborough Pete netminder was also named to the OUA West Division all-rookie team on Tuesday. D’Agostini has started all nine playoff games for the Gyphons, posting a 7-2 record along with a 2.67 GAA and a .918 SV%. Guelph is seeded No. 3 for the upcoming University Cup in Halifax and will open the tournament on Thursday at 2:00pm ET against the No. 6 Calgary Dinos.     

 

KEY WEEKEND MATCHUPS

Plymouth Whalers (23-34-3-2) vs. Saginaw Spirit (25-35-2-1)
Saturday March 14 at Saginaw, Sunday March 15 at Plymouth

It’s a home-and-home set that could determine who gets the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Furthermore, it’ll be the final two meetings between the Saginaw Spirit and the Plymouth Whalers before Plymouth moves to Flint to begin a new rivalry to start the 2015-16 season.

Splitting their six past encounters at three wins apiece, the Whalers and the Spirit are taking things down to the wire. Plymouth defeated Saginaw last Tuesday as Alex Nedeljkovic made 34 saves to blank the Spirit 4-0 on a school day game at the Dow Event Center. Saginaw settled the score last Thursday though as San Jose Sharks prospect Dylan Sadowy netted his third hat-trick of the year in a 4-1 Spirit win in Plymouth.

Goaltending has been a key to success for the Whalers who have been outshot in 44 of their 58 games this season. Carolina Hurricanes prospect Alex Nedeljkovic has the highest save percentage of any OHL starter since January 1, posting a .932 figure to go with a 2.62 goals-against average and a record of 11-12-1-1 since the turn of the new year.

The Spirit have remaining matchups against Sarnia, Plymouth (2), London and Kitchener and currently hold a slight edge on Plymouth and Windsor for eighth placed with one less game remaining. They’ll need strong contributions from their top players in Sadowy, draft eligible centreman Mitchell Stephens, hard-working winger Connor Brown and two-way centreman Jesse Barwell if they want to play in the postseason.

The Whalers and Spirit write the final chapter in their Michigan state story.

 

Kingston Frontenacs (28-26-5-3) vs. Oshawa Generals (48-9-2-3)
Sunday March 15 at Oshawa

The Oshawa Generals have lost a total of 14 games this season. Five of those losses have come against the Kingston Frontenacs who have had their number all season.

The Fronts have twice required a shootout to beat Oshawa, and managed to defeat them three times in regulation, with the latest occurence on February 21 when Evan McEneny had a goal and an assist in a 5-4 Frontenacs win at the General Motors Centre.

Kingston has picked up the pace with the return of Calgary Flames prospect Sam Bennett to the lineup. Bennett has six goals, nine assists and 15 points in his first seven games this season, leading the Fronts to a 6-1-0-0 record in that span. With a playoff spot clinched, the Frontenacs are preparing themselves for the test that lies ahead.

In Oshawa, the Generals are at the top of the BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings for the 15th week in a row, leading the OHL in winning percentage with a record of 48-9-2-3. Coming off a perfect weekend on the road with wins over Plymouth and Windsor, D.J. Smith’s club will finish out the regular season schedule against Eastern Conference opponents. They visit Ottawa on Friday, host Mississauga on Saturday and take on Kingston on home ice on Sunday.

One of the most impressive aspects of the Generals this season has been their top ranked penalty kill that comes in at 86.1%, nearly four percent better than the next best team. Oshawa hasn’t allowed a powerplay goal since February 27 at home to Belleville.

A team deep in character, the Generals boast strengths that don’t always show up in the boxscore, ranging from the presence of Vancouver Canucks prospect Cole Cassels in the faceoff circle to the shot blocking prowess of captain Josh Brown. Often overlooked is overage defenceman Chris Carlisle, who has put together an excellent season on the blueline where his plus-37 rating is the second best on the team.

Sunday’s tilt will be a good test for the Generals. The Frontenacs are heating up, and are out to show the league that they’re legitimate contenders.

 

WEEKEND SCHEDULE: 

Thursday, March 12

Kitchener at London – 7:00pm
Guelph at Windsor – 7:05pm
Owen Sound at Barrie – 7:30pm 

Friday, March 13

Belleville at Kingston – 7:00pm
Guelph at Kitchener – 7:00pm – Live on Sportsnet Friday Night Hockey (Sportsnet East, Ontario and Pacific)
Saginaw at Sarnia – 7:05pm
Plymouth at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm
Barrie at Mississauga – 7:30pm
Oshawa at Ottawa – 7:30pm
Peterborough at Sudbury – 7:30pm

Saturday, March 14

Windsor at Erie – 7:00pm
North Bay at Kingston – 7:00pm
Sudbury at Niagara – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Belleville – 7:05pm
Mississauga at Oshawa – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Plymouth at Saginaw – 7:11pm
Peterborough at Barrie – 7:30pm
London at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday, March 15

Windsor at Niagara – 2:00pm
Saginaw at Plymouth – 2:00pm
North Bay at Belleville – 4:05pm
Kitchener at Erie – 5:00pm
Kingston at Oshawa – 6:05pm

 

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