Ontario Hockey League - Feed

2026 OHL Awards – Goaltender of the Year Finalists

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:30:22 +0000

TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced finalists for the Jim Rutherford Trophy, presented annually to the OHL Goaltender of the Year as voted by the League's General Managers. Team nominees were required to receive 20% of the vote from General Managers within their own conference to advance to the final ballot as award finalists. This year's Jim Rutherford Trophy finalists include: Mason Vaccari (Flint Firebirds) - 36 W, 2.70 GAA, .907 SV%, 4 SO An offseason addition by the Firebirds to address what, at the time, was an uncertain goaltending situation pending the fate of Nathan Day who turned pro with the Edmonton Oilers organization, Mason Vaccari turned out to be one of the OHL's best moves of the summer. A former OHL and CHL Humanitarian of the Year, Vaccari put up career numbers with a Firebirds record-setting 2.70 goals-against average, record-tying 36 wins and four shutouts. Vaccari made the most of his overage season, helping backstop the Birds to a club record 95 points in the standings. Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67's) - 29 W, 2.07 GAA, .923 SV%, 6 SO Previously an unknown commodity, Ryder Fetterolf burst onto the scene with the Ottawa 67's, stacking up weekly and monthly recognition, being named the OHL's top rookie in November while pulling in rookie and goaltender honours in March. He set a new 67's goals-against average record with a league-best 2.07 as the 67's surrendered a franchise-low 160 goals during the regular season. Fetterolf's records spanned into the league record books as his six shutouts are the most ever by an OHL rookie goaltender. The NHL Draft eligible netminder competed in this year's Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game in Peterborough. Easton Rye (Peterborough Petes) - 38 W, 2.78 GAA, .915 SV%, 3 SO Hometown product Easton Rye was a workhorse for the Peterborough Petes, posting an impressive .915 save percentage while turning aside the second-most shots in the league with 1,687 saves. The 19-year-old Rye tied a Petes franchise record of 38 wins, originally set by Rick Laferriere all the way back in 1979-80. Busy most nights, 24 of Rye's 38 wins required at least 30 saves. He played the second-most minutes in the league this season, seeing 3,372 in the Peterborough crease. Carter George (Soo Greyhounds) - 23 W, 2.73 GAA, .907 SV%, 4 SO Los Angeles Kings prospect Carter George split his season between Sault Ste. Marie and Owen Sound, posting three of the four shutouts he recorded following his move north in January. After representing Canada on the national stage at the World Juniors for a second straight year, George finished the season with a goal and two assists, becoming the first goaltender in Canadian Hockey League history to score twice when he hit the empty net on Jan. 21st vs. London. Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires) - 32 W, 2.16 GAA, .908 SV%, 4 SO Fifth-year veteran Joey Costanzo saved the best for his final season, registering a new Windsor Spitfires franchise record 2.16 goals-against average, backstopping them to a second straight West Division title. Costanzo started the season with eight consecutive wins and went on to set a new Spitfires franchise mark for career victories with 102. He helped the Spits end the season with the OHL's top penalty kill of 82.8 percent. He'll graduate as one of just a handful of OHL netminders to earn more than 100 career wins.

Bulldogs’ Adam Jiricek named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:30:31 +0000

TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that St. Louis Blues prospect Adam Jiricek is the Cogeco OHL Player of the Week, producing two goals, five assists and seven points over three wins in their second round playoff series. Jiricek started the series with a bang, producing a goal and three assists in Wednesday's 8-1 win over the North Bay Battalion. He added a goal and an assist in Game 2 as Brantford won by a score of 4-1. Jiricek chipped in with an assist in Sunday's 3-2 double-overtime road win as the Bulldogs established a 3-0 series lead. A 19-year-old from Plzen, Czechia, Jiricek leads OHL blueliners with 12 points (4-8--12) over seven games in these playoffs. He finished his second OHL campaign with 59 points (19-40–59) over 55 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-31. The 6-foot-3, 185Ib. defender helped the Bulldogs put together the OHL’s top-ranked power play, scoring nine of his 19 goals on the man advantage. Jiricek was selected by St. Louis in the first round (16th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft, and was chosen by the Bulldogs with the 19th overall pick of the 2023 CHL Import Draft. Jiricek was a World Junior silver medalist with Czechia this past January after winning bronze medals in both 2024 and 2025. 2025-26 Cogeco OHL Player of the Week – Playoffs Mar. 23-29: Jacob Battaglia (Flint Firebirds) Mar. 30-Apr. 5: Ben Wilmott (Barrie Colts) Apr. 6-12: Adam Jiricek (Brantford Bulldogs) 2025-26 Cogeco OHL Player of the Week – Regular Season Sept. 18-21: Cole Davis (Windsor Spitfires) Sept. 22-28: Ethan Czata (Niagara IceDogs) Sept. 29-Oct. 5: Kashawn Aitcheson (Barrie Colts) Oct. 6-12: Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs) Oct. 13-19: Adam Benak (Brantford Bulldogs) Oct. 20-26: Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves) Oct. 27-Nov. 2: Harry Nansi (Owen Sound Attack) Nov. 3-9: Alex Kostov (Flint Firebirds) Nov. 10-16: Nathan Aspinall (Flint Firebirds) Nov. 17-23: Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs) Nov. 24-30: Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves) Dec. 1-7: Alex McLean (Guelph Storm) Dec. 8-14: Christopher Brown (Soo Greyhounds) Dec. 15-21: Alex Pharand (Sudbury Wolves) Dec. 28-Jan. 4: Egor Barabanov (Saginaw Spirit) Jan. 5-11: Cole Beaudoin (Barrie Colts) Jan. 12-18: Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) Jan. 19-25: Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs) Jan. 26-Feb. 1: Kevin He (Flint Firebirds) Feb. 2-8: Ben Wilmott (Barrie Colts) Feb. 9-15: Egor Barabanov (Saginaw Spirit) Feb. 16-22: Quinn Beauchesne (Guelph Storm) Feb. 23-Mar. 1: Liam Greentree (Windsor Spitfires) Mar. 2-8: Sam O’Reilly (Kitchener Rangers) Mar. 9-15: Cooper Foster (Ottawa 67’s) Mar. 16-22: Jake O’Brien (Brantford Bulldogs)

Bulldogs’ Ryerson Leenders named Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:00:45 +0000

TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Buffalo Sabres prospect Ryerson Leenders of the Brantford Bulldogs is the Mary Brown's Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week, going 3-0 with a 1.12 goals-against average and .949 save percentage. Leenders was in the crease for all three Brantford wins in their second round series against North Bay, stopping 31-of-32 in Wednesday's 8-1 triumph in Game 1. He turned aside 20 shots in Friday's 4-1 victory and made 24 saves across 94 minutes of action in Sunday's 3-2 double-overtime road win. A 19-year-old from Nanticoke, ON, Leenders is 7-0 in these playoffs with a 1.84 goals-against average and .923 save percentage. He comes off a successful fourth OHL season, playing to a 27-5-4-2 record with a 2.69 goals-against average and .910 save percentage over 39 games, backstopping the Bulldogs to the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as regular season champions. The 6-foot-1, 179Ib. Leenders has split his OHL tenure between Brantford and Mississauga, playing to an overall mark of 94-51-14-2 with a 3.09 goals-against average and .904 save percentage with six shutouts. He was Buffalo's seventh round (219th overall) pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. The Mississauga Steelheads drafted Leenders in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. 2025-26 Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week – Playoffs Mar. 23-30: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires) Mar. 31-Apr. 5: Jack Lisson (North Bay Battalion) Apr. 6-12: Ryerson Leenders (Brantford Bulldogs) 2025-26 Mary Brown’s Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week – Regular Season Sept. 18-21: Jason Schaubel (Kitchener Rangers) Sept. 22-28: Joey Costanzo (Windsor Spitfires) Sept. 29-Oct. 5: Gavin Betts (Kingston Frontenacs) Oct. 6-12: Mason Vaccari (Flint Firebirds) Oct. 13-19: Patrick Quinlan (Sarnia Sting) Oct. 20-26: Ryerson Leenders (Brantford Bulldogs) Oct. 27-Nov. 2: Aleksei Medvedev (London Knights) Nov. 3-9: Matthew Minchak (Kingston Frontenacs) Nov. 10-16: Ben Hrebik (Barrie Colts) Nov. 17-23: Easton Rye (Peterborough Petes) Nov. 24-30: Zach Bowen (Brampton Steelheads) Dec. 1-7: Vladislav Yermolenko (Niagara IceDogs) Dec. 8-14: Mason Vaccari (Flint Firebirds) Dec. 15-21: Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67’s) Dec. 28-Jan. 4: Easton Rye (Peterborough Petes) Jan. 5-11: Zachary Jovanovski (Guelph Storm) Jan. 12-18: Matthew Humphries (Oshawa Generals) Jan. 19-25: Carter George (Soo Greyhounds) Jan. 26-Feb. 1: Zach Bowen (Brampton Steelheads) Feb. 2-8: Easton Rye (Peterborough Petes) Feb. 9-15: Christian Kirsch (Kitchener Rangers) Feb. 16-22: Gavin Betts (Kingston Frontenacs) Feb. 23-Mar. 1: Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67’s) Mar. 2-8: Arvin Jaswal (Barrie Colts) Mar. 9-15: David Egorov (Brantford Bulldogs) Mar. 16-22: Mike McIvor (North Bay Battalion)

Bulldogs’ Caleb Malhotra named OHL Rookie of the Week

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:30:05 +0000

TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that 2026 NHL Draft prospect Caleb Malhotra of the Brantford Bulldogs is the OHL Rookie of the Week for the second time in these playoffs, producing three goals and an assist over three wins in their second round series. Malhotra continued his strong postseason, scoring twice while adding an assist in an 8-1 win over North Bay in Game 1 on Wednesday. He lit the lamp again in Game 2 as the Bulldogs skated to a 4-1 victory. They now lead their Eastern Conference Semi-Final series against North Bay 3-0. A 17-year-old from Toronto, Malhotra leads rookies with 13 points (8-5--13) over seven games in the 2026 OHL Playoffs. The 6-foot-2, 182Ib. centre enjoyed a productive season with 84 points (29-55--84) over 67 games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-33. Ranked fifth among North American skaters on NHL Central Scouting's midterm rankings, Malhotra scored eight game-winning goals during the season, and was voted a finalist in the best stickhandler in the Eastern Conference portion of the OHL Coaches Poll. He was originally Kingston's first round (8th overall) pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. Malhotra is committed to Boston University (NCAA). 2025-26 OHL Rookie of the Week – Playoffs Mar. 23-29: Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs) Mar. 30-Apr. 5: John McLaughlin (Windsor Spitfires) Apr. 6-12: Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs) 2025-26 OHL Rookie of the Week – Regular Season Sept. 18-21: Thomas Vandenberg (Ottawa 67’s) Sept. 22-28: Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs) Sept. 29-Oct. 5: Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) Oct. 6-12: Jaxon Cover (London Knights) Oct. 13-19: Ryder Cali (North Bay Battalion) Oct. 20-26: Jaakko Wycisk (Guelph Storm) Oct. 27-Nov. 2: Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67’s) Nov. 3-9: Easton Walos (Sarnia Sting) Nov. 10-16: Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67’s) Nov. 17-23: Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs) Nov. 24-30: Levi Harper (Saginaw Spirit) Dec. 1-7: Caleb Malhotra (Brantford Bulldogs) Dec. 8-14: Robin Kuzma (Kingston Frontenacs Dec. 15-21: Caleb Mitchell (London Knights) Dec. 28-Jan. 4: Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) Jan. 5-11: Charlie Murata (Flint Firebirds) Jan. 12-18: Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) Jan. 19-25: Ryerson Edgar (Niagara IceDogs) Jan. 26-Feb. 1: Keaton Ardagh (Brampton Steelheads) Feb. 2-8: Kale Osipenko (Sarnia Sting) Feb. 9-15: Nikita Klepov (Saginaw Spirit) Feb. 16-22: Joe Salandra (Barrie Colts) Feb. 23-Mar. 1: Evgeny Dubrovtsev (North Bay Battalion) Mar. 2-8: Nolan Snyder (Kingston Frontenacs) Mar. 9-15: Ryder Fetterolf (Ottawa 67’s) Mar. 16-22: Cam Warren (North Bay Battalion)

Eight OHL players named to Canada’s preliminary roster ahead of 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:16:31 +0000

Team Canada has announced its preliminary roster for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men's World Championship, which includes eight OHL players. The tournament will take place in Bratislava and Trenčín, Slovakia, from April 22 to May 2. Additional roster selections will be announced in the coming weeks following the completion of the second round of CHL playoffs, with the final roster confirmed before the tournament begins. Canada will look to defend the gold medal for the second consecutive year, after a dominant 7-0 victory over Sweden last tournament. EIGHT OHL PLAYERS NAMED TO CANADA’S NATIONAL MEN’S U18 TEAM PRELIMINARY ROSTER: Goaltenders: Gavin Betts (Kingston Frontenacs) Defencemen: Lucas Ambrosio (Erie Otters) Carter Hicks (Brampton Steelheads) Caleb Mitchell (London Knights) Forwards: Alessandro Di Iorio (Sarnia Sting) Jean-Cristoph Lemieux (Sudbury Wolves) Jaakko Wycisk (Guelph Storm) Dima Zhilkin (Saginaw Spirit) The 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship kicks off on April 22, with Canada taking on Slovakia, Latvia, Norway and Finland in the preliminary round before the tournament concludes with the medal games on May 2. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast 16 tournament games, including all Team Canada preliminary-round games, as well as the quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal games. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For more information on the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, please visit the official tournament website at IIHF.com. For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Illia Shybsinskyi Selected to Team Ukraine’s Roster for 2026 IIHF World Championship

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 17:00:20 +0000

The 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I, Group A is set to take place from May 2-8, 2026, in Sosnowiec, Poland, where six nations – France, Kazakhstan, Poland, Japan, Lithuania, and Ukraine – will compete for promotion. Ukraine has announced its roster for the tournament, highlighted by first-year Guelph Storm forward Illia Shybsinskyi. The 18-year-old winger from Kyiv recorded 44 points (19-25–44) in 60 games during his rookie OHL season. Shybsinskyi has represented Ukraine internationally on multiple occasions, including two appearances at the IIHF U18 World Championship and, most recently, at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he posted seven points in five games. Ukraine opens the tournament on Saturday, May 2, against host Poland at 7:30 p.m. EST. They will continue round-robin play on Sunday, May 3, versus Lithuania, followed by matchups against France on Tuesday, May 5, Kazakhstan on Thursday, May 7, and Japan on Friday, May 8.

Sting sign forward Carter Chadwick

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:44:48 +0000

The Sarnia Sting Hockey Club has announced that the team has signed left-winger Carter Chadwick to a Standard Player Agreement. Chadwick, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound forward from Cobourg, ON, is a free agent currently playing with the Chatham Maroons and has been on the Sting’s radar throughout the season. He is coming off a strong campaign, recording 32 goals and 19 assists for 51 points in 47 games. “We’ve been tracking Carter closely all year,” said Sting General Manager Dylan Seca. “He brings a lot of the intangibles we value, especially as we look to replace players like Ben Pickell and Jordan Bax. He’s competitive, reliable, and has the ability to impact the game in a number of different ways.” With recent graduations creating openings in the lineup, the Sting emphasized the importance of identifying “glue guys,” players who contribute across all areas of the ice, and believe Chadwick fits that mold. “Those types of players are critical to team success,” Seca added. “Carter has shown he can be one of those guys. He’s a bit of a late bloomer, but he’s put together two really strong seasons in Chatham and continues to trend in the right direction.” The Sting would like to welcome Carter and his family to the organization and look forward to working with him in the future.

2026 OHL Awards – Colts’ Beaudoin named Most Sportsmanlike Player

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 17:00:50 +0000

TORONTO - The Ontario Hockey League (OHL) today announced that Barrie Colts captain Cole Beaudoin is this year's recipient of the William Hanley Trophy, presented annually to the OHL's Most Sportsmanlike Player as voted by the League's General Managers. Nominated for the Red Tilson Trophy as the Colts' Most Outstanding Player, Beaudoin led the club in scoring with 33 goals, 56 assists and 89 points in 54 games, posting a plus/minus rating of plus-40. His 1.65 points-per-game were the second-highest rate in the League, all while taking 29 minutes in penalties. “It's always an honour to win a major award like this," said Beaudoin. "I take pride in playing a hard, power forward game. I think it's me wanting to be on the ice and wanting to help my team as much as possible and staying out of the box. I take pride in finishing checks, playing hard up and down the ice and playing a reliable 200-foot game.” Beaudoin's well-balanced game was recognized in this year's OHL Coaches Poll, which saw him lead all players with four different first place finishes in the categories of hardest worker, best defensive forward, best on face-offs and best penalty killer while placing second in the category of smartest player. He was also a key part of Canada's National Junior Team, competing at the World Juniors for a second straight year while producing seven points (3-4--7) over seven games. “Cole has made our organization proud every night," said Colts General Manager Marty Williamson. "He brings 100 percent effort and leadership to this team. Over the past four years, we’ve had the opportunity to watch his growth, and this season has been especially remarkable for both Cole and the Colts. He plays between the lines, and the whistle blows, he stops, and he deserves a lot of credit. We're proud to have him here." Selected in the first round (24th overall) by the Utah Mammoth in the 2024 NHL Draft, Beaudoin has been a clutch performer for Barrie, finishing tied for the league-lead with 10 game-winning goals while also winning 55 percent of his face-offs. The 6-foot-2, 211Ib. 19-year-old centreman from Kanata has produced 91 goals, 131 assists and 222 points over 236 career regular season games since being the Colts' first round (10th overall) pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection. The William Hanley Trophy is awarded each year based on a selection by the 20 General Managers of the Ontario Hockey League. All 20 teams submit a nominee but are not permitted to vote for their own candidate. The trophy is presented by the OHL to commemorate William Hanley, former Secretary-Manager of the Ontario Hockey Association for over 25 years. Beaudoin emerged as this year's winner from a field of finalists that also included Jimmy Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds, Kieren Dervin of the Kingston Frontenacs, Adam Novotny of the Peterborough Petes, Jack Van Volsen of the Sarnia Sting and Anthony Cristoforo of the Windsor Spitfires. Beaudoin joins Evan Vierling (2022-23) as just the second player in Barrie Colts history to claim the honour. He will be formally presented with the William Hanley Trophy at the OHL's Awards Ceremony in June at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. For a complete list of OHL award winners, click here.

Former OHL Coach Drew Bannister to Lead Canada’s U18 Team at World Championship

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:00:57 +0000

Hockey Canada has announced its coaching staff for the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, with former Soo Greyhounds defenceman and head coach Drew Bannister is set to serve as head coach.

Bannister, a Belleville, Ont. native, brings a strong Ontario Hockey League résumé both behind the bench and as a player. He spent four seasons patrolling the blue line with the Greyhounds from 1990-94, capturing back-to-back OHL championships in 1991 and 1992 before helping the club claim the 1993 Memorial Cup.

Over 222 career OHL regular-season games, Bannister recorded 18 goals, 100 assists, and 118 points, adding 37 points in 52 playoff contests. His most productive season came in 1993-94 when he tallied 50 points in 58 games.

Bannister later returned to the OHL in a coaching role, spending three seasons as an assistant with the Owen Sound Attack before taking over as head coach of the Greyhounds from 2015-18. In his final season behind the bench, he guided Sault Ste. Marie to a historic 55-7-3-3 record, earning both the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year and the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award at the CHL level.

Bannister will be joined on staff by assistant coaches Matt Anholt and Mark O'Leary, who also has OHL experience as a player. A native of Owen Sound, Ont., O’Leary skated in 182 OHL games between the Mississauga IceDogs and Guelph Storm from 2003-06, recording 51 points while adding 114 penalty minutes in his final season with Guelph.

Now the head coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors, O’Leary captured a WHL championship in 2024 and brings both major junior and international experience to Canada’s bench.

Canada will open the tournament on April 22 in Slovakia, looking to capture a third straight gold medal at the IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship.

Series HQ: Kitchener Rangers vs. Soo Greyhounds

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:15:50 +0000

Game 1 - Soo Greyhounds 5 at Kitchener Rangers 8

Sam O'Reilly recorded his first career playoff hat-trick.
Dylan Edwards scored twice, including the eventual game winner.
Cameron Reid and Jack Pridham each had three assists.
Marco Mignosa had a four point game in the loss.

Game Centre Game 1 - Soo Greyhounds 1 at Kitchener Rangers 3

Christian Kirsch was nearly perfect in the Rangers' crease, stopping 27/28 in the win
Haeden Ellis scored his first two career playoff goals, including the game winner
Quinn McKenzie scored the lone Greyhounds' goal in the loss
Sam O'Reilly sealed the game late with an empty net goal in the dying seconds

Game Centre (1) Kitchener Rangers (47-14-5-2) vs. (5) Soo Greyhounds (39-23-1-5) The Western Conference semifinals bring together the top seed and a dangerous underdog, as the Kitchener Rangers host the Soo Greyhounds in what could be a series full of surprises. On paper, Kitchener is the clear favourite, but the Greyhounds have already proven this postseason that they are not to be underestimated, and the history between these two clubs suggests this series could be closer than the seedings imply. The season series belongs to the Soo, who edged out Kitchener three games to one. Two of those wins came in overtime, and the Greyhounds are also one of only two teams to have shut out the Rangers during the regular season. Those are not the kinds of numbers that inspire confidence for Kitchener, and they serve as a reminder that the Rangers will need to be at their best from the opening puck drop. Kitchener arrives in excellent form, having swept the Saginaw Spirit in the first round, and will open this series at home, where they have been virtually unbeatable, going 15-1 in their last 16 games at their own barn. Jack Pridham, who was recently named OHL Overage Player of the Year, has continued his productivity with five points in the postseason. The Rangers will also lean on the veteran presence of Christian Humphreys, who leads the club with nine points, as well as Sam O'Reilly and Dylan Edwards, each sitting at five. One of Kitchener's most dangerous weapons throughout the regular season was their shorthanded game, where they scored a league-leading 19 goals, with Pridham and O'Reilly combining for 13 of them. While that threat did not materialize in the first round, it remains something the Greyhounds will need to be mindful of every time they go on the power play. Between the pipes, Christian Kirsch has been solid throughout, coming up with timely saves in close games when the Rangers needed him most. This group also knows what it takes to turn things around if needed, having reverse-swept Windsor in the second round just a year ago, and that playoff experience could be invaluable as the series wears on. The Greyhounds come in having dispatched the reigning Memorial Cup Champions, the London Knights, in five games, a result that speaks less to a shocking upset and more to a Greyhounds team that was simply ready for the moment against a Knights squad with plenty of playoff pedigree. Their game is built on balanced scoring, speed, and puck movement from the back end, which is anchored by 2026 NHL Draft prospect Chase Reid, who provides that offensive push from behind the play. Up front, Marco Mignosa leads the club with 10 points, while captain Brady Martin, returning from injury, has already contributed seven in the first round. The Greyhounds also bring a strong penalty kill into this matchup, which could prove critical against a Kitchener power play that opposing teams have struggled to contain. But perhaps the most compelling storyline for Soo is in goal. Carter George has long been regarded as one of the best goaltenders in the league, and he is finally making it out of the first round. Many expect him to have the edge in this goaltending matchup, and if he can replicate the form that made him so dangerous in the regular season, the Greyhounds have the pieces to make this a very long series for Kitchener. Ultimately, the Rangers hold the edge in the standings and on home ice, but the Greyhounds have shown they can play with anyone. With a goaltender capable of stealing games and the confidence of a team that has already beaten Kitchener three times this season, the Soo arrive ready to make some noise in the second round. Series Schedule: * if needed Game 1 - Fri., April 10 at Kitchener, 7:00pm Game 2 - Sun., April 12 at Kitchener, 7:00pm Game 3 - Tues., April 14 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm Game 4 - Thurs., April 16 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm Game 5 - Fri., April 17 at Kitchener, 7:00pm* Game 6 - Sun., April 19 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm* Game 7 - Tues., April 21 at Kitchener, 7:00pm* Season Series: Soo wins 3-1 Oct. 10 - KIT 4 at SOO 5 – OT Nov. 14 - SOO 4 at KIT 0 Dec. 10 - KIT 2 at SOO 3 – OT Mar. 6 - SOO 0 at KIT 3 Playoff History: This marks the sixth time that Kitchener and Soo have met in the OHL Playoffs. 2018 SOO def. KIT 4-3 – Third Round, 2008 KIT def. SOO 4-1 – Third Round, 2003 KIT def. SOO 4-0 – First Round, 2000 SOO def. KIT 4-1 – First Round, 1992 SOO def. KIT 4-3 First Round.