OHL Weekend Notebook: Dec. 5, 2022
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Battalion pull away at top of Central
With road wins over Sudbury, Kingston and Peterborough last week paired with three consecutive losses by the Mississauga Steelheads, the North Bay Battalion have created some separation atop the Central Division. The Troops have a nine-point edge in the division standings, owning a record of 18-8-0-0. Saturday’s 3-0 win in Peterborough was Winnipeg Jets prospect Dom DiVincentiis‘ first career shutout, one that featured 38 saves. The Battalion have had success without big winger Kyle McDonald, who hasn’t played since Nov. 13th. New addition Josh Bloom has 13 points (6-7–13) through his first nine games in green. Seattle Kraken prospect Kyle Jackson leads the team with 16 goals, followed closely by sophomore forward Dalyn Wakely with 15.
Check out the pass from Nikita Tarasevich 👀
Dalyn Wakely steps into a blast for his 15th goal of the season as the @OHLBattalion blanked Peterborough on Saturday 🎥 pic.twitter.com/D9uKssaYcG
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 4, 2022
Knights stretch winning streak to eight
Midwest Division champions in three consecutive seasons, the London Knights are back on top, overcoming a slow start with a current eight-game winning streak that grew by four this past week. London defeated Guelph, Erie, Niagara and Mississauga to improve to 17-7-1-0 as Ruslan Gazizov owns a six-game point streak, finishing the weekend with two goals and an assist in Sunday’s 5-4 win over the Steelheads. It was a night rookie forward Jacob Julien won’t forget on Friday as the former third round U18 Priority Selection choice scored his first career OHL goal as the third period game winner in a 2-1 victory over Niagara. November’s OHL Player of the Month Sean McGurn leads the Knights offensively with 34 points (11-23–34) in 25 games. Rookie netminder Zach Bowen turned in a career-high 42 saves on Sunday to improve to 5-1-0-0 in his young career. The Knights are back in action at home on Tuesday for Teddy Bear Toss night against the Oshawa Generals.
Jacob Julien's first #OHL goal stands as the GWG 💪
The @LondonKnights rookie notched the go-ahead goal in the third period for lead the Knights to their 7th win in a row 📽️ pic.twitter.com/Wo9oaLwcYF
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 3, 2022
Spitfires rack up six points in three-in-three
Having lost three straight to begin the week, the Windsor Spitfires righted the ship with wins over Oshawa, Kitchener and Barrie, outscoring the three opponents 18-6. Oliver Peer (2-5–7) and Colton Smith (4-3–7) both put up seven points as Windsor gained ground on Saginaw, pulling to within two points of the first place Spirit in the West Division. Former 15th round pick Noah Morneau found the back of the net in Kitchener on Friday before scoring Saturday’s Teddy Bear Toss goal at the WFCU Centre. Rookie forward Liam Greentree is also getting into a rhythm, recording five points (3-2–5) over his last four games.
Little bit of weekend cleaning 🧹🧹🧹#WindsorSpitfires #WhateverItTakes @AxeWindsor pic.twitter.com/AlnhCffRUC
— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) December 5, 2022
67’s back rolling after rut
The first place Ottawa 67’s have pulled themselves out of some turbulence, putting a three-game slide in their rearview mirror with wins over Sudbury, Flint and Peterborough at home. The Barber Poles put up back-to-back six-point performances on Friday and Sunday, recovering from an early 2-0 deficit against Flint as Gavin Ewles‘ first of the season was the third period game winner in a 6-2 contest. Sunday’s matchup against Peterborough got rough n’ tumble, with goaltenders Collin MacKenzie and Liam Sztuska being assessed fighting majors before all was said and done. Montreal Canadiens prospect Vinzenz Rohrer was the game’s first star with a goal and two helpers as six different Ottawa players had goals in a commanding victory. Ottawa is the OHL’s first place team with a 21-4-0-0 record.
Is it too early to talk about the 2024 #NHLDraft?
Asking for a friend… pic.twitter.com/onjMIYzkCb
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) December 4, 2022
Watson credited with OT winner in four-goal effort
The Soo Greyhounds needed a lift after giving up 10 to the Hamilton Bulldogs last weekend, and Kalvyn Watson gave them just that. Watson capped his first OHL hat trick with one minute remaining in regulation on Friday night, sending a 3-3 game against the Saginaw Spirit to overtime. Originally credited to Kirill Kudryavtsev, upon review the goal 10 seconds into OT has been awarded to Watson, giving him all four Greyhound markers as Sault Ste. Marie snapped Saginaw’s nine-game winning streak. Watson scored again on Sunday as the Hounds came out and defeated the Owen Sound Attack 5-3 at home, their final home contest before the holiday break. Kudryavtsev was credited with Sunday’s game winner as the Vancouver Canucks prospect scored it shorthanded 3:39 into the third period. The 8-10-4-4 Greyhounds hit the road this week with games in North Bay, Oshawa and Owen Sound.
Kalvyn Watson, hat collector 🧢🧢🧢
Veteran caps his first career #OHL trio with a minute remaining to force OT where @OHLHoundPower would come out on top 🎥 pic.twitter.com/fDfcGg4aj9
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 3, 2022
Pinelli impactful in return to Rangers lineup
Los Angeles Kings prospect and captain Francesco Pinelli finished serving a suspension and came out firing on Saturday in Guelph, scoring a natural hat trick in the second period of a 5-1 victory over the rival Storm. Pinelli scored an even strength goal, power play marker and shorthanded tally while tacking on an assist as Kitchener rounded-out the weekend with a record of 10-13-0-0. Pinelli leads the Blueshirts with 26 points (16-10–26) in 19 games this season. Montreal Canadiens prospect Filip Mesar was out with an upper body injury and didn’t see game action over the weekend. Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Roman Schmidt was out of Saturday’s lineup with an injury.
Francesco Pinelli goes off in the 2nd period‼️
The #GoKingsGo prospect scores a natural 🎩🎩🎩@LAKings | @OHLRangers pic.twitter.com/O8FnzHTHAj
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) December 4, 2022
Barlow makes Attack history
2023 NHL Draft prospect Colby Barlow is into the Owen Sound Attack franchise record books once again. The franchise’s all-time leading rookie goal-scorer also holds the longest goal-scoring streak in franchise history, finding the back of the net with just 15 seconds to spare in Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday to give him goals in 10 straight contests. Barlow’s mark surpasses the prior one of nine set by Kyle McAllister in 2000-01. The Attack fell short on Sunday, but collected four of a possible six points on their northern swing to Barrie, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. They are 16-8-1-1, one point back of first place London in the Midwest Division.
The Bears come up short, but 2023 #NHLDraft prospect Colby Barlow makes @AttackOHL history!
Goals in 10 straight games surpass Kyle McAllister's 2000-01 franchise mark as Barlow nets his 20th of the campaign 🎥 pic.twitter.com/9RAU7Fwwtr
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 5, 2022
Musty ties single game record for Wolves
2023 NHL Draft prospect Quentin Musty made some Sudbury Wolves history on Sunday afternoon, racking up seven points (1-6–7) in a 13-2 victory over the visiting Niagara IceDogs. Musty’s seven points are the most by a Wolves player in a single game since Mike Fisher and Norm Milley both tallied seven on Dec. 18th, 1998 against Barrie. The 13 goals scored by Sudbury are the most by an OHL team in a single game since the Guelph Storm lit the lamp 13 times on Mar. 14, 2014 against Sarnia. The Wolves sit fourth in the Central Division with a record of 8-13-3-0 while Niagara drops a third straight decision, falling to 6-15-3-0 at the bottom of the OHL standings.
🚨FYI🚨
🔥 Quentin Musty ties Wolves record for most points in one game with 7 points and extends his point streak to 12-games collecting 25 points (5G,20A).👊 pic.twitter.com/cGY08vTPMb— Sudbury Wolves (@Sudbury_Wolves) December 5, 2022
Morrison, Hayes piling up the points for Bulldogs
Overage veterans Logan Morrison and Avery Hayes are channeling some of the offensive magic that helped the Hamilton Bulldogs win an OHL Championship last season. Morrison rides a 13-game point streak and currently sits tied with Matthew Strome for the all-time franchise lead in assists with 132. Hayes is on a 12-game run, becoming one of three OHL 20-goal scorers in a 4-3 loss to the Oshawa Generals on Sunday. Hamilton has reversed a slow start to the season in recent weeks, coming off a four-game winning streak that led into Sunday’s matchup. The defending champions are 11-11-1-0 for seventh in the Eastern Conference. They await the return of Seattle Kraken prospect Ryan Winterton, who has yet to play this season due to injury.
Logan Morrison chasing some @BulldogsOHL history heading into consecutive road games 📊 pic.twitter.com/wZ7EdM9jWu
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 1, 2022
Voit continues to lead OHL scoring
The Sarnia Sting were mixed bag over the weekend, but Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit kept the points coming with three straight multi-point outings. Voit leads the League in scoring by an 11-point margin, registering 48 (9-39–48) in 27 games. Voit’s continued production comes despite losing linemate Nolan Burke to injury – a void that has been filled by the acquisition of Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov, who put up nine points (4-5–9) in three games last week, scoring Sunday’s Teddy Bear Toss goal. Sarnia fell 6-5 to Oshawa in a shootout on Friday, defeated the Saginaw Spirit 6-3 on the road on Saturday and fell 3-2 in overtime to the Barrie Colts on Sunday. The Sting are sixth in the Western Conference with a record of 13-8-4-2.
The Pasta Man brings the Teddy Bears to the ice! 🧸🍝@AnaheimDucks prospect Sasha Pastujov slices the Colts lead in half scoring the 2022 Teddy Bear Toss goal for the @StingHockey 🎥 pic.twitter.com/157Prxk5X0
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) December 4, 2022
Trout drop three straight
The Mississauga Steelheads came up empty in a three-in-three, falling to Hamilton, Erie and London. The Steelheads surrendered 16 goals in three games, losing starting goaltender Alessio Beglieri to injury in the process. The Steelheads, who have lost eight of their last 10, were without captain Ethan Del Mastro for Saturday and Sunday’s games. Mississauga is back in action on Wednesday morning in Hamilton for a School Day date with the Bulldogs. They’ll be tested on Friday when the Central Division-leading North Bay Battalion visit Mississauga.
The Steelheads fought hard in their 10th Annual Teddy Bear Toss game 🧸#MadeofSteel
Read all about it in the @TeamSmartStop Post-Game Recap!
📰: https://t.co/Q64Bkyx2XF pic.twitter.com/L2wJ9vcYrW
— Mississauga Steelheads (@OHLSteelheads) December 4, 2022
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