OHL Weekend Notebook: Feb. 23, 2022
The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Spitfires’ Johnston leads tight scoring race
There isn’t much separation between the League’s leading scorers. Windsor’s Wyatt Johnston, Sault Ste. Marie’s Rory Kerins, Kingston’s Lucas Edmonds, North Bay’s Brandon Coe and London’s Luke Evangelista are spread out by a margin of just six points, with Johnston atop the pile with 80 (28-52–80). Edmonds (24-55–79) and Kerins (30-49–79) are both tied with 79, Coe, who missed action on Sunday, has 78 (30-48–78) and Evangelista has 74 (36-38–74) and a League-leading 1.95 points-per-game.
28 for Johnston????
Louka Henault makes the clutch pass to Wyatt Johnston (@johnston0055) to extend the lead for @SpitsHockey. It’s Johnston’s 28th goal of the season???? pic.twitter.com/E0hXul6M5g
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 21, 2022
Beck, Boucher return to 67’s lineup
Things haven’t been going the way of the Ottawa 67’s lately, but the Barber Poles are hopeful for a change of fortunes, getting two key additions to their lineup in recent weeks. Calgary Flames prospect Jack Beck is getting back up to speed after missing over three months to injury, scoring twice on Saturday against North Bay before picking up an assist on Monday in Kingston. Beck started the season producing at a torrid pace with nine goals in the month of October. Ottawa Senators first round pick Tyler Boucher also rejoined the lineup this past weekend after suffering an injury during his debut in Sudbury back on Jan. 28th. Boucher tipped a puck in for his first career OHL goal on Monday in Kingston. The 19-year-old from Haddonfield, New Jersey is the son of former NHL goaltender Brian Boucher and was selected by the Sens with the 10th overall pick of the 2021 NHL Draft. Ottawa returns to action on Wednesday at home to Kingston before hitting the road for five straight.
.@boucher_tylerr????
First @OHLHockey goal and home debut for #13 this weekend. pic.twitter.com/b9ukWEtebr
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) February 21, 2022
Bulldogs tighten grip on East
The Hamilton Bulldogs went 3-0 this week, outscoring their opponents 21-7 to give themselves some breathing room at the top of the East Division. Reigning OHL Player of the Week Logan Morrison continued to a big contributor for the Bulldogs recording 10 points in his last three games with two goals and eight assists. The Bulldogs defeated Kingston 8-2 on Saturday, pulling them ahead by three points for the number one spot in the division. Matteo Drobac made 21 saves in Sunday’s 7-2 win over Erie, improving to 12-1 this season. Hamilton returns to action on Friday as Mason McTavish is expected to return to the lineup after representing team Canada at the Olympic Games.
Logan Morrison’s 3 point afternoon leads the Bulldogs to a 7-2 victory over Erie.
Details: https://t.co/jTg3boYCT8#DawgMentality#HamOnt#OHLpic.twitter.com/ww0RV4C4wC
— Hamilton Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) February 21, 2022
Battalion blitz to ninth straight win
Owen Van Steensel recorded a career-high four assists while hometown product Kyle McDonald scored his first career OHL hat trick as the Battalion triumphed in Ottawa on Sunday, claiming their ninth straight win. Mitchell Russell found the back of the net in a third straight game, extending his point streak to six. The nine wins are the longest streak since the Battalion has been in North Bay, and the longest in franchise history since the Brampton Battalion won 16 in a row during the 2008-09 campaign. The Troops pull to within two points of first place in the OHL, boasting a 28-15-3-3 record.
Nine wins in a row.
????: https://t.co/hH9RQCFkJg pic.twitter.com/jtefSxNnj1
— North Bay Battalion (@OHLBattalion) February 21, 2022
Firebirds extend point streak to nine games
The hottest team in the Western Conference, the first place Flint Firebirds extended their point streak to nine games as Ethan Keppen scored twice and Amadeus Lombardi collected three assists in a commanding 7-3 road win over Sarnia on Family Day. Luke Cavallin stopped 26 of 29 for the win as Flint climbs to 29-14-1-3, owning a four-point cushion on first place in the conference.
First-Place Firebirds Cruise to 7-3 Matinee Win, Extend Point-Streak to Nine Games. #WeAreFlint
????: https://t.co/BPU75sWdLR pic.twitter.com/itNjm804Wa
— Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) February 21, 2022
Valade the hero as Rangers defeat Knights in second straight meeting
Reid Valade’s second of the afternoon came with 52 seconds remaining in overtime as the Rangers took down the Knights in London for the first time since Dec. 28, 2019. Valade finished with three points (2-1–3), while Pavel Cajan stood tall to earn the win for Kitchener, making 45 saves as the Rangers were outshot 49-29. The win is Kitchener’s second in a row over London as the Rangers sit in a three-way tie for sixth in the Western Conference with a record of 19-20-2-2.
Rangers take it in overtime!????
His second goal of the day, Reid Valade taps in the pass from Carson Rehkopf (@CarsonRehkopf) to clinch the @OHLRangers‘ second consecutive win against their rival???? pic.twitter.com/BsQw3RJGBT
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 21, 2022
Weeks outstanding for Wolves
Mitchell Weeks made 47 saves and stopped all seven Steelheads shooters he faced in the shootout to lift Sudbury to a 3-2 win in Mississauga. Ryan Smith scored the deciding shootout goal in the seventh round as Sudbury knocked off the first place Steelheads for the second time in six tries this season. Weeks, who leads the League in both minutes played (2,325) and saves (1,296), earned first star honours for his strong performance as Sudbury improves to 16-26-3-2, tied for eighth with Peterborough in the Eastern Conference. Mississauga has now lost seven of their last 10 games.
#OHLThreeStars⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mitchell Weeks made 47 saves and stopped 7-of-7 in the shootout for the @Sudbury_Wolves, Stuart Rolofs recorded a goal and three helpers for the @Oshawa_Generals and Michael Buchinger scored a pair of goals and an assist leading @Storm_City to victory. pic.twitter.com/iW6ou61Pny
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 21, 2022
Spits remember Mickey Renaud with thrilling victory
The Spitfires honoured Mickey Renaud on Friday night prior to puck drop on the occasion of the 14th anniversary of the former captain’s tragic passing. The Spitfires let a 3-0 lead get away against Flint before scrambling back with Pasquale Zito tying the score with 27 seconds left in the third period before Michael Renwick scored the OT winner. The Firebirds settled the score with a shootout win at home on Saturday. Windsor is 5-1 against the Firebirds this season.
Wild West Division finish in Windsor ????@DetroitRedWings prospect Pasquale Zito (@Pzito61) ties it with the extra attacker before Michael Renwick (@mdrenwick16) sends @SpitsHockey fans home happy in OT ???? pic.twitter.com/Ham5be0ZOx
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 19, 2022
Gushchin’s streak continues
Win or lose, San Jose Sharks prospect Danil Gushchin continues putting up points for the Niagara IceDogs. The Russian winger extended his current run to 15 straight games on Sunday as the Dogs fell 8-2 in Oshawa. Gushchin’s streak dates back to Dec. 11th and is the second-longest in the OHL this season behind Peterborough’s Emmett Sproule (21 games). Gushchin leads the IceDogs with 50 points (29-21–50) over 35 contests. His streak is the longest by an IceDogs player since Jason Robertson went 19 games during the 2018-19 season.
The @SanJoseSharks prospect continues to light up the #OHL ???? ????
Daniil Gushchin opens the scoring for the @OHLIceDogs to notch his 11th power-play goal of the season, and extends his point streak to 14 games ????️ pic.twitter.com/5GV13GN1Rh
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 20, 2022
Sting take four big points against Rangers
Sarnia defeated Kitchener 4-3 in a shootout last Tuesday, allowing the Rangers to rally from a 3-1 deficit before Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit scored the deciding goal to give Sarnia its first win at The Aud since November 2018. Nolan Burke and Theo Hill each scored twice as the Sting took a second straight win over Kitchener on Friday, besting the Rangers 6-3. The Sting are now in the thick of things in the Western Conference, sitting in a three-way tie for sixth with Kitchener and Owen Sound, holding a record of 19-19-3-1. Blueliner Ethan Ritchie has proven to be a nice pickup for the Sting, recording 15 points (6-9–15) in 27 games since coming over from Kingston in November.
Max Namestnikov with the vision and Ethan Ritchie with the finish! ????
Deciding goal cements a second straight @StingHockey win over Kitchener, securing valuable points in the Western Conference ???? pic.twitter.com/FClH6YHSHL
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 19, 2022
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