Harris leads Marlboros to wildcard victory with four-point performance
The Toronto Marlboros made a strong statement in Monday morning’s second Wildcard matchup, shutting out the Thunder Bay Kings 9-0 to secure their spot in the tournament.
Kingston Harris (3) led the charge with a standout performance, netting a hat trick and adding an assist. His offensive presence was felt early, opening the scoring at 7:40 of the first period and adding another in the second before capping off his night with his third goal in the final frame.
“This game was really on our minds,” Harris said postgame. “We wanted to get into the OHL Cup, and we just worked as a team and battled hard.”
The Marlboros wasted no time establishing control, scoring four unanswered goals in the opening frame. Aidan Witkowski (2) added a pair of goals, while Camillo Milani (1), Landon Roulston (1), Jack Johnson (1), and Max Branton (1) each found the back of the net.
Toronto’s special teams were firing on all cylinders, converting twice on the power play while maintaining a relentless attack to keep the Kings at bay. The defence was equally impressive, helping goaltender Royden Smith post an 11-save shutout.
“Coming into this tournament, we knew we had to play in the wildcard, and obviously, it was great to win,” Harris added. “We earned our spot in this tournament, so we have to keep moving from there.”
With their wildcard victory, the Marlboros have secured a spot in the Shanahan division. They now turn their attention to their first round-robin game at the event against the Vaughan Kings, looking to carry this momentum forward.
Under Armour Player of the Game:
Thunder Bay Kings: Kellan Ozerkevich (F)
Toronto Marlboros: Kingston Harris (F) – 3G, 1A
