Month: March 2016

Toronto, ON – The first round of the 2016 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs continue tonight with five games including the Western Conference leading Erie Otters who have a chance to eliminate the Saginaw Spirit, and the Eastern Conference leading Kingston Frontenacs who can eliminate the defending champion Oshawa Generals with a victory.

Stay up to date with all post-season action: 2016 OHL Playoff Brackets

Here’s a look at what else is going on around the league:

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Colts step up to support March Mullet Foundation: The Barrie Colts have stepped up in a big way, partnering with CMHA Simcoe County to raise over $26,000 in the fight to end the stigma surrounding mental health through their March Mullet campaign. The Colts are actively raising funds to support mental health programming and education through their unique hairstyles. Colts captain Michael Webster has led the way, raising over $21,000 towards the cause while teammates Aidan Brown and Matt Brassard have also contributed with over $1,000 raised each. For more information, visit the Colts March Mullet donation page at marchmullet.org.

Syrian refugees experience first hockey game with Steelheads: Through a partnership with Lifeline Syria, the Mississauga Steelheads recently offered more than 500 tickets to the organization that were distributed to Syrian families and members of various sponsorship and support groups. The Mississauga News’ Iain Colpitts has the full story at mississaugasteelheads.com.

Firebirds present check to the American Cancer Society: The Flint Firebirds presented a check for over $2000 to the American Cancer Society to support Relay for Life events in Genesee County. The donation is one of many by the organization this season, contributing to the more than $100,000 donated to various charities around Flint and Genesee County.

STORM SET SIGHTS ON 2016 OHL PRIORITY SELECTION:

Only a couple years removed from an OHL Championship, the Guelph Storm will pick first overall in the OHL Priority Selection for the first time since 1992 on Saturday, April 9th. Here’s a look ahead at how things are shaping up for the 2016 OHL Priority Selection. Full story

NEW RECORDS & MILESTONES ESTABLISHED DURING 2015-16 SEASON:

The 2016 OHL Playoffs are well underway, but it’s always fun to take a look back at the season that was and review the new records and milestones written into the OHL history books. A number of team and individual benchmarks were set during the 2015-16 season, here’s a closer look at the facts and figures. Full story

PETES’ CORNEL, BATTALION’S WOOD SIGN NHL CONTRACTS:

A pair of OHL veterans have signed NHL contracts this past week. Peterborough Petes captain Eric Cornel signed with the Buffalo Sabres on Friday while North Bay Battalion blueliner Kyle Wood inked with the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.

FRONTENACS’ WARREN FOEGELE TAKES WEEKLY HONOURS:

Carolina Hurricanes prospect Warren Foegele of the Kingston Frontenacs is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2016 OHL Playoffs ending March 27 scoring six points in two games including five goals and one assist with a plus-minus rating of plus-4. Foegele produced back-to-back multi-point performances last week for the first place Frontenacs who opened the post-season with a pair of victories over the defending champion Oshawa Generals. Full Story

2016 OHL DEVELOPMENT COMBINE POWERED BY UNDER ARMOUR DETAILS ANNOUNCED:

The 2016 OHL Development Combine powered by Under Armour offers 96 players (48 forwards, 32 defencemen, and 16 goaltenders) born in 2000 the opportunity to showcase themselves both on and off the ice to OHL member team personnel. Combine results will be distributed to every OHL member team General Manager to assist in their evaluation for the OHL Priority Selection to be held onSaturday, April 9, 2016. Full Details

 ALUMNI NOTES:

5 OHL grads nominated as Masterson Trophy candidates: OHL graduates Max Domi (Arizona Coyotes/London Knights), Ryan O’Reilly (Buffalo Sabres/Erie Otters), Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames/Owen Sound Attack), Fedor Tyutin (Columbus Blue Jackets/Guelph Storm) and Joe Thornton (San Jose Sharks/Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) have been nominated for the Bill Masterson Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The candidates are nominated by the Professional Hockey Wristers’ Association.

McKegg scores first NHL goal: London Knights graduate Greg McKegg scored his first NHL goal on Tuesday as the Florida Panthers fell to Toronto 5-2. McKegg played in his 17th career NHL game and 13th with Florida this season after spending the past three in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ system. He’s recorded 23 points (10-13–23) in 47 games with the AHL’s Portland Pirates this season. The St. Thomas, ON, native played four OHL seasons from 2008-12, recording 270 career points (125-145–270) in 262 regular season games between Erie and London. He was Toronto’s third round (62nd overall) pick in 2010.

Harpur recalled by Senators: Barrie Colts graduate Ben Harpur has been called up by the Ottawa Senators. The 6’6″, 218Ib. rearguard has played 43 games with the AHL’s Binghamton Senators this season, recording a goal, four assists and five points. Harpur played four OHL seasons between Guelph and Barrie from 2011-15, winning an OHL title with the Storm in 2014. He appeared in 225 career regular season games, recording 12 goals, 54 assists and 66 points with a plus/minus rating of plus-59. Harpur also played in 34 career playoff contests, recording 11 points (3-8–11) with a plus/minus rating of plus-29. The native of Niagara-on-The-Lake, ON, was Ottawa’s fourth round (108th overall) pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.

Lindberg recalled by Maple Leafs: Oshawa Generals graduate Tobias Lindberg has been recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs. After being acquired from Ottawa in the Dion Phaneuf trade, Lindberg has recorded 12 points (6-6–12) in 19 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies after starting the season with 22 points (5-17–22) in 34 games with the Binghamton Senators. The 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup champion recorded 32 goals, 46 assists and 78 points in 67 games with the Generals last season, continuing his production into the playoffs with 19 points (7-12–19) in 21 contests. Lindberg was Ottawa’s fourth round (102nd overall) pick in 2013.

Milano recalled by Blue Jackets: The Columbus Blue Jackets have recalled OHL graduate Sonny Milano on an emergency basis. The 19-year-old has 12 goals, 15 assists and 27 points in 48 games with the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters this season after graduating from the OHL in 2014-15. Milano played one OHL season with Plymouth, recording 22 goals, 46 assists and 68 points in 50 games. He was Columbus’ first round (16th overall) pick in 2014.

Tolchinsky recalled by Hurricanes: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds graduate Sergey Tolchinsky has been recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes. The 21-year-old winger has 11 goals, 21 assists and 32 points in 65 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers this season. Tolchinsky played three OHL seasons with the Greyhounds from 2012-15, recording 87 goals, 150 assists and 237 points in 189 career regular season games. He was a big part of Sault Ste. Marie’s run to the Western Conference finals last spring, recording 14 points (4-10–14) in 14 games. The native of Moscow, Russia was signed as a free agent by Carolina during the summer of 2013.

Martin named AHL Player of the Week: Mississauga Steelheads graduate Spencer Martin has been named the AHL’s Player of the Week. The San Antonio Rampage netminder stopped 91 of 94 shots while winning all three of his starts last week, good for a 0.99 goals-against average and a .968 save percentage. The Oakville, ON, native has split the season between San Antonio and the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets. His AHL numbers include a 7-7-1-0 record with a 2.65 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage with three shutouts. Martin spent four seasons with the Steelheads from 2011-15, tying for the franchise lead in career games played with 156 while recording a 3.31 goals-against average, a .904 save percentage, four shutouts and a record of 58-74-2-9. He was Colorado’s third round (63rd overall) pick in 2013.

9 OHL grads named AHL Man of the Year Award winners: Nine OHL graduates have been awarded AHL Man of the Year honours for their respective clubs. Clubs select players based off their outstanding contributions to the local community and charitable organizations throughout the season. The following OHL graduates will also be nominated for the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award, awarded to the AHL’s Humanitarian of the Year. Several winners have earned the honours multiple times: Dan Kelly (3rd, Albany Devils/Kitchener Rangers), Zack Stortini (2nd, Binghamton Senators/Sudbury Wolves), Matt Carkner (6th, Bridgeport Sound Tigers/Peterborough Petes), Tom McCollum (3rd, Grand Rapids Griffins/Brampton Battalion), Kurtis Gabriel (1st, Iowa Wild/Owen Sound Attack), Patrick Kaleta (2nd, Rochester Americans/Peterborough Petes), Michael Leighton (1st, Rockford IceHogs/Windsor Spitfires), Mike Angelidis (1st, Syracuse Crunch/Owen Sound Attack), Andrew Campbell (4th, Toronto Marlies/Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds).

 PLAYOFF SCHEDULE: 

Thursday, March 31
Barrie at Mississauga – 7:00pm (Game 4)
Kingston at Oshawa – 7:05pm (Game 4)
Erie at Saginaw – 7:05pm (Game 4)
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm (Game 4)
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm (Game 4)

Friday, April 1
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm (Game 5)*
Peterborough at North Bay – 7:00pm (Game 5)
Ottawa at Niagara – 7:00pm (Game 5)
Windsor at Kitchener – 7:30pm (Game 5)
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm (Game 5)

Saturday, April 2
Saginaw at Erie – 3:00pm (Game 5)*
Niagara at Ottawa – 7:00pm (Game 6)*
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia – 7:05pm (Game 5)
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm (Game 5)

Sunday, April 3
London at Owen Sound – 2:00pm (Game 6)*
Barrie at Mississauga – 2:00pm (Game 6)*
Kitchener at Windsor – 2:05pm (Game 6)*
Erie at Saginaw – 4:00pm (Game 6)*
Kingston at Oshawa – 6:05pm (Game 6)*
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm (Game 6)*
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm (Game 6)*

Tuesday, April 5
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm (Game 7)*
Saginaw at Erie – 7:00pm (Game 7)*
Windsor at Kitchener – 7:00pm (Game 7)*
Owen Sound at London – 7:00pm (Game 7)*
Peterborough at North Bay – 7:00pm (Game 7)*
Ottawa at Niagara – 7:00pm – 7:00pm (Game 7)*
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia – 7:05pm (Game 7)*
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm (Game 7)*
*if necessary

CATCH ALL OF THE ACTION ON OHL LIVE WITH NEW PLAYOFF PACKAGES AVAILABLE INCLUDING ALL ACCESS PASSES FOR $129.99 AND 1^ST ROUND TEAM PASSES FOR $25.99.

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that San Jose Sharks prospect Timo Meier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies is the CHL Player of the Week for the opening week of the 2016 CHL Playoffs ending March 27 after scoring four goals and three assists for seven points in two games with a plus-minus rating of plus-2.

Meier led the entire CHL in scoring with a pair of multi-point performances last week that powered the top ranked Huskies to a 2-0 series lead against the Drummondville Voltigeurs.  On Friday night he scored his first career playoff hat-trick and added an assist as first star of a 10-0 Game 1 victory, then scored a goal and two assists on Saturday earning third star honours in a 6-0 win in Game 2.  The Huskies finished the season in first place in the QMJHL standings and number one in the BMO CHL Top-10 Rankings with a record of 54-9-3-2.  The first round series continues Tuesday night in Drummondville, with Game 4 scheduled for Wednesday.

A 19-year-old from Herisau, Switzerland, Meier is playing in his third career QMJHL season and first with the Huskies after being acquired from the Halifax Mooseheads earlier this season.  Chosen ninth overall by the Sharks in the 2015 NHL Draft, Meier scored 23 goals and 28 assists for 51 points in 29 regular season games with the Huskies giving him a total of 87 points in 52 games during the 2015-16 campaign.

Also considered for the award this week was Carolina Hurricanes prospect Warren Foegele who scored five goals and one assist for six points in two games helping the Kingston Frontenacs take a 2-0 series lead against the Oshawa Generals, and Vladimir Bobylev who tallied six assists in two games helping the Victoria Royals take a 2-0 series lead over the Spokane Chiefs.

2015-16 CHL Post-Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 21 – Mar. 27: Timo Meier (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)

2015-16 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

Mar. 14 – Mar. 20: Tyler Soy (Victoria Royals)
Mar. 7 – Mar. 13: Andrew Mangiapane (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 29 – Mar. 6: Jayce Hawryluk (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Feb. 22 – Feb. 28: Tyler Wong (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Feb. 15 – Feb. 21: Adam Brooks (Regina Pats)
Feb. 8 – Feb. 14: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 1 – Feb. 7: Ivan Provorov (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Jan. 25 – Jan. 31: Frédéric Allard (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24: Giorgio Estephan (Lethbridge Hurricanes)
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17: Reid Gardiner (Prince Albert Raiders)
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10: Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres)
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Brendan Lemieux (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Christian Dvorak (London Knights)
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Mitchell Marner (London Knights)
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Conor Garland (Moncton Wildcats)
Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Dylan Strome (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Nikolas Brouillard (Quebec Remparts)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Kevin Labanc (Barrie Colts)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Zach Bratina (North Bay Battalion)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Dennis Yan (Shawinigan Cataractes)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Conor Garland (Moncton Wildcats)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Alex Forsberg (Victoria Royals)

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Chase Marchand of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the opening week of the 2016 CHL Playoffs ending March 27 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including two shutout victories with a goals-against-average of 0.00 and save percentage of 1.000.

Marchand was perfect between the pipes for the first place Huskies stopping all 40 shots he faced in the opening two games of their first round QMJHL matchup against the Drummondville Voltigeurs.  On Friday night he made 22 saves to record his first career playoff victory and shutout in the 10-0 win, then stopped 18 shots in Game 2 on Saturday as the Huskies prevailed by a 6-0 score.  The series now shifts to Drummondville for Game 3 on Tuesday and Game 4 on Wednesday night.

A 20-year-old from Upper Tantlion, NS, Marchand is playing in his third career QMJHL season and first with the Huskies.  During the 2015-16 regular season he carried a record of 29-6-0-1 including two shutout victories while maintaining the league’s lowest goals-against-average with a mark of 2.42 and the second best save percentage at .911 helping the Huskies finish first overall.

Also considered for the award this week was Mario Petit who posted a 2-0-0-0 record for the Everett Silvertips in their first round WHL series against the Portland Winterhawks winning one of the games by shutout while carrying a goals-against-average of 0.50 and save percentage of .981.  In the OHL, New York Rangers prospect Brandon Halverson backstopped the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to a 2-0 series lead against the Sarnia Sting with a goals-against-average of 2.50 and save percentage of .935 in his two road wins.

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Post-Season Goaltenders of the Week:

Mar. 21 – Mar. 27: Chase Marchand (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)

2015-16 Vaughn CHL Regular Season Goaltenders of the Week:

Mar. 14 – Mar. 20: Reilly Pickard (Acadie-Bathurst Titan)
Mar. 7 – Mar. 13: Landon Bow (Seattle Thunderbirds)
Feb. 29 – Mar. 6: Connor Ingram (Kamloops Blazers)
Feb. 22 – Feb. 28: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Feb. 15 – Feb. 21: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Feb. 8 – Feb. 14: Leo Lazarev (Ottawa 67’s)
Feb. 1 – Feb. 7: Taz Burman (Swift Current Broncos)
Jan. 25 – Jan. 31: Luke Opilka (Kitchener Rangers)
Jan. 18 – Jan. 24: Jordan Papirny (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Jan. 11 – Jan. 17: Zach Sawchenko (Moose Jaw Warriors)
Jan. 4 – Jan. 10: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)
Dec. 28 – Jan. 3: Étienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Dec. 14 – Dec. 20: Callum Booth (Quebec Remparts)
Dec. 7 – Dec. 13: Jack Flinn (Mississauga Steelheads)
Nov. 30 – Dec. 6: Ty Edmonds (Prince George Cougars)
Nov. 23 – Nov. 29: Carter Hart (Everett Silvertips)
Nov. 16 – Nov. 22: Keven Bouchard (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Nov. 9 – Nov. 15: Devin Williams (Erie Otters)
Nov. 2 – Nov. 8: Etienne Montpetit (Val-d’Or Foreurs)
Oct. 26 – Nov. 1: Tyler Parsons (London Knights)
Oct. 19 – Oct. 25: Adin Hill (Portland Winterhawks)
Oct. 12 – Oct. 18: Julio Billia (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)
Oct. 5 – Oct. 11: Coleman Vollrath (Victoria Royals)
Sept. 28 – Oct. 4: Louis-Philip Guindon (Rimouski Oceanic)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 27: Zack Bowman (Flint Firebirds)

Toronto, ON – The 2016 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs begin tonight with three series opening matchups including the Ottawa 67’s at Niagara IceDogs, the Mississauga Steelheads at the Barrie Colts, and the Windsor Spitfires at the Kitchener Rangers live on Sportsnet ONE.

All five other playoff matchups open on Friday with games continuing throughout the holiday weekend.  The OHL will also be featured on a special Tuesday night edition of the CHL on Sportsnet with Game 3 of the Kingston Frontenacs and Oshawa Generals series airing coast-to-coast on Sportsnet 360.

OHL Western Conference Playoff Preview

OHL Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

2016 OHL Playoff Brackets

Here’s a look at what else is going on around the league:

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Storm to host OHL Priority Selection party and breakfast: The Guelph Storm will be hosting an OHL Priority Selection party and breakfast on Saturday April 9th at Draught Picks in the Sleeman Centre. For full details visit guelphstorm.com.

Petes and fans donate $2,800 to Courtney Druce’s GoFundMe Page: Peterborough Petes fans once again showed their generosity this past weekend, jumping at an opportunity to purchase 2016 Pink in the Rink sweaters for $200 in support of Courtney Druce. Fourteen commemorative jerseys were sold and $2800 (CDN) was raised, translating to a $2,145 (USD) donation on Courtney’s GoFundMe page. Courtney, the 2014 Pink in the Rink honourary co-chair and daughter of Petes and NHL alumnus John Druce, is in her fifth battle with cancer and is currently living under hospice care at her mother’s home in New Jersey. For the full story, visit gopetesgo.com.

Frontenacs Fort Henry jersey auction underway: The Kingston Frontenacs are holding an online jersey auction with proceeds going to the United Way. For full details on the special jerseys worn on Saturday, visit kingstonfrontenacs.com or check out the online auction that runs through Saturday at 8pm here.

Firebirds conclude inaugural season with awards banquet: The Flint Firebirds handed out the hardware at the conclusion of their inaugural OHL season, with Will Bitten earning both the leading scorer and most valuable player awards. For a full list of award winners, visit flintfirebirds.com.

Greyhounds announce year-end award winners: The Soo Greyhounds held their annual year-end awards banquet this past week, with Blake Speers and Zach Senyshyn sharing season MVP honours. Visit soogreyhounds.com for a full run-down of other winners.

MALETTA, MANGIAPANE SIGN NHL CONTRACTS:

A pair of OHL veterans signed NHL contracts this past week, with Niagara IceDogs forward Jordan Maletta inking as a free agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets while 50-goal scorer Andrew Mangiapane signed with the Calgary Flames.

YORK SIMCOE EXPRESS WIN 2016 OHL CUP:

The York Simcoe Express are 2016 OHL Cup Champions after a thrilling double overtime victory seen across the province on Sportsnet Ontario Monday evening. Rhys Forhan provided both York Simcoe goals in a 2-1 Express victory, netting the winner 7:17 into the second overtime to give them their first OHL Cup title since 2004. Full Story

GREYHOUNDS’ BLAKE SPEERS TAKES WEEKLY HONOURS:

New Jersey Devils prospect Blake Speers of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the regular season week ending March 20 scoring three goals and five assists for eight points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-2. Speers recorded a trio of multi-point performances helping the Greyhounds earn four of a possible six points at home. Full Story

TIP TOP TAILORS OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – WEEK 24:

Kitchener Rangers rookie Joseph Garreffa headlines the 25th edition of the Tip Top Tailors OHL Plays of the Week! Be sure to vote for Joseph at fanchoice.ca!

GETTING ON THE BOARD: FIRST OHL GOALS IN 2015-16:

Check out the players who have scored their first OHL goal in the past week! 150 different players have accomplished the milestone this season! Click on a player’s name below to watch his first OHL goal!
Mads Eller, Zachary Roberts, Hudson Wilson

ALUMNI NOTES:

Brown records first NHL point: Erie Otters graduate and 2014 Red Tilson Trophy recipient Connor Brown registered his first NHL point with an assist for the Toronto Maple Leafs in their 5-2 win over the Calgary Flames on Monday. Brown has appeared in three games with the Leafs this season after being called up from the AHL’s Toronto Marlies where he recorded 24 points (9-15–24) in 28 games this season. Brown played three seasons with the Erie Otters from 2011-14, recording 250 points (98-152–250) over 199 career OHL regular season games. He led the OHL in scoring with 128 points (45-83–128) in 2013-14. He was Toronto’s sixth round (156th overall) pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Jensen named AHL Player of the Week: Oshawa Generals graduate Nicklas Jensen is the AHL Player of the Week after recording four goals, three assists and seven points over three games to help the Hartford Wolf Pack close in on a playoff position in the Atlantic Division. Jensen recorded the third hat trick of his AHL career on Friday night – including the tying goal in the third period and the game-winner in overtime – as the Wolf Pack rallied for a 4-3 victory over Portland. The native of Herning, Denmark has 16 goals, 15 assists and 31 points in 56 games between Utica and Hartford this season. Jensen played two OHL seasons with the Oshawa Generals from 2010-12, recording 54 goals, 62 assists and 116 points in 118 career regular season games. He was Vancouver’s first round (29th overall) pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Youngest Subban cites father as biggest inspiration: OHL graduate Jordan Subban is featured on this week’s edition of AHL Over The Boards, citing father Karl as his biggest inspiration. Don Laible and Mark Caswell Jr. take a closer look at Jordan’s relationship with his father, Karl Subban. Full Story at theahl.com.

Giugovaz signs with Brampton: Guelph Storm graduate Michael Giugovaz has signed a pro contract with the ECHL’s Brampton Beast following a four-year OHL career that came to an end last week. The veteran played to a 15-20-5-2 record with a 3.62 goals-against average, an .899 save percentage and one shutout over 44 games between Windsor and Guelph this season. The Brampton native played 153 career regular season contests between Peterborough, Belleville, London, Guelph and Windsor, going 57-61-8-6 with a 3.83 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage.

Shantz named ECHL Goaltender of the Week: Peterborough Petes graduate David Shantz has been named the ECHL Goaltender of the Week after the Wichita Tunder netminder went 2-0-0 with a 1.51 goals-against average and a save percentage of .962 in two appearances. The 29-year-old has played to an 11-20-3 mark with a 3.07 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage in 35 games this season. Shantz was an OHL champion with the Petes in 2006 and played to a 62-39-6-1 record with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage over 119 regular season appearances with Mississauga and Peterborough from 2003-06. Shantz also helped lead the IceDogs to the OHL Finals in 2004 before falling to the Guelph Storm. He was Florida’s second round (37th overall) pick in the 2004 NHL Draft.

6 OHL graduates win CIS University Cup with UNB: Six OHL graduates including Rob Mignardi (Owen Sound Attack), Tyler Carroll (Guelph Storm), Cameron Brace (Belleville Bulls), Matt Petgrave (Oshawa Generals), Colin Suellentrop (Oshawa Generals) and Marcus McIvor (North Bay Battalion) have won a CIS University Cup title with UNB in Halifax. Full Story

PLAYOFF SCHEDULE: 

Thursday, March 24
Windsor at Kitchener – 7:00pm (Game 1) – LIVE on Sportsnet ONE
Ottawa at Niagara – 7:00pm (Game 1)
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm (Game 1)

Friday, March 25
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm (Game 1)
Saginaw at Erie – 7:00pm (Game 1)
Peterborough at North Bay – 7:00pm (Game 1)
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia – 7:05pm (Game 1)
Owen Sound at London – 7:30pm (Game 1)

Saturday, March 26
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm (Game 2)
Windsor at Kitchener – 7:00pm (Game 2)
Owen Sound at London – 7:00pm (Game 2)
Ottawa at Niagara – 7:00pm (Game 2)
Mississauga at Barrie – 7:30pm (Game 2)

Sunday, March 27
Peterborough at North Bay – 2:00pm (Game 2)
Sault Ste. Marie at Sarnia – 4:05pm (Game 2)
Saginaw at Erie – 7:00pm (Game 2)

Monday, March 28th
Niagara at Ottawa – 3:00pm (Game 3)
London at Owen Sound – 7:00pm (Game 3)
Kitchener at Windsor – 7:05pm (Game 3)

Tuesday, March 29th
Barrie at Mississauga – 7:00pm (Game 3)
Kingston at Oshawa – 7:05pm (Game 3) – LIVE on Sportsnet 360
Erie at Saginaw – 7:05pm (Game 3)
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm (Game 3)
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm (Game 3)

Wednesday March 30th
London at Owen Sound – 7:00pm (Game 4)
Niagara at Ottawa – 7:00pm (Game 4)
Kitchener at Windsor – 7:05pm (Game 4)

Thursday March 31st
Barrie at Mississauga – 7:00pm (Game 4)
Kingston at Oshawa – 7:05pm (Game 4)
Erie at Saginaw – 7:05pm (Game 4)
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm (Game 4)
Sarnia at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm (Game 4)

CATCH ALL OF THE ACTION ON OHL LIVE WITH NEW PLAYOFF PACKAGES AVAILABLE INCLUDING ALL ACCESS PASSES FOR $129.99 AND 1^ST ROUND TEAM PASSES FOR $25.99.