Toronto Jr. Canadiens crowned 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Champions

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Toronto Jr. Canadiens are 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Champions following a 5-1 win over the Vaughan Kings at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto.

2018 OHL Cup 2018
The 2018 OHL Cup Champion Toronto Jr Canadiens. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images

Player of the Game Isaac MacLeod led the way with a goal and three assists as the Jr. Canadiens took an early lead and didn’t look back, hoisting the OHL Cup for the second time, last doing so in 2008.

“It’s surreal right now, really hard to believe,” said MacLeod post-game. “We got that early lead and that’s so important in a game like this, especially with the nerves we had off the start.

“We got that first one, took advantage and got the ball rolling.”

The Jr. Canadiens wasted little time taking the lead as MacLeod scored on a rush down the right wing 2:18 into action. Daniil Chayka drew the lone assist as MacLeod stuffed a low shot through the legs of Vaughan’s Marco Costantini.

After Jr. Canadiens netminder Sami Molu foiled a Kings scoring chance at one end, Toronto came down moments later and added to the lead as MacLeod took advantage of a turnover at the offensive blue line, inspiring a rebound for Ryan Tverberg who made it 2-0 at 9:23.

Liam Kennedy put JRC up 3-0 with 4:24 left on the clock, snapping a wrister past a partially screened Costantini from the top of the circle.

A second period 5-on-3 power play was what the Kings needed to get on the board and pull within two as Ty Tullio sent a cross-crease feed to Cole Perfetti, setting him up for a shot that dribbled across the goal line with 5:23 remaining. Molu came up big a shift later to keep the Jr. Canadiens up 3-1, denying Owen Perala with the glove to halt the Vaughan momentum.

JRC carried a 3-1 lead into the third period though Vaughan controlled the shot clock 26-17.

After Vaughan applied some pressure early in the third, the Jr. Canadiens reinstated the three-goal advantage as Zayde Wisdom pulled a puck out of the corner and centred for a waiting Dylan Robinson who made good on a hard release from the high slot at 3:54. Jr. Canadiens captain Shawn Spearing tacked on a power play goal less than two minutes later at 5:11 as Cole O’Hara circled around the net and found the defenceman pinching in to shoot a high wrister over the shoulder of Costantini.

Down four, the Kings weren’t able to muster much in the way of opportunities as the Jr. Canadiens locked down the middle, holding Vaughan off until the final buzzer for a 5-1 victory as players streamed onto the ice in celebration.

“For all the hard work these boys have put in, to see them raise the trophy is very rewarding,” said Jr. Canadiens head coach Daniel Sisca. “Myself and the rest of the coaching staff couldn’t be prouder.”

Vaughan outshot Toronto 32-24 as Molu made 31 saves to earn the win.

Jr. Canadiens forward Dylan Robinson earned the Tim Adams Memorial Trophy as OHL Cup powered by Under Armour MVP, finishing second in tournament scoring with six goals, five assists and 11 points over seven games.

“Winning this tournament has been a dream for awhile,” said Robinson. “We kept things simple, went over video and were prepared for what they were going to throw at us.

“This is a great honour both for me and for our team.”

The Vaughan Kings end their OHL Cup schedule with a 5-1-1 record, being led in scoring by Cole Perfetti and Ty Tullio who each had five goals, five assists and 10 points in seven games.

The Jr. Canadiens become the fourth GTHL club to win the OHL Cup Championship in the past five years, doing so with a 6-0-1 record while outscoring opponents 33-8.

The OHL Cup was presented to Jr. Canadiens captain Shawn Spearing by Hockey Night in Canada stars and minor hockey advocates Don Cherry and Ron MacLean along with GTHL President Don West and OHL Vice-President Ted Baker.  The game was broadcast live on Sportsnet Ontario. The showcase provides fans and scouts one last opportunity to see many of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario and parts of the United States compete for the OHL Cup performing against the best competition prior to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

 

OHL Announces 2017-18 Regular Season Award Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Logo

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the recipients of four of the league’s annual awards following the conclusion of the 2017-18 regular season. 

Offensively, Ottawa Senators prospect Aaron Luchuk of the Barrie Colts captured the league’s scoring title earning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy, while St. Louis Blues prospect Jordan Kyrou is the recipient of the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy presented to the Top Scoring Right Winger.  The other two awards recognize defensive efforts including the Dave Pinkey Trophy for the goaltending tandem of the team with the fewest goals against won by Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Matthew Villalta and Tyler Johnson, and the F.W “Dinty” Moore Trophy awarded to Jordan Kooy of the London Knights as the rookie with the best goals-against-average. 

Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Scoring Champion): Aaron Luchuk, Barrie Colts 

Aaron Luchuk recorded 50 goals and 65 assists for 115 points in 68 games to lead all OHL players in regular season scoring. 

The 20-year-old from Kingston, Ont., split his season between the Barrie Colts and the Windsor Spitfires where he was originally a fourth round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection and captured a 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup title.  Since his move to Barrie in December, the overage centre produced 22 goals and 42 assists for 64 points in 38 games as the Colts clinched their third Central Division title in four years.  

Luchuk became the 12th all-time member of the Colts to reach the century mark for points on March 2, and his 50 goals tied for the league lead with teammate Dmitry Sokolov both attaining the milestone mark on March 16 and representing the first pair from the same team to accomplish the feat in the same season since 2005-06 London Knights Rob Schremp and David Bolland. 

Signed to a free agent contract by the Ottawa Senators in December, Luchuk delivered 35 multi-point performances this season, recorded the league’s second longest point-streak at 21 games, and finishes his OHL career with 115 goals and 135 assists for 250 points in 274 regular season games. 

Luchuk becomes the third member of the Colts to win the award following Kevin Labanc in 2015-16 with a club record 127 points in 65 games, and Sheldon Keefe who scored 121 points in 66 games back in the club’s 1999-2000 championship campaign. 

The Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy was donated by the Toronto Marlboro Athletic Club in memory of Eddie Powers and was first awarded in 1945-46 to Tod Sloan of St. Michael’s who scored 79 points in 25 games.  Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters was last year’s recipient with 127 points in 63 games including 65 goals and 62 assists.  Other notable winners include Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin who tied for the league’s scoring title before being chosen first and second overall respectively in 2010, while fellow first overall NHL picks John Tavares (2009), and Patrick Kane (2007) are also recent winners. 

Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger): Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting 

Jordan Kyrou finished third in OHL scoring but led all right wingers with 109 points including 39 goals and 70 assists in just 56 games. 

The 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., was the league’s first to reach the century mark for points reaching the milestone mark in his 50th game on February 27.  Kyrou also generated 31 multi-point performances and led the league with a 1.95 point-per-game mark.  He helped Canada win gold at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship and captained the Sarnia Sting to their best season in franchise history. 

The 19-year-old from Toronto, Ont., has been a four-year member of the Sting where he was originally chosen in the second round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.  He played 250 career regular season games accumulating 290 points including 99 goals and 191 assists.  Kyrou was a second round pick of the St. Louis Blues in the 2016 NHL Draft. 

The Jim Mahon Trophy was first presented following the 1971-72 season by the players and management of the Peterborough Petes in memory of their right winger Jim Mahon who was accidentally killed that summer.  Kyrou becomes Sarnia’s first recipient of the award and follows recent winners that include Alex DeBrincat of the Erie Otters in 2017, Kevin Labanc of the Barrie Colts in 2016, and Mitch Marner of the London Knights in 2015. 

Dave Pinkney Trophy (Lowest Team Goals Against): Matthew Villalta and Tyler Johnson, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds allowed the fewest goals in the OHL this season with just 186 against, backstopped by the tandem of Matthew Villalta and Tyler Johnson. 

Villalta, a 19-year-old from Godfey, Ont., led the league with a 2.58 goals-against-average and finished the 2017-18 campaign with a .908 save percentage and three shutouts in 49 appearances.  The Los Angeles Kings prospect selected in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft played to an overall record of 40-5-2-2 tying the franchise single season record for wins.  He joined the Hounds as a free agent commit prior to the 2016-17 season and went on to claim the league’s F.W. “Dinty” Moore Trophy with a rookie best goals-against-average of 2.41. 

Johnson, a 20-year-old from Amherst, NY., is playing in his second OHL season.  He was originally chosen by the Plymouth Whalers in the seventh round of the 2014 OHL Priority Selection, then joined the London Knights for 2016-17.  He was acquired by the Greyhounds in October and during his 20 games with the club posted a 14-1-0-1 record including two shutout victories with a goals-against-average of 2.36 and save percentage of .912. 

The Greyhounds finished the 2017-18 season with a franchise record 55 wins powered by an overall record of 55-7-3-3 for 116 points.  Their season accolades also include a 23-game winning-streak, a run of 29 undefeated games in regulation, and 27 straight victories on home ice. 

This marks the fourth time the Greyhounds have led the league with the fewest goals against with past award recipients including Kyle Gajewski and Bryce O’Hagan (173 GA) in 2007-08, Kevin Hodson (229 GA) in 1991-92 and Mike Lenarduzzi and Kevin Hodson (217 GA) in 1990-91. 

The Dave Pinkney Trophy is awarded annually to the goaltending tandem from the team that allows the fewest goals against during the regular season.  Last season, the Owen Sound Attack’s Michael McNiven and Emanuel Vella allowed 177 goals against to claim the award. 

F.W. “Dinty” Moore Trophy (Best Rookie GAA): Jordan Kooy, London Knights 

Jordan Kooy posted the best goals-against-average among OHL rookie goaltenders in 2017-18 with a mark of 3.11. 

The 17-year-old from Bradford, Ont., appeared in 24 games for the London Knights and played to a 10-8-0-1 record with a .904 save percentage.  He made 25 saves on March 2 to record his first career OHL shutout by a 3-0 score over the Kingston Frontenacs.  Chosen by the Knights in the eighth round of the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, Kooy split his time last season between the Knights, the St. Mary’s Lincolns, and the Jr. Knights Midget AAA program. 

The trophy is named after F.W. “Dinty” Moore of Port Colborne, ON, who served as OHA President from 1942-45.  In order to qualify for this rookie award, a goaltender must play a minimum of 900 minutes.  Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds won the award last season with a 2.41 goals-against-average, with Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires (2.45 GAA) and Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack (2.79 GAA) winning in 2016 and 2015 respectively. 

Kooy is the fourth Knight to win the award following Ryan MacDonald (2.06 GAA in 2003-04), Sean Basilio (3.65 GAA in 1989-90), and Barry Heard (3.28 GAA in 1976-77).

Attack’s Nick Suzuki named OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Vegas Golden Knights prospect Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack is the OHL ‘On the Run’ Player of the Week for the final week of regular season action ending March 18 after scoring six goals and one assist for seven points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-5. 

Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Nick Suzuki of the Owen Sound Attack. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Suzuki extended his point-streak to eight and reached the century mark in season points while helping the Attack win three games last week securing fourth overall in the Western Conference standings with a 38-22-3-5 record.  On Wednesday night Suzuki picked up an assist in a 7-1 road win over the Flint Firebirds, then earned first star honours on Thursday with his third hat-trick of the season contributing to a 9-2 road win over the Windsor Spitfires.  Back home on Saturday, Suzuki wrapped up his season in style with two goals and one assist in a 9-4 victory against the Sarnia Sting becoming the Attack’s first 100-point scorer since Bobby Ryan in 2006-07.  The week included an impressive 25 goals scored by the Attack who are among the league’s hottest teams with six wins and an overtime loss in their last seven as they prepare for a first round playoff series matchup with the London Knights beginning Friday at home.

An 18-year-old from London, Ont., Suzuki is playing in his third season in Owen Sound since he was a first round choice by the Attack in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.  His 100 points in 64 games were fourth best in the league this season and represent a new career-high.  This marks the second straight season Suzuki has hit the 40-goal plateau finishing with 42 after scoring 45 in 2016-17.  After three full seasons with the Attack, Suzuki has 107 career goals and 127 assists for 234 points in 192 games.  The first round pick of the Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Draft also earned the league’s weekly honour for his play to start October. 

Watch video highlights of Suzuki and the Attack against the Firebirds, Spitfires, and Sting. 

Also considered for the award this week were Tye Felhaber of the Ottawa 67’s with three goals and five assists for eight points in three games, and Lucas Chiodo of the Barrie Colts with two goals and six assists for eight points in three games.  In goal, Stephen Dhillon helped the Niagara IceDogs finish the season with seven straight wins posting a 2-0-0-0 record while making 72 saves for a goals-against-average of 2.45 and save percentage of .935.

 2017-18 OHL ‘On the Run’ Players of the Week:

Mar. 12 – Mar. 18: Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)
Mar. 5 – Mar. 11: Dmitry Sokolov (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 26 – Mar. 4: Robert Thomas (Hamilton Bulldogs)
Feb. 19 – Feb. 25: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Feb. 12 – Feb. 18: Aaron Luchuk (Barrie Colts)
Feb. 5 – Feb. 11: Liam Foudy (London Knights)
Jan. 29 – Feb. 4: Kenny Huether (Oshawa Generals)
Jan. 22 – Jan. 28: Jeremy Helvig (Kingston Frontenacs)
Jan. 15 – Jan. 21: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Jan. 8 – Jan. 14: Taylor Raddysh (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Jan. 1 – Jan. 7: Owen Tippett (Mississauga Steelheads)
Dec. 25 – Dec. 31: Ben Jones (Niagara IceDogs)
Dec. 11 – Dec. 17: Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
Dec. 4 – Dec. 10: Justin Brazeau (North Bay Battalion)
Nov. 27 – Dec. 3: Joseph Garreffa (Kitchener Rangers)
Nov. 20 – Nov. 26: Serron Noel (Oshawa Generals)
Nov. 13 – Nov. 19: Cliff Pu (London Knights)
Nov. 6 – Nov. 12: Ryan Merkley (Guelph Storm)
Oct. 30 – Nov. 5: Albert Michnac (Mississauga Steelheads)
Oct. 23 – Oct. 29: Aaron Luchuk (Windsor Spitfires)
Oct. 16 – Oct. 22: Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 9 – Oct. 15: Brady Hinz (Sarnia Sting)
Oct. 2 – Oct. 8: Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack)
Sept. 25 – Oct. 1: Jonathan Ang (Peterborough Petes)
Sept. 21 – Sept. 24: Michael DiPietro (Windsor Spitfires)

Ryan McLeod – Mississauga Steelheads – Player Profile

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 205 pounds

Date of birth: September 21, 1999

Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 3rd overall, 2015 Priority Selection (Flint Firebirds)

NHL Central Scouting pre-season: A Prospect

NHL Central Scouting mid-term: 16th North American Skaters

NHL Central Scouting final rank: Not available at this time

Like brother, like brother……?

Like it or not, Mississauga Steelheads forward Ryan McLeod will be forever linked to teammate and older brother Michael, who was the twelfth overall selection of the New Jersey Devils at the 2016 National Hockey League Draft.

But before we get into any similarities (or differences), here is a little history.

The 2014-2015 season was a busy one for McLeod. He played his Minor Midget hockey with the Toronto Marlboros that season amassing 30 goals and 51 assists in 74 games and was a leader on that squad, as evidenced by the A sewn on his jersey. He helped the Marlboros win the OHL Cup that year scoring 3 goals and 4 assists in 7 games and was named the OHL Cup Most Valuable Player.

Ryan McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images
Ryan McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

That wasn’t McLeod’s first taste in the OHL Cup. While playing Bantam in 2013-2014, he got into two games with the Marlboros and then onto the OHL Cup, winning it for the first time.

Back to 2014-2015. McLeod was named the GTHL Player of the Year after his performance with the Marlboros. Not only had he captured two OHL Cups to date, but he also won an OHL Gold Cup with the GTHL Team Blue while contributing a goal and two assists in 5 games.

The Flint Firebirds would select McLeod with the third overall pick at the 2015 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.

OHL Central Scouting’s report at the time:

Ryan will remind you a lot of his older brother Michael, Mississauga’s first round pick from last year. He is an effortless skater that can beat a defender as if he were standing still. Ryan has the ability to slow the game down when he needs to.  He is a playmaker first, always looking to set up his teammates. Ryan is a force offensively each time he is on the ice. He uses his skating and speed to separate himself from the rest of the players. He is arguably one of the top 5 forwards in the country in his age group.

The Steelheads were all set to select McLeod with the fourth overall pick, but the Firebirds pounced one pick earlier. The McLeod family made it abundantly clear that Ryan would not report to Flint and the door was open for General Manager James Boyd to work on a deal. The Firebirds were under a deadline of September 15 in order to receive compensatory picks, a first and second round pick, for top 5 picks who do not report. Boyd paid a huge price sending the Firebirds three second round picks and three third round picks.

And the rest as they say, is history.

McLeod would break onto the OHL scene during the 2015-2016 season with the Steelheads and score a respectful 7 goals and 13 assists in 62 games and add two more helpers in seven playoff games. He would add yet another championship to his resume, this time with Team Canada at the World Hockey Challenge Under-17 where he had a lone assist in 6 games.

The 2016-2017 season saw McLeod enter his second Major Junior campaign, but there was no championship in the cards for McLeod this time around, even though the Steelheads were one of the early favorites. He scored 9 times while setting up 33 others while playing in all 68 games. But it was during the playoffs that McLeod was at his offensive best, putting up a point per game on 5 goals and 15 assists.

This season began with McLeod being on the winning side once again as Team Canada captured Gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial in August. While he was pointless in 4 games, he was still a champion once again in a tournament where you could almost guarantee gold for Canada every time.

While it’s been somewhat of a disappointing regular season for the Steelheads, McLeod has been a bright spot for the most part. With one game remaining on the season, his 67 points ranks third among the Steelheads behind only Nicolas Hague and Owen Tippett. His 43 assists put him atop the list of Steelheads while his 24 goals rank third. Not bad for a playmaker.

The younger McLeod has all the tools that his older brother possesses, although I would say Ryan doesn’t use his size like Michael does.

As OHL Central Scouting says in it’s report, McLeod is an excellent skater with jets on his blades. Tremendous speed, who works his edges extremely well and can turn on a dime, an ability to slow it down when he needs to but needs to work on combining that skating ability with his size and drive the net more frequently.

McLeod has excellent vision with superb playmaking abilities and has always been known as a playmaker first. However, he does possess a very good shot and has taken noticeable steps to use it more often this season – not passing up shooting opportunities. His shot total has gone up from 111 a season ago to 161 this season and it reflects on his increased goal production. He’s scoring at a 14.9% clip, up from 8.1%.

Offensively, McLeod is dangerous on the powerplay when he has room. He sees the ice so well and with excellent anticipation skills, sees plays develop and he’s excellent at setting up teammates for scoring opportunities. The evidence is in his 21 powerplay assists which leads the Steelheads and tied for sixth in the entire league.

Those same anticipation skills allow McLeod to play in any situation, including the penalty kill where his high hockey IQ combined with his skating and ability to close lanes show through. He often lines up against the other team’s top players as well. He continues to improve in the faceoff circle winning 736 of 1356 draws, good for 54.3% and will often take critical defensive zone draws.

Finding more consistency, especially during 5 on 5 play is an area that McLeod needs to work on, however, if he utilizes all the assets that he possesses, that should come to him. And that will be key to whether he projects as a top 6 forward at the National Hockey League level.

Stat page of Ryan McLeod from Elite Prospects

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Day 5 Summary

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

GTHL’s Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Vaughan Kings to play in Monday’s Championship Final

OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – The 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League, is down to two teams as the GTHL’s Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Vaughan Kings emerged victorious following this morning’s Quarter-Finals and this evening’s Semi-Final contests.

The Jr. Canadiens (5-0-1) advance to their first OHL Cup Championship Final since 2014 following a 3-2 overtime win over the top-ranked league champion Toronto Marlboros on a game winner by defenceman Daniil Chayka. The Jr. Canadiens cruised to a 6-1 morning victory over the Wild Card entry Sun County Panthers in Quarter-Final play.

The Vaughan Kings (5-0-1) defeated the OMHA champion York-Simcoe Express in a hard-fought 3-1 semi-final matchup that saw Cole Perfetti provide the second period game winner. The Kings advance to their first ever appearance in the OHL Cup Championship Final, backstopped by a 27-save effort from goaltender Marco Costantini. Vaughan defeated the Mississauga Reps by a score of 2-1 in morning quarter-final action.

Monday’s Championship Final features two GTHL semi-finalists as the Jr. Canadiens and Kings square off at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in a game that can be seen across the province on Sportsnet Ontario.

Here’s a quick look at Saturday’s quarter-final and semi-final action:

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Quarter-Final Results:

Saturday March 17, 2018:

Quarter-Final #1: Toronto Jr. Canadiens 6 vs. Sun County Panthers 1

Jr. Canadiens MVP – Isaac MacLeod (2G, 1A)

Panthers MVP – John Ulicny

Recap – Stats

Quarter-Final #2: Toronto Marlboros 3 vs. Barrie Colts 2

Marlboros MVP – Will Cuylle (3G)

Colts MVP – Cameron Snow (1G)

Recap – Stats

Quarter-Final #3: Vaughan Kings 2 vs. Mississauga Reps 1

Kings MVP – Liam Babcock (1G)

Reps MVP – Tristan Lennox (28 SV)

Recap – Stats

Quarter-Final #4: York-Simcoe Express 2 vs. Oakville Rangers 1 – OT

Express MVP – Evan Vierling (1G, 1A)

Rangers MVP – Jacob Murray (1G)

Recap – Stats

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Semi-Final Results: Saturday March 17, 2018:

Semi-Final #1: Toronto Jr. Canadiens 3 vs. Toronto Marlboros 2 – OT

Jr. Canadiens MVP: Daniil Chayka (1G)

Marlboros MVP: Reid Valade (1G)

Recap – Stats

Semi-Final #2: Vaughan Kings 3 vs. York-Simcoe Express 1

Kings MVP – Cole Perfetti (1G, 1A)

Express MVP – Cameron Butler (1G)

Recap – Stats

All tournament games feature live scoring complete with the OHL’s Game Centre module that includes individual shots on goal and face-off results.

Toronto Marlboros forward Will Cuylle leads all players with 12 points including nine goals and three assists over six games following semi-final action. He’s trailed by Toronto Jr. Canadiens forward Dylan Robinson (5-5–10) and York-Simcoe Express forward Evan Vierling (5-5–10) with 10 points each. Player Stats

In goal, Vaughan’s Marco Costantini leads all netminders with a 1.31 goals-against average to go with a .950 save percentage in a tournament-leading 275 minutes played. Jr. Canadiens goaltender Sami Molu trails with a 1.36 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage over five games. Goalie Stats

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Championship Final: Monday March 19, 2018:

Mattamy Athletic Centre

7:00pm – Toronto Jr. Canadiens (5-0-1) vs. Vaughan Kings (5-0-1)

Monday’s Championship Final will be broadcast live on Sportsnet Ontario.

The showcase provides fans and scouts one last opportunity to see many of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario and parts of the United States compete for the OHL Cup performing against the best competition prior to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Day 4 Summary

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Quarter-Final matchups set for Saturday morning
OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – Round-Robin action wrapped up on Friday at the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour, hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League, with 12 games that solidified final divisional standings.

Eight teams have advanced to Saturday’s quarter-finals including four GTHL, three OMHA and one ALLIANCE club. The top-ranked GTHL champion Toronto Marlboros advanced atop the Nash Division with a perfect 4-0 record while the OMHA champion York-Simcoe Express claimed top spot in the Shanahan Division, also sporting a 4-0 mark. The Vaughan Kings earned top spot in the Lindros Division with a 3-0-1 record. The 3-0-1 Toronto Jr. Canadiens claimed top spot in the Subban Division by way of a goals-for and against formula that placed them ahead of the Barrie Colts who also advance with a 3-0-1 record.

The Sun County Panthers (2-2-0), Oakville Rangers (2-1-1) and Mississauga Reps (3-1-0) have also advanced to compete in quarter-final play. Standings.

In the scoring department, Marlboros forward Will Cuylle (6-3–9) and Barrie Colts forward Tyson Foerster (5-4–9) climbed into a tie for the tournament scoring lead as both recorded hat-tricks in victories for their respective clubs. Player stats

Here’s a look at Friday’s results:

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Round-Robin Results:

Friday March 16, 2018:

Game 29: York-Simcoe Express 6 vs. Mississauga Senators 2
Express MVP – Cameron Butler (1G, 1A)
Senators MVP – Sebastian Bulovs (1G, 1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 30: Vaughan Kings 4 vs. London Jr. Knights 1
Kings MVP – Ty Tullio (2G)
Jr. Knights MVP – George Diaco
Recap – Stats

Game 31: Toronto Marlboros 5 vs. Cambridge Hawks 3
Marlboros MVP – Cam Peters (2A)
Hawks MVP – (Joseph Serpa (1G, 1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 32: Sun County Panthers 6 vs. Guelph Gryphons 5
Panthers MVP – John Ulicny (1G, 1A)
Gryphons MVP – Jackson Kirk (2G, 1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 33: Toronto Jr. Canadiens 5 vs. Brantford 99ers 2
Jr. Canadiens MVP – Frankie Carogioiello (3A)
99ers MVP – Ben Edwards (38 SV)
Recap – Stats

Game 34: TPH Hockey 8 vs. Mississauga Rebels 2
TPH MVP – Michael Bishop (3G, 1A)
Rebels MVP – Justin Pulis (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 35: Team NOHA 2 vs. Peterborough Petes 1
NOHA MVP – Owen Kilganon (18 SV)
Petes MVP – Noah Sedore (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 36: Mississauga Reps 3 vs. Mississauga Senators 0
Reps MVP – Tristan Lennox (20 SV)
Senators MVP – Luka Profaca
Recap – Stats

Game 37: Barrie Colts 5 vs. Thunder Bay Kings 2
Colts MVP – Tyson Foerster (3G, 1A)
Kings MVP – Nicholas Degrazia (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 38: Oakville Rangers 5 vs. London Jr. Knights 2
Oakville MVP – Tyler Bortkiewicz (1G)
London MVP – Brendan Mairs
Recap – Stats

Game 39: Toronto Marlboros 6 vs. Sun County Panthers 2
Marlboros MVP – Will Cuylle (3G)
Panthers MVP – Ryan Gagnier (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 40: Don Mills Flyers 6 vs. Brantford 99ers 4
Flyers MVP – Zach Brauer (1G)
99ers MVP – Todd Gratton (1G)
Recap – Stats

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Playoff Schedule:


 Saturday March 17, 2018

Scotiabank Pond 1
10:30am Quarter-Final 1 – Barrie Colts (2nd Subban Division) vs. Toronto Marlboros (1st Nash Division)
12:15 Quarter-Final 3 – Oakville Rangers (2nd Lindros Division) vs. York-Simcoe Express (1st Shanahan Division)

Scotiabank Pond 2
10:00am Quarter-Final 2 – Sun County Panthers (2nd Nash Division) vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens (1st Subban Division)
11:45am Quarter-Final 3 – Mississauga Reps (2nd Shanahan Division) vs. Vaughan Kings (1st Lindros Division)

Scotiabank Pond 1
6:00pm Semi-Final 1 – Winner Quarter-Final 2 vs. Winner Quarter-Final 1
8:00pm Semi-Final 2 – Winner Quarter-Final 4 vs. Winner Quarter-Final 3

Monday March 19, 2018

Mattamy Athletic Centre
7:00pm Championship Final – Winner Semi-Final 2 vs. Winner Semi-Final 1

Monday’s Championship Final will be broadcast live on Sportsnet Ontario.

All other games of the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour will be streamed online at https://ohlcup.gameonstream.com.

The showcase provides fans and scouts one last opportunity to see many of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario and parts of the United States compete for the OHL Cup performing against the best competition prior to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

2017-18 Minor Midget Player of the Year Awards presented at OHL Cup Banquet

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the seven recipients of Minor Hockey Player of the Year Awards for players representing the four Ontario Hockey Federation Member Partners including the ALLIANCE, Greater Toronto Hockey League, Northern Ontario Hockey Association, and both the Ontario Minor Hockey Association’s ETA and SCTA regions, along with Hockey Eastern Ontario, and Hockey Northwestern Ontario.

Six of the seven Player of the Year award winners are currently competing at the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour including Matthew Maggio of the Sun County Panthers (ALLIANCE), Jamie Drysdale of the Toronto Marlboros (GTHL), Michael Stubbs of the Thunder Bay Kings (HNO), Pacey Schlueting of the North Bay Trappers (NOHA), Quinton Byfield of the York Simcoe Express (OMHA ETA), and Cameron Tolnai of the Oakville Rangers (OMHA SCTA).  Josh Barnes of the Cornwall Colts (HEO) was also recognized among the Minor Midget recipients.

“Congratulations to all seven award winners, their families, coaches, and teammates for a tremendous hockey season,” said Daniel Broussard, the OHL’s Director of Recruitment, who presented the awards on Thursday night. “I’ve had the privilege of getting to know these young men and the awards are a true testament to their hard work and leadership. The OHL is proud to help recognize the achievements of great players from across Ontario and wish all young men the best of luck as they prepare for the next step in their hockey and academic careers.”

The award recipients consist of five forwards and two defencemen.  Up front and down the middle, Byfield led all winners as well as the OMHA’s ETA in points with 92 in 34 games scoring 48 goals and 44 assists helping the Express capture an OMHA championship.  In the OMHA’s SCTA, Tolnai was second in league scoring with 80 points in 35 games including 31 goals and 49 assists as the Rangers played to an undefeated regular season.  Playing in HEO’s Midget AAA league, Barnes finished second in scoring with 26 goals and 26 assists for 52 points in 39 games, while Stubbs produced 12 goals and eight assists for 20 points in 17 games to lead the HNO Kings.  Maggio finished tied for second in ALLIANCE scoring with 44 points in 33 games on the wing with 20 goals and 24 assists.  On defence, Drysdale tied for the province lead in scoring from the back end with 50 points in 57 games including eight goals and 42 assists for the GTHL champion Marlboros, while Schlueting finished second in scoring at his position in the Great North Midget League tallying 34 points in 24 games with 13 goals and 21 assists for the Trappers.

The awards were presented at the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament Banquet for the eighth straight year recognizing the achievements of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario.  The awards are presented annually to honour the minor midget players who best exemplify outstanding ability and the qualities of sportsmanship and leadership as voted by the minor hockey coaches, managers and organizations of each respective league.

Past Award Winners:

ALLIANCE Player of the Year:

2018 – Matthew Maggio, Sun County Panthers

2017 – Ryan Suzuki, London Jr. Knights

2016 – Owen Lalonde, Windsor Jr. Spitfires

2015 – Nick Suzuki, London Jr. Knights

2014 – Anthony Salinitri, Windsor Jr. Spitfires

2013 – Travis Konecny, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

2012 – Jared McCann, London Jr. Knights Gold

2011 – Bo Horvat, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

GTHL Player of the Year:

2018 – Jamie Drysdale, Toronto Marlboros

2017 – Nick Porco, Vaughan Kings

2016 – Ryan Merkley, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

2015 – Ryan McLeod, Toronto Marlboros

2014 – Adam Mascherin, Vaughan Kings

2013 – Dylan Strome, Toronto Marlboros

2012 – Connor McDavid, Toronto Marlboros

2011 – Nick Ritchie, Toronto Marlboros

HEO Player of the Year:

2018 – Josh Barnes, Cornwall Colts

2017 – Alexandre Hogue, Cumberland Grads U18

2016 – Paul Larabie, Nepean Raiders

2015 – Gabriel Vilardi, CIH Academy

2014 – William Bitten, Ottawa Jr. 67’s

2013 – Andrew Peski, Ottawa Jr. 67’s

2012 – Andrew Abou-Assaly, Ottawa Jr. 67’s

2011 – Nicholas Baptiste, Ottawa Senators

HNO Player of the Year:

2018 – Michael Stubbs, Thunder Bay Kings

2017 – Christian Cicigoi, Thunder Bay Kings

2016 – Quintin Loon-Stewardson, Thunder Bay Kings

2015 – Kyle Auger, Thunder Bay Kings

2014 – Brad Belisle, Thunder Bay Kings

2013 – Zach Grzelewski, Thunder Bay Kings

2012 – Bryce Martyn, Thunder Bay Kings

2011 – Nolan Nicholas, Thunder Bay Kings

NOHA Player of the Year:

2018 – Pacey Schlueting, North Bay Trappers

2017 – Camaryn Baber, Soo Midget Greyhounds

2016 – Damien Giroux, Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves

2015 – Cayse Ton, New Liskeard Cubs

2014 – Zach Dorval, Soo Thunder

2013 – Blake Speers, Soo Thunder

2012 – Michael Amadio, Sault Ste. Marie North Stars

2011 – Ryan Kujawinski, Sudbury Minor Midget Wolves

OMHA ETA Player of the Year:

2018 – Quinton Byfield, York Simcoe Express

2017 – Alex Newhook, York Simcoe Express

2016 – Aidan Dudas, North Central Predators

2015 – Brady Gilmour, Quinte Red Devils

2014 – Chris Paquette, Greater Kingston Jr Frontenacs

OMHA SCTA Player of the Year:

2018 – Cameron Tolnai, Oakville Rangers

2017 – Matthew Dunsmoor, Guelph Jr. Gryphons

2016 – Adam McMaster, Niagara North Stars

2015 – Liam Stevens, Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs

2014 – Rylee St Onge, Niagara North Stars

*prior to 2014 there was a single OMHA Player of the Year award recipient

Past OMHA Players of the Year:

2013 – Matt Spencer, Oakville Rangers*

2012 – Nik Coric, York Simcoe Express*

2011 – Alex Yuill, Quinte Red Devils*

For more information please visit www.ohlcup.ca.

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Day 3 Summary

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Round-Robin wraps up Friday with 12 games to finalize playoff positions
OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – Round-robin action continued on Thursday with eight games at the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.


 Day 3 action was headlined by the York-Simcoe Express who maintain a perfect 3-0 record following a 4-3 win over TPH Hockey. The Vaughan Kings also claimed victory, defeating the Peterborough Petes 9-1 to remain one of five undefeated teams at the event. Standings


 Vaughan forward Ty Tullio leads all players with six points (2-4–6) over three games while Elite Hockey Group’s Isaak Novak sets the pace in the goal-scoring department with his five. Player stats


 Here’s a quick overview of Thursday’s results:


 2018 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Round-Robin Results:

Thursday March 15, 2018

Game 21: Mississauga Reps 4 vs. Mississauga Rebels 1
Reps MVP – Devlin O’Brien (1G, 1A)
Rebels MVP – Rory Kerins
Recap – Stats

Game 22: Cambridge Hawks 2 vs. Guelph Gryphons 1
Hawks MVP – Joseph Serpa (1A)
Gryphons MVP – Brody Waters
Recap – Stats

Game 23: Oakville Rangers 3 vs. Team NOHA 2
Rangers MVP – Zack Terry (2A)
NOHA MVP – Hunter Brazier (1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 24: Elite Hockey Group 5 vs. Sun County Panthers 2
Elite Hockey Group MVP – Matthew Coronado (1G, 2A)
Panthers MVP – Ryan Gagnier
Recap – Stats

Game 25: York-Simcoe Express 4 vs. TPH Hockey 3
Express MVP – Evan Vierling (1G, 2A)
TPH MVP – Noah Marino (1G, 1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 26: Vaughan Kings 9 vs. Peterborough Petes 1
Kings MVP – Owen Perala (3G, 1A)
Petes MVP – Austin Pearce
Recap – Stats

Game 27: Don Mills Flyers 3 vs. Thunder Bay Kings 3
Flyers MVP – Owen Saye (2G)
Kings MVP – Mason Bazaluk (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 28: Mississauga Rebels 2 vs. Mississauga Senators 1
Rebels MVP – Nicolas Sangha (31 SV)
Senators MVP – Alex Mbuyi (27 SV)
Recap – Stats

All tournament games feature live scoring complete with the OHL’s Game Centre module that includes individual shots on goal and face-off results.


 Round-Robin action continues Friday with 12 games before the Quarter-Final and Semi-Final rounds take place on Saturday. The 2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour will conclude with Monday’s Championship Final live on Sportsnet from the Mattamy Athletic Centre.


 The showcase provides fans and scouts one last opportunity to see many of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario and parts of the United States compete for the OHL Cup performing against the best competition prior to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.


 For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

OHL Announces 2017-18 Coaches Poll Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHL Logo

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches Polls for the 2017-18 OHL regular season. 

The OHL Coaches Poll provides member club coaches with the opportunity to recognize the top three players in 20 different skill categories within their own conference.   

In the Eastern Conference, the Kingston Frontenacs lead the way with representation across 15 of the 20 categories featuring 11 different players.  They also tied for the conference lead with five first place votes including Gabriel Vilardi in both the Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler categories, Ryan Cranford voted Best Defensive Forward, Tyler Burnie voted Best Penalty Killer, and Jeremy Helvig voted Best Shootout Goalie.  In addition, Jason Robertson appeared inside the top-three votes across a conference leading four different categories including Smartest Player (2), Most Dangerous in the Goal Area (3), Best Shot (3), and Best Shootout Shooter (3).  The Central Division champion Barrie Colts were represented by five players in nine different categories including five in first place with Joey Keane leading both the Most Improved and Best Defensive Defenceman lists.  The East Division champion Hamilton Bulldogs were also represented in nine different categories with seven different players appearing on the list including Robert Thomas who was voted Smartest Player, second Best Playmaker, and third Best Stickhandler. 

Mississauga Steelheads defenceman Nicolas Hague finished first in two categories including Hardest Shot and Best Offensive Defenceman, both by unanimous votes.  Owen Tippett also appeared on the list twice leading the Best Shot vote for the second straight year, and second in the Most Dangerous in the Goal Area category after leading the vote last season.  Travis Barron of the Ottawa 67’s finished first in both the Hardest Worker and Best Body Checker category. 

In the Western Conference, the Sarnia Sting lead the way with representation in 14 of the 20 categories featuring 10 different players.  Jordan Kyrou tied for the conference lead by appearing among the top three in four different votes including tied for first in Best Stickhandler after finishing second last season, second Smartest Player, second Best Playmaker, and second Best Skater after appearing in the list the past two seasons.  The first place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds were represented by eight players across 12 different categories receiving first place votes in six.  Morgan Frost was listed three times finishing first as the West’s Smartest Player, Best Playmaker, and tied for first with Kyrou in the Best Stickhandler category.  Boris Katchouk finished first in both the Most Dangerous in the Goal Area vote along with Best Penalty Killer for the second straight season, while Conor Timmins was named Best Defensive Defenceman. 

Other notable Western Conference vote getters are Evan Bouchard of the London Knights who appears in four different categories including first in Hardest Shot and Best Offensive Defenceman, second Best Shot, and third Smartest Player.  Jonah Gadjovich of the Owen Sound Attack was named Hardest Worker after finishing in third last season and second the year before, while teammate Jacob Friend was voted Best Body Checker a second straight season and also finished in the top three back in 2015-16.  Adam Mascherin of the Kitchener Rangers was also a repeat winner in the Best Shot category after finishing second last season and first in 2015-16.  He also finished second in the Most Dangerous in the Goal Area a second straight season, and second in the Hardest Shot vote a second straight season after appearing third in 2015-16.  

The Coaches Poll is tabulated when each team submits one nominee per category, and coaches then vote for the top three players for each category within their conference.  Players receive five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote, and one point for a third place vote.  Clubs are not permitted to vote for players from their own team allowing for a maximum of 45 possible points for each winner. 

All 20 categories are listed below with Eastern Conference and Western Conference winners including their final point totals in brackets.   

Most Underrated Player:

Eastern Conference:
1. Justin Brazeau, North Bay Battalion (34)
2. Linus Nyman, Kingston Frontenacs (21)
3. Brandon Saigeon, Hamilton Bulldogs (17)

Western Conference:
1. Aidan Dudas, Owen Sound Attack (25)
2. Kyle Maksimovich, Erie Otters (20) – finished second in 2016-17
3. Franco Sproviero, Sarnia Sting (15)

Most Improved Player:

Eastern Conference:
1. Joey Keane, Barrie Colts (24)
2. Jakob Brahaney, Kingston Frontenacs (18)
2. Serron Noel, Oshawa Generals (18)

Western Conference:
1. Liam Foudy, London Knights (36)
2. Mac Hollowell, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (31)
3. Connor Schlichting, Sarnia Sting (7)

Smartest Player:

Eastern Conference:
1. Robert Thomas, Hamilton Bulldogs (33)
2. Jason Robertson, Kingston Frontenacs (26) – finished third in 2016-17
3. Aaron Luchuk, Barrie Colts (24)

Western Conference:
1. Morgan Frost, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (36)
2. Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (27)
3. Evan Bouchard, London Knights (16)

Hardest Worker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Travis Barron, Ottawa 67’s (30)
2. Brett Neumann, Kingston Frontenacs (14)
3. Sam Miletic, Niagara IceDogs (13)

Western Conference:
1. Jonah Gadjovich, Owen Sound Attack (29) – finished third in 2016-17 and tied for second in 2015-16
2. Hayden Verbeek, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (27) – finished second in 2016-17 and first in 2015-16
3. Cam Hillis, Guelph Storm (13)

Best Playmaker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Gabriel Vilardi, Kingston Frontenacs (41)
2. Robert Thomas, Hamilton Bulldogs (21)
3. Sasha Chmelevski, Ottawa 67’s (10)

Western Conference:
1. Morgan Frost, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (35)
2. Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (28)
3. Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound Attack (14)

Most Dangerous in Goal Area:

Eastern Conference:
1. Dmitry Sokolov, Barrie Colts (37) – finished third in 2016-17
2. Owen Tippett, Mississauga Steelheads (20) – finished first in 2016-17
3. Jason Robertson, Kingston Frontenacs (18) – finished second in 2016-17

Western Conference:
1. Boris Katchouk, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (39)
2. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (28) – finished second in 2016-17
3. Jonah Gadjovich, Owen Sound Attack (11) – finished third in 2016-17

Best Skater:

Eastern Conference:
1. Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie Colts (37)
2. Ryan Moore, Hamilton Bulldogs (17)
3. Ryan McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads (16) – finished third in 2016-17

Western Conference:
1. Alex Formenton, London Knights (34)
2. Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (24) – finished third in 2016-17 and tied for third in 2015-16
3. Hayden Verbeek, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (12)

Best Shot:

Eastern Conference:
1. Owen Tippett, Mississauga Steelheads (39) – finished first in 2016-17
2. Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie Colts (16)
3. Jason Robertson, Kingston Frontenacs (13)

Western Conference:
1. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (45) – finished second in 2016-17 and first in 2015-16
2. Evan Bouchard, London Knights (17)
2. Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound Attack (17)

Hardest Shot:

Eastern Conference:
1. Nicolas Hague, Mississauga Steelheads (45) – finished first in 2016-17
2. Eemeli Rasanen, Kingston Frontenacs (13)
3. Nikita Korostelev, Peterborough Petes (11)

Western Conference:
1. Evan Bouchard, London Knights (37)
2. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (33) – finished second in 2016-17 and third in 2015-16
3. Taylor Raddysh, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (15)

Best Stickhandler:

Eastern Conference:
1. Gabriel Vilardi, Kingston Frontenacs (39)
2. Sasha Chmelevski, Ottawa 67’s (15)
3. Robert Thomas, Hamilton Bulldogs (10)

Western Conference:
1. Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (25) – finished second in 2016-17
1. Morgan Frost, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (25)
3. Nick Suzuki, Owen Sound Attack (14)

Best on Face-Offs:

Eastern Conference:
1. Michael McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads (31) – finished second in 2016-17
2. Zach Gallant, Peterborough Petes (17) – finished first in 2016-17
3. Aaron Luchuk, Barrie Colts (16)

Western Conference:
1. Drake Rymsha, Sarnia Sting (39) – finished third in 2016-17
2. Kevin Hancock, Owen Sound Attack (19)
3. Connor Bunnaman, Kitchener Rangers (18)

Best Body Checker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Travis Barron, Ottawa 67’s (22) – finished second in 2016-17
2. Ted Nichol, Kingston Frontenacs (13)
3. Tyler Tucker, Barrie Colts (11)

Western Conference:
1. Jacob Friend, Owen Sound Attack (37) – finished first in 2016-17 and tied for second in 2015-16
2. Michael Pezzetta, Sarnia Sting (14)
3. Keaton Middleton, Saginaw Spirit (12)

Best Shot Blocker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Jesse Saban, North Bay Battalion (20)
2. Liam Murray, Kingston Frontenacs (19)
3. Connor Walters, Hamilton Bulldogs (18) – finished tied for third in 2016-17

Western Conference:
1. Luke Boka, Windsor Spitfires (19)
2. Garrett McFadden, Guelph Storm (15)
2. Chase Campbell, Owen Sound Atack (15)

Best Defensive Forward:

Eastern Conference:
1. Ryan Cranford, Kingston Frontenacs (25)
2. Jake Henderson, North Bay Battalion (14)
3. Ben Jones, Niagara IceDogs (13)

Western Conference:
1. Kevin Hancock, Owen Sound Attack (39) – finished second in 2016-17
2. Alex Formenton, London Knights (14)
3. Ryan McGregor, Sarnia Sting (7)
3. Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (7)
3. Luke Boka, Windsor Spitfires (7)

Best Penalty Killer:

Eastern Conference:
1. Tyler Burnie, Kingston Frontenacs (21)
1. Ben Jones, Niagara IceDogs (21)
3. Will Bitten, Hamilton Bulldogs (20)

Western Conference:
1. Boris Katchouk, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (20) – finished first in 2016-17
2. Kevin Hancock, Owen Sound Attack (19)
3. Keaton Middleton, Saginaw Spirit (14)
3. Anthony Salinitri, Sarnia Sting (14)

Best Offensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:
1. Nicolas Hague, Mississauga Steelheads (45)
2. Matthew Brassard, Oshawa Generals (12)
3. Adam Thilander, North Bay Battalion (10)

Western Conference:
1. Evan Bouchard, London Knights (45)
2. Sean Durzi, Owen Sound Attack (18)
3. Cam Dineen, Sarnia Sting (13) – finished third in 2015-16 Eastern Conference voting

Best Defensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:
1. Joey Keane, Barrie Colts (17)
2. Jacob Moverare, Mississauga Steelheads (16) – finished third in 2016-17
3. Riley Stillman, Hamilton Bulldogs (15)
3. Riley Bruce, North Bay Battalion (15)

Western Conference:
1. Conor Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (43)
2. Keaton Middleton, Saginaw Spirit (14)
3. Connor Hall, Kitchener Rangers (10)

Best Puck-Handling Goalie:

Eastern Conference:
1. Dylan Wells, Peterborough Petes (26) – finished tied for third in 2016-17
2. Kyle Keyser, Oshawa Generals (21)
3. Kaden Fulcher, Hamilton Bulldogs (17)

Western Conference:
1. Michael DiPietro, Windsor Spitfires (23)
2. Matthew Villalta, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (22)
3. Justin Fazio, Sarnia Sting (21)

Best Shootout Shooter:

Eastern Conference:
1. Aaron Luchuk, Barrie Colts (19)
1. Adam Thilander, North Bay Battalion (19)
3. Jason Robertson, Kingston Frontenacs (16) – finished third in 2016-17

Western Conference:
1. Isaac Ratcliffe, Guelph Storm (20)
2. Kole Sherwood, Kitchener Rangers (18)
3. Jonathan Ang, Sarnia Sting (14)

Best Shootout Goalie:

Eastern Conference:
1. Jeremy Helvig, Kingston Frontenacs (31)
2. Kyle Keyser, Oshawa Generals (17)
3. Christian Propp, North Bay Battalion (12)

Western Conference:
1. Evan Cormier, Saginaw Spirit (23)
2. Justin Fazio, Sarnia Sting (22)
3. Michael DiPietro, Windsor Spitfires (20) – finished second in 2016-17

2018 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Day 2 Summary

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Peterborough Petes, Toronto Marlboros, York-Simcoe Express lead the way with 2-0 records

OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – Round-Robin action continued Wednesday with 16 games at the 2018 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto hockey League.

Day 2 action was headlined by a trio of teams with perfect 2-0-0 records including the GTHL champion Toronto Marlboros, OMHA champion York-Simcoe Express and Wild Card entry Peterborough Petes.  An additional five teams also sport undefeated records including the Toronto Jr. Canadiens (2-0-1), Barrie Colts (2-0-1), Vaughan Kings (1-0-1), Sun County Panthers (1-0-0) and Mississauga Senators (1-0-0). Standings.


 Here’s a quick overview of Wednesday’s action:


 2018 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Round-Robin Results:

Wednesday March 14, 2018

Game 5: Sun County Panthers 3 vs. Cambridge Hawks 2 – OT
Panthers MVP – John Ulicny (2G, 1A)
Hawks MVP – Vance Meyer (25 SV)
Recap – Stats

Game 6: Team NOHA 3 vs. London Jr. Knights 0
NOHA MVP – Reece Proulx (29 SV)
Jr. Knights MVP – Jacob Chantler
Recap – Stats


 Game 7: Guelph Gryphons 5 vs. Elite Hockey Group 2
Gryphons MVP – Logan Morrison (1G)
Elite Hockey Group MVP – Spence Evans
Recap – Stats

Game 8: Brantford 99ers 5 vs. Thunder Bay Kings 1
99ers MVP – Maguire Duwyn (2G)
Kings MVP – Nikolas Campbell (1G)
Recap – Stats


 Game 9: Peterborough Petes 3 vs. Oakville Rangers 2
Petes MVP – Will Cranley (25 SV)
Rangers MVP – Zack Terry (2G)
Recap – Stats

Game 10: York-Simcoe Express 4 vs. Mississauga Rebels 2
Express MVP – Jack Bar (1G, 1A)
Rebels MVP – Tyler Albuquerque (25 SV)
Recap – Stats

Game 11: Mississauga Reps 6 vs. TPH Hockey 2
Reps MVP – Aidan Hughes (2G, 1A)
TPH MVP – Carter Rohman (1G, 1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 12: Toronto Jr. Canadiens 4 vs. Don Mills Flyers 0
Jr. Canadiens MVP – Sami Molu (21 SV)
Flyers MVP – Josh Currie
Recap – Stats

Game 13: Toronto Marlboros 5 vs. Guelph Gryphons 3
Marlboros MVP – Will Cuylle (1G, 1A)
Gryphons MVP – Jack Harper (1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 14: Barrie Colts 5 vs. Brantford 99ers 2
Colts MVP – Taylor Barnett (2A)
99ers MVP – Ellis Rickwood (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 15: Cambridge Hawks 4 vs. Elite Hockey Group 3
Hawks MVP – Ben McFarlane (1G)
Elite Hockey Group MVP – Christian Jiminez (1A)
Recap – Stats

Game 16: Peterborough Petes 5 vs. London Jr. Knights 3
Petes MVP – Luc Reeve (2G, 1A)
Jr. Knights MVP – Johnny Fitzgerald (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 17: Mississauga Senators 3 vs. TPH Hockey 0
Senators MVP – Jacob Kirby (24 SV)
TPH MVP – Gus Bylin (23 SV)
Recap – Stats

Game 18: Vaughan Kings 3 vs. Team NOHA 2
Kings MVP – Toby Rizzo
NOHA MVP – Pacey Schlueting (1G)
Recap – Stats

Game 19: Toronto Jr. Canadiens 8 vs. Thunder Bay Kings 0
Jr. Canadiens MVP – Frankie Carogioiello (2G, 2A)
Kings MVP – Matthew Halushak
Recap – Stats

Game 20: Barrie Colts 5 vs. Don Mills Flyers 3
Colts MVP – James Hardie (1G, 3A)
Don Mills MVP – William Portokalis (2G)
Recap – Stats

All tournament games feature live scoring complete with the OHL’s Game Centre module that includes individual shots on goal, plus/minus and face-off results.


 Round-Robin action continues Thursday with eight games on the schedule before wrapping up Friday with 12 games.  Quarter-Final and Semi-Final action goes Saturday, concluding with Monday’s Championship Final.

The showcase provides fans and scouts one last opportunity to see many of the top minor midget aged players from across Ontario and parts of the United States compete for the OHL Cup performing against the best competition prior to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.