OHL Announces 2015-16 Regular Season Award Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the recipients of four of the league’s annual awards following the conclusion of the 2015-16 regular season.

OHL

Offensively, San Jose Sharks prospect Kevin Labanc of the Barrie Colts captured the league’s scoring title earning the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy and Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy presented to the Top Scoring Right Winger.  The other two awards recognize defensive efforts including the Dave Pinkney Trophy for the goaltending tandem of the team with the fewest goals against won by Tyler Parsons and Brendan Burke of the London Knights, and the F.W “Dinty” Moore Trophy awarded to Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires as the rookie with the best goals-against-average.

 Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy (Scoring Champion) and Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy (Top Scoring Right Winger): Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts:

Kevin Labanc scored 39 goals and 88 assists for 127 points in 65 games to lead all OHL players while setting a franchise single season points record.

 The 20-year-old from Staten Island, NY, recorded 42 multi-point games during the 2015-16 campaign and surpassed his own Colts record for assists in a season helping Barrie capture their second straight Central Division title.

 He becomes just the second member of the Colts to win both awards following Sheldon Keefe in 1999-2000 who previously held the club’s single season scoring mark with 121 points in 66 games.

 Labanc was originally chosen by the Colts in the sixth round of the 2011 OHL Priority Selection before joining the club in 2013.  The three-year veteran played in 198 career games accumulating 269 points which ranks fourth among Barrie’s all-time greats.  Labanc recently signed his entry-level contract with the Sharks who chose him in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Draft.

 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.  Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters was last year’s recipient with 129 points in 68 games scoring 45 goals and 84 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.

 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.  Mitch Marner of the London Knights was last year’s recipient with 126 points in 63 games scoring 44 goals and 82 assists.

 Dave Pinkney Trophy (Lowest Team Goals Against): Tyler Parsons and Brendan Burke, London Knights

 The London Knights allowed the fewest goals in the OHL this season with just 182 against, backstopped by the tandem of Tyler Parsons and Brendan Burke.

 Parsons, an 18-year-old from Chesterfield, Michigan, led the league with a 2.33 goals-against-average and also posted a league-high save percentage of .921.  The sophomore is eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft and carried a record of 37-9-2-1 with four shutout victories for the Knights who finished one point shy of a Midwest Division and regular season crown.  Sharing the duties in goal was Burke, a 21-year-old from Paradise Valley, Arizona, who carried a record of 10-4-0-0 with one shutout along with a goals-against-average of 2.95 and save percentage of .896.  The Arizona Coyotes prospect joined the OHL midway through the season after playing over four seasons in the Western Hockey League.

 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 Oshawa Generals allowed just 157 goals against with Ken Appleby and Jeremy Brodeur between the pipes.

 This marks the fourth time the Knights have captured the award and first since the 2004-05 champion club backstopped by Gerald Coleman and Adam Dennis allowed a record-low 125 goals against.

 F.W. “Dinty” Moore Trophy (Best Rookie GAA): Michael DiPietro, Windsor Spitfires

 Michael DiPietro had the best goals-against-average among OHL rookie goaltenders with a mark of 2.45 this season becoming the first Windsor Spitfires netminder to earn the award.

 A 16-year-old from Amherstburg, ON, DiPietro was chosen in the second round by the Spitfires in the 2015 OHL Priority Selection.  The rookie played to a 16-8-1-1 record with two shutout victories while posting a save percentage of .912.  His goals-against-average not only led all rookies, but was third best in the entire league while his save percentage was the fourth best overall mark.

 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.  Michael McNiven of the Owen Sound Attack won the award last season with a 2.79 goals-against-average, while Alex Nedeljkovic was the last 16-year-old rookie to earn the award after posting an impressive mark of 2.28 with the Plymouth Whalers in 2012-13.

 The 2016 OHL Playoffs begin on Thursday March 24, visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com for all first round matchups and schedules.

News From Around the OHL

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

League still gives shootout victory equal weight, which gives Erie an edge this year

Everyone will tell you championships are won as a team.

But along the way, you need some special people doing spectacular things. There is key individual performance rooted in collective success.

That’s why the London Knights — 4-3 winners over Erie before 9,046 Friday at Budweiser Gardens — head to Pennsylvania Saturday needing just one point to claim the OHL regular-season title.

“We needed to get this one to get to the next one,” power forward Max Jones, the two-goal hero, said. “We have to relax now, look forward and play the same game we did.

“We need to replicate it one more time.”

The Otters, who once held a huge lead in the standings over everyone else, need a regulation win on home ice to clinch top spot, by virtue of a tiebreaker, over London.

But the Knights are on a nine-game winning streak.

And when they have needed it, their big names have stepped up with memorable plays.

Take Jones, who started killing penalties as if he was on a personal mission.

He pinned the Otters behind their net on one — to appreciative cheers. Then, he stole the puck on another, roared down the ice and ripped home the go-ahead shorthanded goal, this time to a mighty roar.

Read more

OHL’s outdated playoff format needs change

KITCHENER — The Ontario Hockey League has to be licking its chops.

The London Knights and Erie Otters are tied with three games to go in the season and finish the schedule with a home-and-home series that will likely decide first overall.

It’s shaping up to be one heck of a finish, a dream ending for the league.

There’s just one problem.

The team that doesn’t end up first will be the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

You can thank the OHL’s outdated post-season setup for that one.

For some reason, the league still insists on giving the second seed in each conference to a division champion regardless of record.

So in the Western Conference you’ll have the West Division winner getting a better path in the playoffs over a club that has outperformed it all season.

That means the Knights or Otters could lose home ice advantage if they make it to the second round despite owning the two best records in the league. No benefit of a Game 7 in their own barn and no gate receipts either.

It just doesn’t make sense.

The OHL prides itself on its willingness to change and often lives up to the billing. But when it comes to playoff seeding, it’s stuck in the Dark Ages.

It’s time to make the bold move of seeding playoff clubs one through 16 regardless of the conference. If that means two teams from the same conference meet in the championship then so be it.

Don’t you want your two best squads in the final anyway?

Read more

Sarnia Sting brace for post-season battle with the Soo Greyhounds

Bring on the Greyhounds.

The Sarnia Sting finally discovered the identity of their first-round playoff opponent Friday night, and it’s the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Owen Sound Attack clinched sixth in the Western Conference with a victory over the Guelph Storm, which means the ‘Hounds are locked into the seventh seed and will take on the second-place Sting.

“We knew we were going to get the Soo or Owen Sound,” Sting defenceman Alex Black said. “We’ve played really well against (the Soo) this year so hopefully we can continue that. Hopefully it will be a good series.”

The best-of-seven series will start next Friday in Sarnia with Game 1 followed by a Game 2 matinee on Sunday, March 27.

“They’re a young, skilled team,” Sting defenceman Jakob Chychrun pointed out. “They play with the puck really well, they have a good breakout, they’ve played us well all year. It’s going to be a good match-up for us. Obviously you never want to look past the first round or anything, it’s going to be big for us to just focus on the game-to-game things we’re going to have to do to get past the Soo.”

The conference quarter-final will have a deeper meaning for Anthony Salinitri as the forward was traded from Sault Ste. Marie to Sarnia in January 2015 for long-time Sting blueliner Anthony DeAngelo.

Read more

Tyanulin keeps scoring, Ottawa 67’s keep winning

With the Ontario Hockey League playoffs around the corner, Artur Tyanulin has picked a good time to get hot.

Tyanulin’s output wasn’t maybe what Ottawa expected when it took him seventh overall in the 2014 CHL import draft. But with eight goals in his last five games, two of them Friday night … well, the 67’s are tickled pink.

In their second-last game of the regular season, at the TD Place arena, the 67’s beat Hamilton 5-3, knocking the Bulldogs out of the OHL playoff hunt. It was Ottawa’s fifth straight win.

“(Tyanulin is) really feeling it, he’s playing with a ton of confidence. That’s the big thing, feeling like he’s invincible,” said assistant coach Mike Eastwood, who handled head coach duties with Jeff Brown on the road scouting the OHL Cup, featuring the top 20 minor midget AAA teams in the province. “Nathan Todd and Travis Barron have a lot to do with the success he’s having. They’ve really clicked in developing a lot of chemistry. He’s flying, scoring goals, making plays and being a real force out there. But that line, as a threesome, has been outstanding.”

Hamilton goalie Connor Hicks kept his team in the game early with a series of big stops.

The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard at 11:43 on a nice move by Adam Laishram to tuck the puck into the net. The 67’s tied it with Jacob Middleton’s shot along the ice finding the five hole.

A nice backhand pass by Todd set up Tyanulin to give the 67’s a 2-1 lead early in the second period.

It was Ottawa goalie Liam Herbst’s turn to shine as he turned aside several good opportunities, including a breakaway and a sequence of shots during an Ottawa penalty midway through the period.

Read more

Resistance to elimination of fighting to be expected, says Barrie columnist

The gloves are coming off in the move to one day eliminate fighting in junior hockey.

The Canadian Hockey League, led by president and Ontario Hockey League commissioner David Branch, has already taken some big steps in curtailing fisticuffs in the junior ranks and the numbers clearly show fighting is already down significantly across the Western (WHL), Ontario (OHL) and Quebec (QMJHL) leagues.

But Branch made it clear last week when he told The Globe and Mail he wouldn’t mind seeing the rough stuff disappear from the game altogether.

“You know what. It’s crazy to say it this way, but I’ve not been afraid to express that view and opinion (that there needs to be less fighting),” Branch said regarding the controversial topic among hockey fans. “I believe that. In addition to working in the game, I love the game. I think we have the best game in the world based on its speed and its skill, and its physicality.

“But fighting, to me, detracts from our game We don’t need it. And attitudes are changing, which I feel is really a positive,” he added.

Changing long-ingrained traditions in a game they love is never easy for passionate fans. Just look at how many people burst out of their seats and cheer loudly when two players drop the gloves in a dustup.

But concerns over players safety are forcing leagues to re-evaluate fighting, especially with the increased awareness to brain injuries, specifically concussions.

Perhaps then it should be no surprise that Branch put the topic of fighting back on the agenda at the CHL’s annual meeting earlier this month.

Still, the move to further curtail fighting is certain to face resistance. Branch got a good deal of it when two years ago he added a rule in the OHL for a two-game suspension to any player that fought 10 times in a season. Another was aimed at stopping staged fights.

The goal to reduce fighting is clearly working.

Read more

 

 

OHL This Week for March 18-20, 2016

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHLThisWeek

Toronto, ON – It’s the final weekend in the Ontario Hockey League regular season schedule with 21 games remaining.  Keep track of all the latest post-season scenarios with the OHL Playoff Tracker.

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

 COMMUNITY CORNER:

Firebirds raise over $100,000 for local charities in first OHL season:  The Flint Firebirds were busy in the community throughout the 2015-16 season, raising over $100,000 for local charities. Full story

Petes honour Pat Casey for 60 years of service: The Peterborough Petes honoured former player and long-time Director Pat Casey on Tuesday night, recognizing his 60 years of service to the Petes organization. Full story

SuperWolves raise $10,000 for Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer: The Sudbury Wolves have raised a grand total of $10,000 for the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer charity through their first-ever Superhero Night which took place on February 12th. Full Story

Storm raise over $41,000 for Pevs Protects: The Guelph Storm, Pevs Protects and the Heart and Stroke Foundation would like to thank the many Storm fans that participated and donated to the Pevs Protects Night on February 26th against the Kitchener Rangers. Over $41,000 was raised to go towards AED purchases and CPR training in Guelph. For more on the story visitguelphstorm.com.

Spirit host Hockey for the Homeless event: The Saginaw Spirit hosted their second annual Hockey for the Homeless game on Saturdayagainst the London Knights. Special jerseys, ticket sales, and phone bank donations benefitted Rescue Mission of Saginaw and Bay City, Merrill Lynch The Isles Group, and Saginaw Spirit Charitable Foundation.

OHL LAUNCHES OFFICIAL ONLINE STORE AT OHLSHOP.com:

The Ontario Hockey League announced Thursday the launch of OHLSHOP.com, the Official Licensed Online Shop of the Ontario Hockey League.

OHLSHOP.com features unique merchandise designs representing all 20 OHL member teams.  Available items include caps, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and novelty items, as well as exclusive apparel designed for OHL special events such as the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament, Eastern and Western Conference Finals, and Rogers OHL Championship Series. Full story

COLTS’ ANDREW MANGIAPANE TAKES WEEKLY HONOURS:

Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Mangiapane of the Barrie Colts is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 13 after recording 11 points in three games scoring four goals with seven assists along with a plus-minus rating of plus-7. Mangiapane reached a pair of monumental OHL milestones last week scoring his 50th goal and 100th point of the season helping the Colts clinch their second straight Central Division title.  He was named first star in all three contests extending his personal scoring-streak to 10 games including seven-straight multi-point performances to match the Colts’ seven-game winning-streak.Full Story

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

Erie Otters sniper Alex DeBrincat headlines the 24th edition of the Tip Top Tailors OHL Plays of the Week! Be sure to vote for Alex 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! 147 different players have accomplished the milestone this season! Click on a player’s name below to watch his first OHL goal!

Jacob Ball, Samuel Duchesne

ALUMNI NOTES:

Ritchie scores first NHL goal: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds graduate Nick Ritchie scored his first career NHL goal against the New Jersey Devils on Monday. The Anaheim Ducks winger has played in 26 NHL contests this season while spending the other part of the year with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls where he has collected 15 goals, 13 assists and 28 points in 33 games. Ritchie played four OHL seasons between Peterborough and Sault Ste. Marie from 2011-15. He scored a career-high 39 goals with the Petes in 2014, finishing his career with 102 goals, 108 assists and 210 points in 212 regular season games. He was Anaheim’s first round (10th overall) pick in 2014.

Brown makes NHL debut: Erie Otters graduate and 2014 Eddie Powers Trophy recipient Connor Brown made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Brown has 24 points (9-15–24) in 25 games with the Toronto Marlies this season after a solid rookie campaign that included 61 points (21-40–61) in 76 games last season. Brown played three seasons with the Otters from 2011-14, recording 98 goals, 152 assists and 250 career points in 199 regular season games. He was Toronto’s sixth round (156th overall) pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Carrick makes NHL debut: Sudbury Wolves graduate Trevor Carrick made his NHL debut on Tuesday, suiting up for the Carolina Hurricanes in their 2-1 loss to Washington. The Stouffville, ON, native has played in 58 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers this season, scoring nine goals, while recording 28 assists and 37 points. Carrick spent three years in the OHL with the Mississauga Steelheads and Sudbury Wolves from 2011-14, suiting up in 194 regular season games to record 38 goals, 63 assists and 101 points. He was Carolina’s fourth round (115th overall) pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

48 OHL grads competing in CIS University Cup Championship: Canada’s top eight University men’s hockey teams clash for national supremacy in Halifax this week as a total of 167 CHL graduates, 48 from the OHL, suit up to battle for the University Cup. For more information on the CIS University Cup visit cis-sic.ca.

KEY WEEKEND MATCHUP:

Erie Otters (50-14-1-0) vs. London Knights (50-13-2-1)
Friday March 18 at London (Sportsnet Friday Night Hockey), Saturday March 19 at Erie

The London Knights and Erie Otters have taken their season series down to the wire this weekend, wrapping up the 2015-16 season with a home-and-home set that will determine who comes away as Midwest Division champion. The two clubs have split their four encounters with two wins apiece, but the Knights carry an eight game winning streak into the back-to-back clashes, recently overtaking the Otters for top spot in the Western Conference.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE: 

Friday, March 18
Hamilton at Ottawa – 7:00pm
North Bay at Sudbury – 7:00pm
Oshawa at Kingston – 7:00pm
Windsor at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Flint at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Erie at London – 7:30pm – Sportsnet Friday Night Hockey
Owen Sound at Guelph – 7:30pm
Peterborough at Mississauga – 7:30pm
Sarnia at Kitchener – 7:30pm

Saturday, March 19
Hamilton at Kingston – 7:00pm
London at Erie – 7:00pm
Peterborough at Niagara – 7:00pm
Sarnia at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Guelph at Flint – 7:30pm
Kitchener at Owen Sound – 7:30pm
Sudbury at Barrie – 7:30pm

Sunday, March 20
Barrie at North Bay – 2:00pm
Niagara at Mississauga – 2:00pm
Guelph at Sault Ste. Marie – 2:07pm
Ottawa at Oshawa – 6:05pm
Windsor at Sarnia – 7:05pm

CATCH ALL OF THE ACTION ON OHL LIVE

OHL Announces 2015-16 Coaches Poll Winners

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the results of the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches Polls for the 2015-16 OHL regular season.

OHL

 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 Central Division champion Barrie Colts lead the way with eight players represented across 16 of the 20 different categories highlighted by Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Mangiapane who was named Most Underrated, Best Skater, and Best Shootout Shooter.  Fellow Colt and OHL top scorer Kevin Labanc, a San Jose Sharks prospect, appeared in five categories finishing first in Best Playmaker, and Best Penalty Killer.  The East Division champion Kingston Frontenacs finished second in team voting with six different players appearing in 12 different categories including Jeremy Helvig (Most Improved),  Spencer Watson (Most Dangerous in the Goal Area), Lawson Crouse (Best Body Checker), and Roland McKeown (Best Defensive Defenceman) finishing first.

 North Bay Battalion captain Mike Amadio was the top individual winner by appearing in the Top-3 in seven different categories.  The Los Angeles Kings prospect finished first in four different categories including Smartest Player, Hardest Worker, Best Shot, Best Defensive Forward.  Other multiple category winners in the Eastern Conference include Niagara IceDogs goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic who tied for first in the Best Puck Handling Goalie vote, and Best Shootout Goalie category.  Fellow IceDog Josh Ho-Sang was named Best Stickhandler for the second straight season.

 In the Western Conference, the Erie Otters lead the way with seven players represented in 12 of the 20 categories including a league-high nine first place votes.  Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Strome is the Conference’s top individual winner leading the way in three different areas including Smartest Player, Best on Face-Offs, and Best Shootout Shooter.  2016 NHL Draft prospect Alex DeBrincat was also one of seven Otters to earn first place recognition earning Most Dangerous in the Goal Area accolades for the second straight season.  The Midwest Division’s Kitchener Rangers and London Knights also factored heavily into Western Conference voting.  Seven different Rangers appeared in 11 different categories, while six different Knights were spread across nine different categories.  Most notably, the Rangers’ Adam Mascherin was listed in four categories receiving first place in Best Shot, while Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Mitch Marner headlined the Knights’ representation winning Best Playmaker and Best Stickhandler after appearing among the Top-3 in both categories last season.

 New York Rangers prospect Brandon Halverson of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds is the league’s only three-time winner earning Best Puck Handling Goalie recognition for the third consecutive season.

 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.  This season all 20 OHL clubs are represented in at least one category.

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. Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (28)
2. Jordan Maletta, Niagara IceDogs (16)
3. Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (15)

Western Conference:
1. Aaron Berisha, London Knights (22)
2. Jeff King, Sarnia Sting (14)
3. Jalen Chatfield, Windsor Spitfires (12)

 Most Improved Player:
Eastern Conference:

1.Jeremy Helvig, Kingston Frontenacs (30)
2. Mathew Santos, North Bay Battalion (18)
3. Nic Hague, Mississauga Steelheads tied Riley Stillman, Oshawa Generals (10)

Western Conference:
1. Kyle Maksimovich, Erie Otters tied Logan Stanley, Windsor Spitfires (25)
3. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (10)

Smartest Player:

Eastern Conference:
1. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (32)
2. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (25)
3. Hunter Garlent, Peterborough Petes (8)

Western Conference:
1. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (41) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. Matthew Tkachuk, London Knights (18)
3. Petrus Palmu, Owen Sound Attack (7)

Hardest Worker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Michael McLeod, Mississauga Steelheads tied Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (24) – McLeod finished third in voting in 2014-15
3. Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (21) – finished first in voting in 2014-15

Western Conference:
1. Hayden Verbeek, Soo Greyhounds (32)
2. Jonah Gadjovich, Owen Sound Attack tied Josh Jacobs, Sarnia Sting (13)

Best Playmaker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (31)
2. Josh Ho-Sang, Niagara IceDogs (26) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
3. Michael Dal Colle, Kingston Frontenacs (12)

Western Conference:
1. Mitch Marner, London Knights (35) – finished second in voting in 2014-15
2. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (27)
3. Jeremy Bracco, Kitchener Rangers (12)

Most Dangerous in Goal Area:

Eastern Conference:
1. Spencer Watson, Kingston Frontenacs (35) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts tied Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (24)

Western Conference:
1. Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters (37) – finished first in voting in 2014-15
2. Christian Dvorak, London Knights (32)
3. Zach Senyshyn, Soo Greyhounds (9)

Best Skater:

Eastern Conference:

1. Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (18)

2. Sean Day, Mississauga Steelheads tied Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa Generals, and Jonathan Ang, Peterborough Petes (17) – Day finished second in voting in both 2013-14 and 2014-15

Western Conference:

1. Zach Senyshyn, Soo Greyhounds (33) – finished third in voting in 2014-15

2. Victor Mete, London Knights (27)

3. Vili Saarijarvi, Flint Firebirds tied Jordan Kyrou, Sarnia Sting (7)

Best Shot:

Eastern Conference:
1. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (35)
2. Spencer Watson, Kingston Frontenacs (30)
3. Alex Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads tied Greg Betzold, Peterborough Petes (7)

Western Conference:

1. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (28)
2. Travis Konecny, Sarnia Sting (25)
3. Alex DeBrincat, Erie Otters (16)

Hardest Shot:

Eastern Conference:

1. Kyle Wood, North Bay Battalion (41) – finished second in voting in 2014-15
2. Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (23)
3. Rasmus Andersson, Barrie Colts (10)

Western Conference:

1. Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor Spitfires (30)
2. Pavel Zacha, Sarnia Sting (20)
3. Adam Mascherin, Kitchener Rangers (13)

Best Stickhandler:

Eastern Conference:
1. Josh Ho-Sang, Niagara IceDogs (35) – finished first in voting in 2014-15
2. Alex Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads (16)
3. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (15)

Western Conference:

1. Mitch Marner, London Knights (43) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. William Bitten, Flint Firebirds (13)
3. Jeremy Bracco, Kitchener Rangers tied Blake Speers, Soo Greyhounds (11)

Best on Face-Offs:

Eastern Conference:
1. Jordan Maletta, Niagara IceDogs (38)
2. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (24)
3. Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (10)

Western Conference:
1. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (30)
2. Gustaf Franzen, Kitchener Rangers (21)
3. Christian Dvorak, London Knights (20)

Best Body Checker:

Eastern Conference:
1. Lawson Crouse, Kingston Frontenacs (39)
2. Jacob Middleton, Ottawa 67’s (13)
3. Cameron Lizotte, Barrie Colts (11) – finished second in voting in 2014-15

Western Conference:

1. Givani Smith, Guelph Storm (34)
2. Connor Hall, Kitchener Rangers tied Jacob Friend, Owen Sound Attack (12)

Best Shot Blocker:

Eastern Conference:

1. Jacob Middleton, Ottawa 67’s (25)
2. Roland McKeown, Kingston Frontenacs (15)
3. Dylan Sadowy, Barrie Colts (14)

Western Conference:
1. Damir Sharipzyanov, Owen Sound Attack (24)
2. Darren Raddysh, Erie Otters (18)
3. Will Petschenig, Saginaw Spirit tied Patrick Sanvido, Windsor Spitfires (11)

Best Defensive Forward:

Eastern Conference:
1. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (32)
2. Juho Lammikko, Kingston Frontenacs (29) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
3. Cordell James, Barrie Colts tied Anthony Cirelli, Oshawa Generals (9)

Western Conference:
1. Kyle Pettit, Erie Otters (31) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. Ryan MacInnis, Kitchener Rangers (22)
3. Kris Bennett, Saginaw Spirit (14)

Best Penalty Killer:

Eastern Conference:

1. Kevin Labanc, Barrie Colts (26)
2. Mike Amadio, North Bay Battalion (25)
3. Jordan Maletta, Niagara IceDogs (17)

Western Conference:
1. Pavel Zacha, Sarnia Sting (26)
2. Kyle Pettit, Erie Otters (19)
3. Darby Llewellyn, Kitchener Rangers (16)

Best Offensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:
1. Rasmus Andersson, Barrie Colts (31) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa Generals (23) – finished second in voting in 2014-15
3. Cam Dineen, North Bay Battalion (17)

Western Conference:
1. Travis Dermott, Erie Otters (28)
2. Vili Saarijarvi, Flint Firebirds (21)
3. Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor Spitfires (20)

Best Defensive Defenceman:

Eastern Conference:

1. Roland McKeown, Kingston Frontenacs (30) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. Jacob Middleton, Ottawa 67’s (29)
3. Michael Webster, Barrie Colts (19)

Western Conference:
1. Darren Raddysh, Erie Otters (37)
2. Frank Hora, Kitchener Rangers (13)
3. Chris Martenet, London Knights tied Colton White, Soo Greyhounds (9)

Best Puck-Handling Goalie:

Eastern Conference:

1. Mackenzie Blackwood, Barrie Colts tied Alex Nedeljkovic, Niagara IceDogs (21) – Nedeljkovic finished third in 2014-15 West vote
2. Jake Smith, North Bay Battalion (18) – finished second in voting in 2013-14 and 2014-15

Western Conference:

1. Brandon Halverson, Soo Greyhounds (28) – finished first in 2013-14 and 2014-15
2. Michael Giugovaz, Guelph Storm (12)
3. Michael McNiven, Owen Sound Attack (11)

Best Shootout Shooter:

Eastern Conference:

1. Andrew Mangiapane, Barrie Colts (29) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
2. Alex Nylander, Mississauga Steelheads (20)
3. Josh Ho-Sang, Niagara IceDogs (16)

Western Conference:
1. Dylan Strome, Erie Otters (23)
2. Christian Dvorak, London Knights (22)
3. William Bitten, Flint Firebirds tied Petrus Palmu, Owen Sound Attack (16)

Best Shootout Goalie:

Eastern Conference:

1. Alex Nedeljkovic, Niagara IceDogs (24) – finished second in 2013-14 and 2014-15 West voting
2. Mackenzie Blackwood, Barrie Colts (18) – finished third in voting in 2014-15
3. Jack Flinn, Mississauga Steelheads (16)

Western Conference:
1. Devin Williams, Erie Otters (36)
2. Michael McNiven, Owen Sound Attack (16)
3. Charlie Graham, Sarnia Sting (11)

OHL Launches Official Online Store at OHLSHOP.com

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Unique Licensed Products Available for all 20 OHL Teams and League Special Events

OHL Shop

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the launch of OHLSHOP.com, the Official Licensed Online Shop of the Ontario Hockey League.

OHLSHOP.com features unique merchandise designs representing all 20 OHL member teams.  Available items include caps, t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, and novelty items, as well as exclusive apparel designed for OHL special events such as the OHL Cup Showcase Tournament, Eastern and Western Conference Finals, and Rogers OHL Championship Series.

“The OHL is extremely pleased to introduce OHLSHOP.com just in time for playoffs offering OHL fans everywhere another opportunity to support their favourite team,” said OHL Director of Marketing and Business Development, Kevin Boston. “We are fully committed to providing the best online shopping experience for fans and expanding our brand with OHLSHOP.com.”

The online platform is fully customizable providing the user the ability to sort items specifically by team, event, or browse inventory available in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes and designs. Special features also include sizing charts and product zoom.

OHLSHOP.com will update frequently with new and exciting products.  OHL fans can access OHLSHOP.com on their PC, as well as mobile, or tablet device.

About the Ontario Hockey League:

The Ontario Hockey League is comprised of 20 member teams, 17 in Ontario, and three in the United States, and is the number one development league in the world for players to the National Hockey League and Canadian Interuniversity Sport.

Colts’ Andrew Mangiapane named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Calgary Flames prospect Andrew Mangiapane of the Barrie Colts is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 13 after scoring four goals and seven assists for 11 points in three games with a plus-minus rating of plus-7.

Mangiapane had a trio of first star multi-point performances last week that led the Colts to three victories locking up their second straight OHL Central Division title.  The highlight of his week was Saturday in a 5-2 win against the Peterborough Petes where he scored two goals and one assist reaching both the 50 goal and 100 point milestones.  His week also included a pair of four-point efforts on Wednesday with a goal and three assists in an 8-1 win over the Owen Sound Attack, and Friday with a goal and three assists in a 7-3 victory over the Sudbury Wolves.  Mangiapane has now recorded multi-points in seven-straight games while the Colts have also won seven-straight.

A 19-year-old from Bolton, ON, Mangiapane is playing in his third career OHL season with the Colts after committing to the club as a free agent in 2013.  The sixth round pick of the Flames in the 2015 NHL Draft is currently sixth in OHL scoring with 101 points in 56 games after producing 104 points in 68 games played during the 2014-15 campaign.

Also considered for the award this week was Arizona Coyotes prospect and CHL Top Scorer Conor Garland of the Moncton Wildcats with two goals and five assists for seven points in three games, and Chad Butcher of the Medicine Hat Tigers with three goals and seven assists for 10 points in four games.

2015-16 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

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)

CHL Leagues

Thunderbirds’ Landon Bow named Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Vaughn

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Landon Bow of the Seattle Thunderbirds is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending March 13 after posting a 2-0-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .962.

Bow made 50 saves in two games helping the WHL’s U.S Division leading Thunderbirds extend their winning-streak to 10 games.  He earned first star honours with his league-best seventh shutout of the season Friday night stopping all 21 shots faced to edge the Everett Silvertips 1-0, then made 29 saves on Saturday in a 3-2 triumph over the Portland Winterhawks.

A 20-year-old from St. Albert, AB, Bow is playing in his fourth career WHL season and first with the Thunderbirds after being acquired midseason from the Swift Current Broncos.  So far in Seattle he’s posted impressive figures with a 14-6-0-0 record, five shutouts, a goals-against-average of 1.75, and save percentage of .939.  Overall this season his goals-against-average of 2.52 ranks third among WHL netminders while his .922 goals-against-average is best.

Also considered for the award this week was Connor Hicks of the Hamilton Bulldogs with a 2-0-0-0 record posting a goals-against-average of 1.00 and save percentage of .964, and rookie Anthony Dumont-Bouchard of the Drummondville Voltigeurs with a 1-1-0-0 record posting a goals-against-average of 1.51 and save percentage of .948.

 2015-16 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:
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)

CHL Leagues

Here’s Your Chance to Win a Signed Jersey

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Every November, the Ontario Hockey League, it’s teams and players become heavily involved in Movember and helping to raise funds for the betterment of men’s health.

The Sarnia Sting did their part.

On November 21, 2015, I attended the Sting’s home game versus the Niagara Ice Dogs (won 6-2 by the Sting) and part of the fund raising was a silent auction on a Movember jersey signed by Jakob Chychrun, Pavel Zacha and the rest of the Sarnia Sting.

Yours truly had the highest bid, and now it could be yours.

Movember Jersey

Should the Sarnia Sting win the Ontario Hockey League Championship, I will send the jersey to one lucky person.

Entering is easy.

All you have to do is tweet this article (you must use the twitter button at the bottom of this page) and you are automatically entered. Should the Sting make it to the OHL Finals, I will randomly select who has the chance to win the jersey (should the Sting win the championship) and announce the eligible person prior to the start of the final series on twitter and here on this blog.

Good luck to you and the Sarnia Sting.

OHL This Week for March 10-13, 2016

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

OHLThisWeek

Toronto, ON – Just two more weeks until the 2016 Ontario Hockey League playoffs!  14 teams have clinched but lots of exciting battles for position remain with 22 games tonight through Sunday.

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

AT THE RINKS:

Selfie Jersey Night in Flint: The Flint Firebirds will be wearing special jerseys on Saturday night against the Kitchener Rangers. The selfie-themed uniforms will feature photos submitted by fans. Don’t miss out on this unique jersey night!

Guns N’ Hoses Challenge Saturday in Erie: The Otters host their 6th annual Guns and Hoses Challenge on Saturday prior to squaring off with the Guelph Storm. Fans can watch Erie County’s finest heroes battle it out on the Erie Insurance Arena ice for city supremacy! Members of Erie Police will take on Erie Firefighters on Saturday at 3:00pm, with a portion of proceeds from the game going toward the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Full Story

Hockey for the Homeless Night in Saginaw: The Saginaw Spirit take to the ice on Saturday for Hockey for the Homeless Night at home to the London Knights. Special jerseys will be auctioned off after the game to benefit Rescue Mission of Saginaw and Bay City, as well as the Saginaw Spirit Charitable Foundation.

Bulldogs unveil 2016-17 jerseys on Sunday: Be the first to see the Hamilton Bulldogs’ new look! The Bulldogs will be announcing the winner of their jersey design contest during their final regular season home game on Sunday. The winning design will be unveiled by their mascot Bruiser during the first intermission. Discounted Fan Appreciation Packs are available online for the game up until March 11th at 5:00pm.

COMMUNITY CORNER:

Greyhounds wrap up ‘Connecting Our Community’ visits: The Soo Greyhounds wrapped up their tenth and final ‘Connecting Our Community’ program visit this past week, an initiative that includes the Greyhounds visiting various hospitals throughout the greater Sault Ste. Marie area. During their visits, Greyhounds players hand out stuffed animals and spend time with patients while also assisting volunteers and staff with other initiatives such as wayfinding. Photo Galleries

Otters name 20th anniversary team: The fans have spoken! The Erie Otters 20th anniversary team has been selected and the starting lineup consists of Connor McDavid, Connor Brown, Dane Fox, Chris Campoli, Travis Dermott and T.J. Aceti. Visit ottershockey.com for the rest of the roster!

Knights hold March Breakaway, team autograph session on Monday: The London Knights will hold their ‘March Breakaway’ on Monday at White Oaks Mall, a visit with fans that includes a scavenger hunt and a full-team autograph session. The event runs from1-3pm.

Skate with the Petes on Monday: The Peterborough Petes will be kicking off March break in style on Monday as they hit the ice for a skate with fans. The Petes will take to the ice from 12-1pm at the Peterborough Memorial Centre and invite fans of all ages to attend!

OHL ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF NEW WEB PLATFORM AND LEAGUE SITE:

The Ontario Hockey League in partnership with Stadium Digital has announced the launch of a newly designed website at ontariohockeyleague.com.

The revamped OHL site marks the beginning of a Canadian Hockey League wide network redesign that will see 66 other team, league, and special event websites unveiled in the coming weeks. Full Story

PETES’ HUNTER GARLENT TAKES WEEKLY HONOURS:

Hunter Garlent of the Peterborough Petes is the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 6 after scoring six goals and one assist for seven points in two games along with a plus-minus rating of plus-1. Garlent scored back-to-back hat-tricks and earned first star honours in both games played last week helping the Petes clinch a berth in the Eastern Conference OHL Playoffs.  Full Story

COLTS’ KEVIN LABANC SIGNS WITH SHARKS:

Barrie Colts forward and OHL leading scorer Kevin Labanc has signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract with the San Jose Sharks. The three-time CHL Player of the Week has set career highs in goals (38), assists (81), points (119) and plus/minus (+58) this season and has earned OHL Player of the Week honours four times. Full Story

TIP TOP TAILORS OHL PLAYS OF THE WEEK – WEEK 23:

Mitch Marner is back atop the Tip Top Tailors OHL Plays of the Week! After winning the CHL Fan Choice vote two weeks ago, he needs your votes again! Visit fanchoice.ca to watch this week’s top plays from across the CHL and cast your vote.

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! 145 different players have accomplished the milestone this season! Click on a player’s name below to watch his first OHL goal!
Brody Morris

ALUMNI NOTES:

Scheifele nets first NHL hat-trick: Barrie Colts graduate Mark Scheifele recorded his first NHL hat-trick in a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. The 22-year-old has 21 goals, 21 assists and 42 points in 55 games with the Jets in his third full NHL season. A native of Kitchener, ON, Scheifele enjoyed three productive seasons with the Barrie Colts from 2010-13, amassing 84 goals, 133 assists and 217 career regular season points in 158 games. He was Winnipeg’s first round (7th overall) pick in the 2011 NHL Draft.

Kosmachuk makes NHL debut: Guelph Storm graduate Scott Kosmachuk made his NHL debut with the Winnipeg Jets in their 4-2 loss to Nashville on Tuesday. Kosmachuk has spent the season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, recording 14 goals, 13 assists and 27 points in 59 contests. The 22-year-old played four seasons in Guelph after being the Storm’s second round pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection. Kosmachuk recorded 120 goals, 126 assists and 246 career regular season points in 271 games. He was Winnipeg’s third round (70th overall) pick in the 2012 NHL Draft.

Kostopoulos reaches rare milestone: London Knights graduate Tom Kostopoulos has become just the fourth player in hockey history to play 600 games in both the NHL and the AHL. The 37-year-old Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins captain accomplished the feat on Sunday, joining Dave Creighton, Jim Morrison and fellow OHL gradaute Shawn Thornton in the 600-club for both leagues. Kostopoulos came up in the Penguins organization after a three-year OHL career with the London Knights from 1996-99. The Mississauga native played 630 NHL games between 2001 and 2013 but has since returned to where he began in the AHL, with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. Kostopoulos had 64 goals, 98 assists and 162 career points in 196 regular season OHL contests, reaching the OHL finals with the Knights in 1999. For more on his story, visit theahl.com.

Leighton becomes AHL’s new all-time shutouts leader: Windsor Spitfires graduate Michael Leighton surpassed goaltending great Johnny Bower for the most shutouts in AHL history on Saturday, making 35 saves in Rockford’s 5-0 blanking of the Lake Erie Monsters. Leighton’s 46th career shutout sees him improve to  29-6-8-3 with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage this season. The 34-year-old has played in 439 career regular season AHL contests with a record of 220-163-41 and was named AHL Goaltender of the Year in 2008. A native of Petrolia, ON, Leighton has also appeared in 105 career NHL contests, making it to the Stanley Cup finals with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010. Leighton played in 124 career regular season OHL games with the Windsor Spitfires from 1998-2001, going 53-47-9 with a 3.30 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and three shutouts.

Palazzese signs with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: Sudbury Wolves graduate Franky Palazzese has signed a professional tryout contract with the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.  The 22-year-old has appeared in 35 games with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers this season, going 19-14-1-1 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage with four shutouts. Palazzese played parts of five OHL seasons between Kingston, Kitchener and Sudbury from 2009-14, going 71-69-7-19 with a 3.13 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and seven shutouts in 175 career regular season games. He finished second in OHL save percentage with a mark of .927 during the 2012-13 season.

Valiquette named ECHL Goaltender of the Week: Sudbury Wolves graduate Alain Valiquette has been named the ECHL Goaltender of the Week after going 2-0-0 with a 1.00 goals-against average and a .978 save percentage in two games with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Valiquette, who was acquired in a trade with the Elmira Jackals on Thursday, made 46 saves in a 6-1 win on Saturday and turned aside 42 shots in a 4-1 victory on Sunday. The Sudbury, ON, native played the past four seasons at Laurentian University after graduating from the OHL. Valiquette played parts of five seasons in Sudbury from 2006-11, going 50-67-3-3 with a 3.94 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage in 142 career regular season games.

10 OHL graduates win AUS championship with St. Fx: Ten OHL graduates have won an AUS Championship with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. The No. 4 ranked X-Men defeated the No. 1 ranked UNB Varsity Reds with a pair of wins to claim their first AUS title since 2004. The second and deciding game of the series featured a pair of goals from Owen Sound Attack graduate Nathan Chiarlitti along with goals from Peterborough Petes graduates Michael Clarke and Nathan Pancel. Saginaw Spirit grads Kristoff Kontos and Eric Locke both had assists in the win while other OHL alumni in Brandon Hope (Niagara IceDogs), Max Iafrate (Kitchener Rangers), Craig Duininck (Sudbury Wolves) and Zack MacQueen (Windsor Spitfires) were also part of the team. The X-Men will compete in the 2016 CIS University Cup in Halifax beginning Thursday March 17th.

Western defeats Guelph to advance to Queen’s Cup Final: The Western Mustangs are headed to their first Queen’s Cup Final since 2012 and have punched their ticket to the CIS Championship in Halifax. Kingston Frontenacs graduate Robert Polesello and former Mississauga Steelheads forward Spenser Cobbold both had goals for the Mustangs in their 5-1 victory over the Guelph Gryphons in Game 3 of their OUA semi-final series. The Mustangs will face the UQTR Patriotes in the OUA Championship on Saturday while Guelph faces Carleton for bronze. The winner of the bronze medal game will clinch a spot in the CIS Championship.

KEY WEEKEND MATCHUPS:

Sarnia Sting (37-18-5-2) vs. Windsor Spitfires (37-20-6-0)
Thursday March 10 at Windsor

The war for the West Division rages on as the Windsor Spitfires are hot on the heels of the Sarnia Sting entering a big Thursday night battle. The Sting got the better of Windsor by a score of 2-1 last Friday as goals from Nikita Korostelev and Sam Studnicka propelled them to victory. Sarnia has taken wins in three of their four meetings with Windsor this season and a win on Thursday would put the Spitfires three points back with Sarnia holding a game in hand. Windsor enters action coming off a 6-3 loss to Kingston on Sunday. Arizona Coyotes prospect Christian Fischer has points in eight straight games and leads the Spits in scoring with 36 goals, 49 assists and 85 points in 61 games.

North Bay Battalion (32-21-5-4) vs. Oshawa Generals (24-30-4-4)
Friday March 11 at Oshawa

The Oshawa Generals will have a pair of big points on the line Friday night at home to North Bay. The Gennies currently lead ninth place Hamilton by two points with two games in hand and will look to strengthen their grip on the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Captain Anthony Cirelli has points in six straight games while goaltender Jeremy Brodeur has won three straight starts. The Battalion enter the weekend with a five point cushion over fourth place Niagara in the Eastern Conference. They’ve taken two of their three meetings against Oshawa this season. The two clubs have a recent history with one another having met in the OHL playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Niagara IceDogs (31-25-3-3) vs. Hamilton Bulldogs (23-33-8-0)
Sunday March 13 at Hamilton

Like Oshawa, the Hamilton Bulldogs have a big weekend ahead with matchups against Sudbury and Niagara. Trailing the Generals to enter the weekend, the Bulldogs need to make every game count from here on out. Hamilton forwards Matt Luff and Matthew Strome have been contributing regularly of late, with Luff coming off a red hot month of February to record five points through his first three March contests and Strome collecting points in five of his last six games. Niagara comes off a big 4-2 win over the Erie Otters on Sunday to face Flint, North Bay and Hamilton this weekend. They’re playing for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs and currently hold a one point lead on fifth place Ottawa.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE: 

Thursday, March 10
Flint at Niagara – 7:00pm
North Bay at Peterborough – 7:05pm
Sault Ste. Marie at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Sarnia at Windsor – 7:05pm

Friday, March 11
Mississauga at Kingston – 7:00pm
Barrie at Sudbury – 7:00pm
Saginaw at Sarnia – 7:05pm
London at Sault Ste. Marie – 7:07pm
Erie at Guelph – 7:30pm
Owen Sound at Kitchener – 7:30pm
North Bay at Oshawa – 7:35pm

Saturday, March 12
Guelph at Erie – 7:00pm
Sudbury at Hamilton – 7:00pm
Ottawa at Kingston – 7:00pm
North Bay at Niagara – 7:00pm
London at Saginaw – 7:05pm
Peterborough at Barrie – 7:30pm
Kitchener at Flint – 7:30pm
Windsor at Owen Sound – 7:30pm

Sunday, March 13
Kitchener at Sault Ste. Marie – 2:07pm
Niagara at Hamilton – 3:00pm
Peterborough at Oshawa – 6:05pm

CATCH ALL OF THE ACTION ON OHL LIVE

Wheat Kings’ Jayce Hawryluk named CHL Player of the Week

Posted on by Dominic Tiano

Toronto, ON – The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Florida Panthers prospect Jayce Hawryluk of the Brandon Wheat Kings is the CHL Player of the Week for the week ending March 6 after recording 16 points in four games including 10 goals and six assists with a plus-minus rating of plus-12.

Hawryluk contributed four multi-point efforts to the Wheat Kings’ offense last week helping the WHL’s Eastern Conference leaders collect four straight wins.  Last Wednesday he recorded a career-high five goals and added an assist to match a season-high six points as first star of a 12-2 victory over the Saskatoon Blades.   He followed that effort with two big performances against the Moose Jaw Warriors including a goal and two assists on Friday in a 6-3 win, and Saturday with two goals and two assists in a 7-2 victory over their division rivals.  Hawryluk finished the week with two goals and an assist as second star of an 8-1 win over the Regina Pats giving the Wheat Kings a first place record of 43-18-4-2 with five regular season games remaining.

A 20-year-old from Roblin, MB, Hawryluk is playing in his fourth WHL season with the Wheat Kings.  He currently ranks fourth in league scoring with a career-high 40 goals and 55 assists for 95 points in 53 games.  Earlier this month the 2014 second round pick signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers who selected him 32nd overall.

Also considered for the award this week was San Jose Sharks prospect Timo Meier of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies who scored six goals and five assists for 11 points in four games played, and Hunter Garlent of the Peterborough Petes who scored six goals with one assist for seven points in two games.

2015-16 CHL Regular Season Players of the Week:

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)

CHL Leagues