OHL Writers’ Draft Eligible Player of the Month for February

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it produced the best offensive numbers of the season led by Hamilton Bulldogs’ sniper and our draft eligible player of the month, Arthur Kaliyev.

Kaliyev led the way with 11 goals and 10 assists in just 11 games as he attempts to hit the 50-goal, 50-assist plateau on the season. Entering tonight’s action, Kaliyev sits at 47 goals along with 46 assists in 60 games. Among draft eligible players, he is dominating in just about every offensive category.

Kaliyev finished February with points in 9 of his 11 games and 6 of those being multi-point games. Twice he was named the games first star as well as second star on two other occasions.

Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Also Considered were Flint Firebirds’ Ethan Keppen who had 8 goals and 5 assists in 10 games, and Cole MacKay of the Soo Greyhounds with 9 goals and 5 helpers in 12 games. In goal, Jet Greaves of the Barrie Colts led the way 286 of 310 shots in just 8 games for a .919 save-percentage. He was named CHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending February 4.

Player of the Month

Arthur Kaliyev – Hamilton Bulldogs – February

Arthur Kaliyev – Hamilton Bulldogs – January

Connor McMichael – London Knights – December

Philip Tomasino – Niagara IceDogs – November

Hunter Jones – Peterborough Petes – October

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Ethan Keppen – Flint Firebirds – Player Profile

Height: 6’2”

Weight: 214 pounds

Date of birth: March 20, 2001

Hometown: Whitby, Ontario

Position: Left Wing

Shoots: Left

OHL Draft: Round 1, 10th overall, 2017 Priority Selection

NHL Central Scouting Rankings: Preseason, November: C Prospect, Mid-term 110th North America

By now, any follower of the Ontario Hockey League is aware of the turmoil that has surrounded the Flint Firebirds over the past couple of seasons. But the future in Flint is looking brighter and the fact that they have 4 players that are likely to be selected at the 2019 National Hockey League Draft in June is a testament to the work the front office has done. The list includes Vladislav Kolyachonok, Eric Uba, Luke Cavallin and the subject of today’s profile, Ethan Keppen.

The Native of Whitby Ontario played his minor midget AAA with the Toronto Nationals during the 2016-2017 season where he amassed 14 goals and 21 assists in 33 games. But it was at the Nationals’ run at the OHL Cup where Keppen had his coming out party. He led the Nationals in scoring and finished second in the tournament on 3 goals and 8 helpers in 8 games.

Ethan Keppen of the Flint Firebirds Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images
Ethan Keppen of the Flint Firebirds Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

The scouting report from OHL Central Scouting read as follows:

Ethan is a prototypical power forward. He has very good size with a powerful stride that allows him to reach top speed quickly. He goes up and down his wing crashing and banging into everything. Ethan creates room for his linemates and goes to the net hard for rebounds and loose pucks. He is a complete player that takes care of his own end and is relied on in all key situations. There isn’t a hit that he turns away from. He competes hard for loose pucks and forechecks hard.

Keppen broke onto the OHL scene last season with the Firebirds and scored 10 goals while adding 8 assists in 63 contests. Again, if you are aware of what the situation in Flint has been like, it wasn’t an ideal situation. But 2018-2019 has been a different story.

To date, Keppen has 24 goals and 23 assists in 55 games. He sits second on the team in goals, powerplay goals, assists, third in points and leads the team in shots on goal.

Since the calendar flipped to 2001 however, few players in the OHL have been racking up points at the pace Keppen has. Through 17 games, Keppen has points in 16, goals in 12 and has totaled 14 goals and 8 assists in those contests while firing 71 shots on goal, good for a 19.7 shooting percentage. That’s well above his season average 14.5 shooting percentage. He holds the longest point streak among draft eligible players at 10 games and the longest and active goal-scoring streak among draft eligible players at 5 games.

There’s not much to add to OHL Central Scouting’s description of Keppen except to give you a little more detail.

Keppen is a true power forward that won’t beat defenders with finesse, but rather to blow through them at any given opportunity. He’s as strong as an ox already and is just going to get stronger as he physically matures. His style alone opens up space for himself and his teammates. He’s willing to drive to the goal with and without the puck. He is extremely good on the forecheck and rarely loses a puck battle. When combined with his relentless work ethic, he is quite simply a physical beast.

His skating stride is long and powerful and he does cover a lot of ice with those long strides. His speed is okay, but I wonder just how fast he could be if he worked on his technique. Keppen more often then not stands upright when he reaches top speed. But with the quality of skating coaches available to players these days, I have no worries that the kinks will get worked out and that coaches will find the technique that works best for him.

First and foremost, Keppen is considered a goal scorer. But I think his playmaking abilities are underrated. Of his 23 assists to date this season, 18 of them are primary assists, third only to Arthur Kaliyev (20) and Philip Tomasino (21) and tied with Ryan Suzuki among draft eligible players. His primary assists to assists (78.2%) is second among all players next to fellow draft eligible Connor McMichael (82.7%).

Keppen won’t beat a goaltender with a deceptively quick release on his shot. Instead, it’s hard, heavy and deadly accurate and he can quite simply overpower a netminder. Hard to predict how that will translate to the next level, but it’s also hard to predict just how much heavier that shot will become when he matures physically.

Not easy to predict where Keppen will end up going at the 2019 Draft. When you consider Europeans and goaltenders, NHL Central Scouting has him as a late third to early fourth in their rankings. Today, I’d say he has to get consideration as an early third rounder.

Stat page from Elite Prospects

OHL Announces Academic Players of the Month for January

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the OHL Academic Players of the Month for January 2019, including forwards Logan Morrison of the Hamilton Bulldogs, Peter Fleming of the Barrie Colts, Alex Gritz of the Erie Otters and Ethan Keppen of the Flint Firebirds.

East Division: Hamilton Bulldogs rookie Logan Morrison is the OHL East Division Academic Player of the Month for January, recording an average in the 80’s across the board in his Grade 11 studies at Ancaster High School. Morrison is currently studying university level International Business, Recreation & Healthy Active Living Leadership and Challenge and Change programs as a 16-year-old in his first OHL season. “Logan puts the ‘student’ in student-athlete,” said Bulldogs academic advisor Sean Nicholson. “He is always on time with his assignments and never falls behind in his studies, even with a busy schedule in the OHL.” A native of Guelph, Ont., Morrison has 18 points (6-12–18) through 30 games this season after being Hamilton’s first round pick last spring from the Guelph Gryphons Minor Midgets.

Central Division: Barrie Colts rookie Peter Fleming is the OHL Central Division Academic Player of the Month for January, maintaining an 84% average in his Grade 12 studies. “Peter’s plan is to attend university and complete an engineering degree,” said Colts academic advisor Chris Cudmore. “He’s currently excelling in university level biology, physics and co-op programs and is looking forward to second semester challenges in chemistry and math.” On the ice, Fleming has four points (2-2–4) through 39 games this season. The 6-foot-2, 167Ib winger was Barrie’s sixth round pick in 2017. He spent last season with the St. Thomas Stars Jr. B club.

Midwest Division: Erie Otters winger Alex Gritz is the OHL Midwest Division Academic Player of the Month for January, carrying a 93% average through studies at Seneca Valley High School. He’s currently studying Pre-Calculus/Trigonometry, Modern Humanities, Consumer Decisions, Physical Education, French, Health and Personal Finance. “Alex is an extremely motivated young man working diligently every day to balance his academics with his hockey commitments,” said Otters academic advisor Jaime Cieszynski. Now in his third OHL season, Gritz has recorded 18 points (7-11–18) through 42 games in 2018-19. The native of Cranberry Township, Penn. was originally a third round pick of the Soo Greyhounds in 2016 from the Waterloo Wolves Minor Midgets.

West Division: Flint Firebirds winger Ethan Keppen is the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for January, achieving high grades in Grade 12 Advanced Sports Skills, Accounting/Finance, Life Management and Foundations of College Mathematics programs at Grand Blanc High School. “Ethan is a leader inside and outside of the classroom,” said Firebirds academic advisor Nathan Riek. “He is a mature young man and is well-liked and respected by his classmates and teachers.” The 17-year-old from Whitby, Ont. has 40 points (20-20–40) over 52 games this season. Keppen had a productive month of January, one that included a 10-game point streak and 12 points (7-5–12) in as many games. Flint’s first round pick in 2017, Keppen is eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft.

2018-19 OHL Academic Players of the Month:

East Division:
January – Logan Morrison (Hamilton Bulldogs)
December – Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)
November – Will Cranley (Ottawa 67’s)
October – Nick Wong (Oshawa Generals)

Central Division:
January – Peter Fleming (Barrie Colts)
December – Thomas Harley (Mississauga Steelheads)
November – Peter Stratis (Sudbury Wolves)
October – Jonah De Simone (Niagara IceDogs)

Midwest Division:
January – Alex Gritz (Erie Otters)
December – Mack Guzda (Owen Sound Attack)
November – Gerard Keane (London Knights)
October – Isaac Langdon (Kitchener Rangers)

West Division:
January – Ethan Keppen (Flint Firebirds)
December – Jordan Frasca (Windsor Spitfires)
November – Cole MacKay (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds)
October – Colton Kammerer (Sarnia Sting)

Last season, the OHL Centrally Administered Scholarship Program facilitated scholarships for 321 OHL Alumni at 66 different academic institutions across North America with a total scholarship payment in excess of $3.2 million. Since the 2007-08 season, OHL Scholarship payments have totaled more than $22 million.

Click here for more information about ‘OHL Players First’ programs.

OHL This Week for May 28 to June 5, 2017

Toronto, ON – It’s the final edition of ‘OHL This Week’ for the 2016-17 season!  All of the champions have been crowned, the action on-ice is complete, but  another season is just around the corner.

Here’s a look at what’s been happening around the league:
WINDSOR SPITFIRES ARE 2017 MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONS:

For the third time in franchise history the Windsor Spitfires are Mastercard Memorial Cup champions. Fourth-year veteran Aaron Luchuk scored the game winner 5:07 into the third period as the host Spitfires defeated the OHL champion Erie Otters 4-3 before a capacity crowd of 6,519 at the WFCU Centre. Read more / Highlights / Photo Gallery

SPITFIRES CELEBRATE MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP TITLE:

Less than 72 hours after hoisting the Memorial Cup on home ice, the Windsor Spitfires took the streets to celebrate the franchise’s third championship with fans, parading the prestigious trophy down Ouellette Avenue. They couldn’t have asked for better weather either as the sun shone down on the lengthy caravan that greeted supporters down a stretch headed toward the banks of the Detroit River. Watch

LOTS OF #MCMEMORIALCUP LOVE FOR @SPITSHOCKEY:

Social media provides a platform to share moments and emotions with the world. The Windsor Spitfires 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup title flooded digital devices with content celebrating the team’s historic win on home ice. Read more

DiPIETRO DELIVERED FOR SPITFIRES:

2017 NHL Draft prospect Michael DiPietro led the Windsor Spitfires to the ultimate prize with a sensational Mastercard Memorial Cup performance. The native of nearby Amherstburg hoisted the Memorial Cup on home ice while also becoming one of the few 17-year-olds to earn the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the tournament’s most outstanding goaltender. Read more

SADNESS SHADOWS SUCCESS AS OTTERS REFLECT ON SEASON:

While the home team celebrated on the ice, the OHL champion Erie Otters reflected on a disappointing end to an otherwise successful season. The legacy this group of Otters players leaves behind is considerable. The much talked-about four 50-win campaigns, two OHL final appearances and one Robertson Cup speak for themselves. When the dust settles, as many as a half-dozen Otters are expected to one day suit up in the NHL. Read more

OHL TAKES CLEAN SWEEP OF MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP AWARDS & ALL-STARS:

Erie Otters teammates Dylan Strome and Anthony Cirelli along with Windsor Spitfires goaltender Michael DiPietro all received Mastercard Memorial Cup awards while DiPietro and five other OHL players were named to the tournament all-star team. Read more

DeBRINCAT, McNIVEN, SUZUKI, McGILL AND CHMELEVSKI EARN CHL AWARDS:

Erie Otters forward Alex DeBrincat, the Owen Sound Attack trio of Michael McNiven, Nick Suzuki and coach Ryan McGill as well as Ottawa 67’s forward Sasha Chmelevski all earned CHL Awards handed out at the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup in Windsor. Read more / Photo Gallery

22 OHL PLAYERS INVITED TO 2017 NHL SCOUTING COMBINE:

22 OHL players have been invited to the 2017 NHL Scouting Combine that is being held from Monday May 29th to Saturday June 3rd at First Niagara Center and the nearby Harbor Center in Buffalo, NY. The list of OHL invitees includes 16 forwards, five defencemen and one goaltender. OHL talent represents 21% of the 104 players invited to attend the event. Read more

ETHAN KEPPEN COMMITS TO FIREBIRDS:

The Flint Firebirds have received a commitment from 2017 first round (10th overall) selection Ethan Keppen. A native of Whitby, Ont., Keppen earned 35 points (14G, 21A) in 33 games played last season with the Toronto Nationals Minor Midget AAA Hockey Club. Read more

TOP PICKS ROWE AND PERROTT COMMIT TO KNIGHTS:

The London Knights have received commitments from 2017 first round (18th overall) selection Lucas Rowe and second round (34th overall) pick Andrew Perrott. Rowe helped lead the Mississauga Reps to an OHL Cup Championship when they defeated the Toronto Nationals by a 3-2 score.  Rowe will wear number 21 for the Knights this season. Perrott spent last season playing for his hometown Detroit HoneyBaked 16U, where the 6’0” 195-pound defenceman recorded 25 points in 46 games.  Perrott will wear number 24 for the Knights this season. Read more

CLARKE AND ANDREE COMMIT TO 67’s:

The Ottawa 67’s have received commitments from 2017 first round (6th overall) selection Graeme Clarke and 2016 12th round selection Cedrick Andree. An Ottawa native, Clarke was touted as the best pure goal scorer in the draft and prior to his first development camp with the hockey club, Clarke was on the gold medal-winning team at the OHL Gold Cup. Andree was a twelfth round selection in 2016 and spent the past year playing in the United States at The Gunnery Prep School and also practiced with the 67’s at various points throughout the year. Read more

ARTHUR KALIYEV COMMITS TO BULLDOGS:

The Hamilton Bulldogs have received a commitment from 2017 second round (26th overall) selection Arthur Kaliyev. The Russian-born Kaliyev played last season for the Detroit Compuware U16 where he scored 13 goals and 5 assists, for 18 points in 19 games. He then went on to lead the team to the USA Hockey Youth Tier 1 U16 National championship where he led the tournament in scoring. Read more

IAN MARTIN COMMITS TO ICEDOGS:

The Niagara IceDogs have received a commitment from 2017 third round (51st overall) selection Ian Martin. The 5-foot-10 forward shined in Minor Midget this past season, posting 15 goals in just 22 games as a member of the Ajax-Pickering Raiders. Read more

OTTERS PROSPECT DEVELOPMENT CAMP JUNE 3-4:

The OHL champions welcome prospects to the city this weekend for the club’s annual Development Camp which includes fitness testing, on-ice sessions, and scrimmages at Mercyhurst Ice Center.  All on-ice activities are open to the public.  For more information visit ottershockey.com.


OHL COACHES CONFERENCE SET FOR JUNE 3RD:

The 2017 OHL Coaches Conference is under a month away, taking place on Saturday June 3rd on the campus of UOIT in Oshawa. Many of the guest speakers for the 4th annual installment of the day-long conference have been confirmed and will provide minor hockey coaches the opportunity to learn from OHL, AHL, and NHL personnel in an interactive professional development day. Read more

OHL ALUMNI GOLF TOURNAMENT FAST APPROACHING:

The 2017 OHL Alumni Association Golf Tournament is fast approaching! The 2nd annual event is set to take place on Monday June 5th at the Devil’s Pulpit, one of Canada’s most acclaimed private golf clubs located in Caledon, Ont. This event is one of several networking events focused on bringing together former players from all generations.  Proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Gudbranson Stem Cell Research Grant, which helps fund research for Stem Cell Treatments. Space is limited! Read more

BIG FATHER’S DAY SAVINGS AT OHLSHOP.COM

Don’t miss out on Father’s Day deals at OHLShop.com! Until Father’s Day use the promo code ‘DAD25’ to get a 25% discount off the full men’s collection. Visit OHLShop.com to get in on the savings.

2017-18 OHL REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE:

The 2017-18 Ontario Hockey League regular season schedule will be announced the week of June 5 beginning with home opener details published on Monday afternoon, followed by a full schedule release on Tuesday morning.  Keep track of the action online using #OHLOpeningWeek.

ALUMNI NOTES:

14 OHL graduates competing in Stanley Cup Final: A total of 14 OHL graduates, eight from the Pittsburgh Penguins and six from the Nashville Predators, will battle in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final of the NHL Playoffs. The Western Conference champion Predators advanced to their ever first Stanley Cup Final following a series win over the Anaheim Ducks. Nashville has had strong OHL alumni contributions from defencemen Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires) and P.K. Subban (Belleville Bulls) while forwards James Neal (Plymouth Whalers) and Austin Watson (London Knights) have also factored into the team’s success. Predators captain Mike Fisher (Sudbury Wolves) has been limited by injuries of late while defenceman Yannick Weber (Kitchener Rangers) has skated in all 16 of the club’s playoff contests. Read more

22 OHL graduates competing in Calder Cup Final: A total of 22 OHL graduates, 12 from the Grand Rapids Griffins and 10 from the Syracuse Crunch, will battle in the 2017 Calder Cup Final of the AHL Playoffs. The Western Conference champion Griffins advanced to their first Calder Cup Final since 2013 with a 4-1 series victory over the San Jose Barracuda. Graduate Eric Tangradi (Belleville Bulls) is tied for the Grand Rapids team lead in playoff scoring with 15 points (2-13–15) while Tyler Bertuzzi (Guelph Storm) has also been impressive with 13 points (6-7–13). The Eastern Conference crunch advanced to their first Final since 2013 with a 4-1 series victory over the Providence Bruins. Graduates Slater Koekkoek (Windsor Spitfires), Jake Dotchin (Barrie Colts) and Dominik Masin (Peterborough Petes) have been regulars on the Syracuse blue line. Read more

4 Former OHL officials working 2017 Stanley Cup Final: Four former OHL officials have been assigned to work the Stanley Cup Final of the 2017 NHL Playoffs. Referees Dan O’Halloran and Kevin Pollock are joined by OHL playing and officiating graduate Scott Cherrey and Brad Kovachik on the lines.

2017 MASTERCARD MEMORIAL CUP FINAL:

Sunday May 28th:
Windsor Spitfires 4 vs. Erie Otters 3 – Highlights

Mississauga Reps are 2017 OHL Cup powered by Under Armour Champions

OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – The first all-Wild Card Championship Final in OHL Cup history didn’t disappoint.

Dennis Golovatchev scored with nine seconds remaining in the third period to give the Mississauga Reps their first ever OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Championship with a 3-2 win over the Toronto Nationals at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

Golovatchev wristed a quick release past Nationals goaltender Zach Roy off an offensive zone faceoff win by linemate Lucas Rowe, making the Reps the second Wild Card entry following the 2010 Mississauga Rebels to ever hoist the OHL Cup.

“We’ve worked on that faceoff play all season,” said Golovatchev following his late-game heroics. “We pulled it off perfectly. Rowe won it back to me and I just shot the puck.”

The winner came two minutes after the Nationals fought back to tie the score at two on a goal by Brandon Coe.

“We didn’t want to go into overtime because we knew it was going to be nerve-wracking,” said Golovatchev of the feeling on the Reps’ bench. “When coach put me on, we said ‘number two’ – that’s our faceoff play, and it worked.”

OHL Cup Champs
The Mississauga Reps defeated the Toronto Nationals 3-2 in the championship game of the 2017 OHL Cup at Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto on Monday March 20, 2017. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Mississauga carried the play for much of the game, outshooting the Nats 41-26 as Toronto goaltender Zach Roy turned in a solid performance to keep his team in the game to the bitter end.

The Reps were presented with the OHL Cup Trophy by OHL Commissioner David Branch, GTHL Vice President Ken Smith as well as Canadian hockey icon Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada.

OHL Cup scoring leader Mike Petizian earned Reps Player of the Game honours with a goal and an assist before being named the MVP of the 2017 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour, recording five goals, eight assists and 13 points over seven contests.

“It’s been a tough go,” said Petizian,” but the guys never quit. I love how we battled back.”

Reps head coach Harry Evans echoed those remarks, admiring his team’s resilience.

“This team has never let me down,” he said “They’ve got no quit in them. Our goal all along was to get to this point. We took some lumps along the way but we got here.

“We had a long, hard road, but the kids stuck together. I give them credit. They really took it upon themselves to put in the work and we got the job done.”

The Reps started from behind as the  Nationals got on the board first, capitalizing 9:27 into the opening frame as Rory Graham got his stick on a Carter Schott point shot, tipping the puck past an outstretched Ryan Dugas in the Mississauga goal.

The game opened up in the second as both teams got creative.

Mississauga carried the play early on, forcing Roy into some difficult saves before finally getting on the board with 3:11 left on the clock.

Petizian set up linemate Aaron Jamieson in the slot, dishing a behind-the-back feed through the middle as Jamieson didn’t hesitate, beating Roy with a quick release to make it a 1-1 game.

The Reps outshot the Nationals 19-8 in the second, ending the frame on a two-man advantage that featured numerous big saves from Roy to keep the score knotted at one.

Mississauga’s five-on-three advantage carried over into the third and the Reps capitalized on a fresh sheet of ice as Petizian continued his torrid scoring pace.

Taking a feed through the middle from Lucas Rowe, Petizian stepped into a one-timer that beat Roy over the glove just 48 seconds in to give the Reps a 2-1 lead.

The Reps would hold that lead until the twelfth minute of the third period as Nationals leading scorer Ethan Keppen won a board battle off the forecheck before finding an oncoming Brandon Coe all alone in the slot to tie the score at two with 2:12 remaining.

Just when it looked as though the OHL Cup Final would require overtime for a third straight year, Golovatchev stepped up off the faceoff to rip a wrister into the back of the net.

The Toronto Nationals end their 2017 OHL Cup Showcase with an overall record of 5-2-0. They were led in scoring by Ethan Keppen who recorded a goal and seven assists for eight points in seven games.

Nationals goaltender Zach Roy earned Player of the Game honours for his team and was named to the Gatorade OHL Cup All-Star Team sporting a 1.43 goals-against average, .959 save percentage and two shutouts while leading all goaltenders with 315 minutes played.

The OHL Cup Champion Mississauga Reps wrap up their unforgettable showcase with a record of 6-0-1, outscoring opponents 24-12. They were led in scoring by Petizian while Jamieson Rees also recorded over a point-per-game with five goals, four assists and nine points in seven games.

Six players from the 2017 OHL Cup were also named to the Gatorade All-Star Team, a selection of the annual showcase’s top performers as chosen by OHL Central Scouting.

Three players from the Championship Final including Mississauga forwards Jamieson Rees and Mike Petizian joined Ethan Keppen, Robert Calisti and Zach Roy of the Nationals in the list of standouts. Mississauga Rebels blueliner Anthony Aguanno rounded out the selections.

The 2017 OHL Cup Championship Final was played before an enthusiastic crowd at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in downtown Toronto and was broadcast to a national audience 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 2017 OHL Priority Selection.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.

2017 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament Powered by Under Armour – Day 1 Results

Tournament opened with 4 Wild Card Play-In and 4 Round-Robin Games
Live streams available at https://ohlcup.gameonstream.com.
Free access for Media and Fans for duration of OHL Cup

OHL Cup

Toronto, ON – The puck has dropped at the 2017 OHL Cup Showcase Tournament powered by Under Armour and hosted by the Greater Toronto Hockey League.

For the fourth time in event history a series of Wild Card Play-In Games opened the action to determine final tournament qualifiers.  This season, eight teams competed in four Wild Card matchups.  The GTHL’s Toronto Young Nationals, Mississauga Senators, Mississauga Reps, and Toronto Titans all prevailed and join 16 other clubs competing for the annual Minor Midget crown.

Here’s a look at Day 1 action:

2017 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Wild Card Play-In Results:

Tuesday March 14, 2017

WC 1 – Toronto Young Nationals 4 vs. Grey Bruce Highlanders 3
Nationals MVP – Ethan Keppen (2G 1A)
Highlanders MVP – Emmett Sproule (1G 1A)
RecapStats

WC 2 – Mississauga Senators 2 vs. York Simcoe Express 1 2OT
Senators MVP – Deacon Holmes (GWG)
Express MVP – Diam Matthew (43 saves)
RecapStats

WC 3 – Mississauga Reps 5 vs. Halton Hurricanes 2
Reps MVP – Cole Burtch (2G 1A)
Hurricanes MVP – Lucas Peric (1G)
RecapStats

WC 4 – Toronto Titans 7 vs. Kitchener Jr. Rangers 1
Titans MVP – Alec Lovisek (2G 2A)
Rangers MVP – Cole MacKay (1G)
RecapStats

2017 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Round-Robin Results:

Tuesday March 14, 2017

Game 1: Mississauga Rebels 5 vs. Quinte Red Devils 1
Rebels MVP – Reid Russett (3G)
Red Devils MVP – Cameron Supryka
RecapStats

Game 2: London Jr. Knights 3 vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens 0
Knights MVP – Liam Van Loon (1A)
Canadiens MVP – Joe Howe (30 saves)
RecapStats

Game 3: Vaughan Kings 3 vs. Whitby Wildcats 3
Kings MVP – Ty Gilberds
Wildcats MVP – Jacob Sirizzotti (2A)
RecapStats

Game 4: Toronto Marlboros 3 vs. Ajax-Pickering Raiders 2
Marlboros MVP – Graeme Clarke (1G 1A)
Raiders MVP – Cole Spencer (1 G)
RecapStats

All 20 teams are in action on Wednesday with 16 Round-Robin games on the schedule.  Round-Robin play continues Thursday and Friday before Quarter-Final and Semi-Final action Saturday, concluding with Monday’s Championship Final.

2017 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour Round-Robin Schedule:

Wednesday March 15, 2017

Scotiabank Pond 1
9:00 am Waterloo Wolves vs. NOHA
10:45 am TPH Thunder vs. Brampton 45s
12:30 pm London Jr. Knights vs. WC2
2:15 pm WC3 vs. Toronto Marlboros
4:00 pm Waterloo Wolves vs. Whitby Wildcats
5:45 pm WC1 vs. Elite Hockey Group
7:30 pm NOHA vs. Vaughan Kings
9:15 pm WC2 vs. Brampton 45s

Scotiabank Pond 2
8:30 am Eastern Ontario Wild vs. Thunder Bay Kings
10:15 am Elite Hockey Group vs. Cambridge Hawks
12:00 pm WC1 vs. Mississauga Rebels
1:45 pm Vaughan Kings vs. WC4
3:30 pm TPH Thunder vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens
5:15 pm Cambridge Hawks vs. Quite Red Devils
7:00 pm Ajax-Pickering Raiders vs. Eastern Ontario Wild
8:45 pm Thunder Bay Kings vs. WC3

Thursday March 16, 2017

Scotiabank Pond 1
8:30 am Quinte Red Devils vs. Elite Hockey Group
10:15 am NOHA vs. Whitby Wildcats
12:00 pm Brampton 45s vs. London Jr. Knights
1:45 pm Waterloo Wolves vs. WC4

Scotiabank Pond 2
9:00 am Cambridge Hawks vs. WC1
10:45 am Eastern Ontario Wild vs. Toronto Marlboros
12:30pm Ajax-Pickering Raiders vs. WC3
2:15 pm WC2 vs. Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Friday March 17, 2017

Scotiabank Pond 1
8:00 am WC4 vs. Whitby Wildcats
9:45 am Toronto Marlboros vs. Thunder Bay Kings
11:30 am Mississauga Rebels vs. Elite Hockey Group
1:15 pm WC1 vs. Quinte Red Devils
3:00 pm WC4 vs. NOHA
4:45 pm London Jr. Knights vs. TPH Thunder

Scotiabank Pond 2
8:30 am TPH Thunder vs. WC2
10:15 am Vaughan Kings vs. Waterloo Wolves
12:00 pm Toronto Jr. Canadiens vs. Brampton 45s
1:45 pm WC3 vs. Eastern Ontario Wild
3:30 pm Thunder Bay Kings vs. Ajax-Pickering Raiders
5:15 pm Mississauga Rebels vs. Cambridge Hawks

Saturday March 18, 2017

Quarter-Final Playoff Round:

Scotiabank Pond 1
10:30 am Quarter-Final 2 – 1ST Place Shanahan Division vs. 2ND Place Subban Division
12:15 pm Quarter-Final 4 – 1ST Place Lindros Division vs. 2ND Place Nash Division

Scotiabank Pond 2
10:00 am Quarter-Final 1 – 1ST Place Subban Division vs. 2ND Place Shanahan Division
11:45 am Quarter-Final 3 – 1ST Place Nash Division vs. 2ND Place Lindros Division

Semi-Final Playoff Round:

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

Monday March 20, 2017

Mattamy Athletic Centre

6:30 pm Championship Final – Winner Semi-Final 1 vs. Winner Semi-Final 2

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 2017 OHL Priority Selection.

For more information, please visit ohlcup.ca.