Hamilton Bulldogs are 2022 Eastern Conference Champions – Ontario Hockey League

 

North Bay, Ont. – The Hamilton Bulldogs closed out the Eastern Conference Championship Series with a third consecutive four-game sweep on Friday, blanking the North Bay Battalion 6-0 at the Memorial Gardens to claim the Bobby Orr Trophy for the second time in their history.

The Bulldogs were in control from start to finish, joining the 1988 Windsor Spitfires and 2019 Ottawa 67’s as the third team in OHL history to start the postseason with a perfect 12-0 record.

“As a staff we’re proud of the work our players have put in,” said Bulldogs head coach Jay McKee. “It’s taken a lot to achieve what they’ve done so far. There’s a lot of work still ahead but it’s a great feeling in the dressing room and there are some emotions that we’ll carry with us moving forward.”

Montreal Canadiens prospect Jan Mysak headlined the Game 4 victory with a hat trick, breaking out for his first three goals of the OHL Playoffs. Marco Costantini stopped all 18 shots he faced to record his third shutout of the postseason.

“We knew before this series it was going to take everyone in that locker room,” said Bulldogs captain Colton Kammerer after the final buzzer. “Every game you saw a different guy step up, and that’s what it takes to win championships. You have to be ready to go every single night.”

The end comes swiftly for the Battalion, who were Central Division champions before eliminating Ottawa and Kingston to reach the East Final for the first time since 2015.

“I’m so proud of this group of guys that, literally every single day, has done everything we’ve asked of them,” said Battalion head coach Ryan Oulahen. “I’ve been coaching awhile now in this league, both as an assistant and as a head coach and even three years as a player, I’ve never been around such a fun group to be around. These guys are so tight, they made our job really easy and I’m just really proud of them.”

Hamilton outscored North Bay 22-6 in the four-game series, with Avery Hayes racking up 12 points (6-6–12) as he netted a penalty shot marker on Friday. Logan Morrison (13-13–26) had 10 points in the series, ascending to second in OHL playoff scoring.

Bulldogs captain Colton Kammerer accepted the Bobby Orr Trophy from OHL Vice President of Business Operations Cole Butterworth after the final buzzer. The Bulldogs were Hamilton Spectator Trophy recipients as regular season champions, playing to a 51-12-3-2 record. They’ve eliminated Peterborough, Mississauga and now North Bay to reach the OHL Championship Series.

The Bulldogs await the winner of a Western Conference Championship Series matchup between the Windsor Spitfires and Flint Firebirds that heads to Game 5 on Sunday night in Windsor tied at two.