The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Storm take back-to-back wins over Otters
The Guelph Storm helped their quest to secure a playoff spot in the Western Conference, taking four points in a home-and-home with the Erie Otters. After picking up a point in an OT loss to the London Knights on Tuesday, Guelph poured it on for seven goals, powered by a Valentin Zhugin hat trick, against the Otters at home on Friday. The Storm followed that up with a 4-3 comeback win in Erie on Saturday as Braeden Bowman scored twice and Matthew Poitras had three assists. Rookie netminder Brayden Gillespie started all three games for the Storm, stopping 81 of the 89 shots that came his way. A former 11th round pick who has also spent time with the Ayr Centennials of the GOJHL this season, Gillespie is now 5-1-2-1.
Brayden Gillespie making it look easy 😏@Storm_City netminder picks a quality scoring chance out of the air for Friday’s @RealCdnSS #SaveoftheNight in a winning cause 🎥 pic.twitter.com/sM9yf5Nc1P
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 7, 2023
Petes winning streak hits eight
The Peterborough Petes are looking pretty unstoppable of late, adding three wins to their record last week. The Petes defeated Hamilton, Owen Sound and Kingston, improving to 21-13-1-2 for third place in the Eastern Conference standings. Peterborough fans got their first look at Avery Hayes and Gavin White in maroon and white on Saturday as Hayes scored twice in a 3-2 win over the Kingston Frontenacs. The overage forward from Westland, Mich. leads the League with 29 goals on the season. White picked up a pair of assists in his Petes debut. Petes GM Mike Oke has also added Canadian World Junior gold medalist Owen Beck from the Mississauga Steelheads. He’s expected to debut on Thursday when the Petes host the Sarnia Sting. The Petes’ current eight-game run is the longest by the team since a 10-game run in December 2016.
Bangs in a rebound and smokes one of his signature one-timers 🚨🚨
Avery Hayes had a part in all three @PetesOHLhockey goals in his maroon and white debut Saturday night 🎥 pic.twitter.com/CdsTIGeh2w
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 8, 2023
Kids come to play for new-look Steelheads
A new era of Mississauga Steelheads hockey started with a bang on Sunday as newcomers Angus MacDonell (1-1–2), Jack Van Volsen (1-1–2), Porter Martone (0-1–1) and Justin DeZoete (1-0–1) all found the scoresheet in a 7-2 win over the Sudbury Wolves. This came after Adam Zidlicky scored a pair of goals in his debut on Friday in a 5-1 win over the Barrie Colts. The Steelheads moved veterans Ethan Del Mastro and Luca Del Bel Belluz to the Sarnia Sting as well as Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck to the Peterborough Petes in a pair of big trades, but didn’t skip a beat over the weekend to improve to 17-16-4-0 for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
Welcome to Mississauga Angus MacDonell! 🚨
The 2021 #OHLDraft first-round selection scores shorthanded in his first game as an @OHLSteelheads to open the scoring at home! 📽️ pic.twitter.com/RVLCO501iQ
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 8, 2023
Sting light the lamp in pair of weekend victories
The Sarnia Sting put a pair of losses to the London Knights in their rear-view mirror, coming out to outscore the Windsor Spitfires and Erie Otters 12-3 in a pair of weekend victories. Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov led the charge with six points (2-4–6) while Marko Sikic (2-3–5) was also a factor. Newcomer Luca Del Bel Belluz had an assist in his Sting debut on Sunday in Erie, going 9-for-12 in the faceoff circle. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit continues to lead the League in scoring with 60 points (11-49–60) in 36 games.
Make that goal #21 for the @AnaheimDucks product! 💪
Marko Sikic finds Sasha Pastujov to extend the @StingHockey‘s lead against the Spits, holding a 2-0 advantage after 20 minutes 📽️ pic.twitter.com/GZHE91G0I8
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 7, 2023
Morrison keeps racking up assists in barber poles
Reigning OHL Playoff MVP Logan Morrison had a new look going Sunday in Ottawa, suiting up in his 67’s debut to record three assists in a 5-1 win over the Owen Sound Attack. Morrison played on a line between Cooper Foster and Jack Beck, and sits second in OHL scoring with 58 points (20-38–58) in 35 contests. Morrison ended his accomplished career with the Hamilton Bulldogs as the franchise’s third-highest scorer, producing 91 goals, 143 assists and 234 points in an even 200 games. His 143 assists are the most ever by a Bulldogs player.
#LM16#67s | @LoganMorrison02 pic.twitter.com/st5b2FHL1k
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) January 8, 2023
Hounds pick-up five points, stop red hot Knights
The Soo Greyhounds collected five of a possible six points last week, capping the weekend with a 6-3 win over the London Knights to deny them a 10th straight victory. Tied 3-3 entering the third period on Sunday, goals from Mark Duarte, Kalvyn Watson and Bryce McConnell-Barker guided the Hounds to victory as they improve to 12-14-7-4, tied for seventh in the Western Conference. New York Rangers prospect McConnell-Barker led the OHL with eight points (4-4–8) last week, and has paced the Hounds offensively with 47 points (21-26–47) in 37 games. Nineteen-year-old winger Jordan D’Intino has been hot of late, scoring six goals in his last seven games. The Greyhounds are on the road next weekend, visiting North Bay, Barrie and Sudbury.
Jordan D’Intino doing it against his hometown team! 🚨🚨
The London native scores twice against the Knights to kickstart FIVE unanswered @OHLHoundPower goals in a Sunday afternoon victory! 📽️ pic.twitter.com/6ygVJENwuy
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 8, 2023
McDonald scores twice in first weekend back with Troops
Overage forward Kyle McDonald returned to the North Bay Battalion lineup on Thursday, and potted a pair of goals in Sunday’s 7-2 win over the Niagara IceDogs. The 6-foot-4, 217Ib. winger hadn’t played since Nov. 13th, and now has 11 goals, four assists and 15 points in 14 games for the Battalion, who lead the Central Division with a 19-10-4-2 record.
2 is always better than 1! @kylemcdonald25 would certainly agree! pic.twitter.com/DaU2RTVyPt
— North Bay Battalion (@OHLBattalion) January 8, 2023
Lardis, Panwar make strong first impression with Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs suffered three straight losses, but there were glimpses of promise over the weekend as newcomer Nick Lardis (2-1–3) recorded three points in his first two games with the club. Also acquired from the Peterborough Petes, overage centreman Sahil Panward picked up three assists in his two outings. Lardis was recently named to the 2023 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. The former sixth overall pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection has 22 points (14-8–22) in 38 games this season. Local product Patrick Thomas also had a solid week for Hamilton, scoring four goals in three games.
The new guy is fitting in quite well! 🚨
Nick Lardis has 2⃣ goals in 2⃣ games as a member of the @BulldogsOHL, cutting the Gens lead to one! 📽️ pic.twitter.com/i87tRSUXFI
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 8, 2023
Costanzo keeps rattling off wins
Windsor Spitfires netminder Joey Costanzo extended his winning streak to six games on Sunday as the Spitfires defeated the Flint Firebirds 6-3. The 17-year-old was in net for a 5-2 win over the Saginaw Spirit on Wednesday, made 14 saves in a relief appearance against Sarnia on Friday and stopped 31-of-34 as Windsor rounded out the weekend tied for first in the West Division with a 23-9-3-1 record. A former second round (23rd overall) pick by the Niagara IceDogs in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection, Costanzo is 10-2-0-1 this season with a 2.90 goals-against average and .909 save percentage in 18 games.
Costanz-NO! 🙅♂️
Joey Costanzo absolutely robs Saginaw’s Dean Loukus to provide Wednesday’s @RealCdnSS #SaveoftheNight in a @SpitsHockey victory 🎥 pic.twitter.com/2ConG7BhyX
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 5, 2023
Hardie ties Steelheads scoring records
Mississauga Steelheads overage forward James Hardie tied a pair of franchise records on Sunday afternoon with his 24th goal of the season in the third period. The Trout defeated the Sudbury Wolves 7-2, and Hardie pulled even with Owen Tippett (2015-19) for first in all-time goal-scoring with 114 in a Steelheads uniform. The goal also brought him 207 career points, tied with Michael McLeod (2014-18) for the most in Steelheads history. A 20-year-old from Innisfil, Ont., Hardie leads the Trout with 45 points (24-21–45) in 35 games this season.
A record-tying tally from James Hardie!@OHLSteelheads veteran equalled franchise goal-scoring (114) and points (207) records with his 24th goal of the season in Sunday’s win 🎥 pic.twitter.com/qfq63eRGON
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) January 9, 2023
