Just because the Toronto Maple Leafs bowed out of the Stanley Cup playoffs early yet again doesn’t mean there’s nothing to talk about when it comes to the Maple Leafs.
Suppose you’re a fan of junior hockey or prospects. In that case, the 2024 OHL playoffs might’ve been on your TV screen lately with Toronto’s Easton Cowan and the London Knights in the OHL Championship Series against the Oshawa Generals after taking care of business in the first third rounds, going 12-2 against the Flint Firebirds, Kitchener Rangers, and Saginaw Spirit. Following a dominant 2023-24 regular season and being named league MVP, scoring 34 goals and recording 62 assists for 96 points in 54 games, Easton Cowan put together a historic stretch in the middle of it, registering a 36-game point streak, third longest in CHL history since 2000, and extended it into the playoffs, helping his team make the finals for the second time in as many years.
Saying the first three games of the Championship Series against the Generals were crazy is an understatement. London, who had home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series, ran the road team out of the building, outscoring them 17-2 to take a 2-0 series lead to Oshawa.
In Game 3, almost a must-win situation for Oshawa, the Generals looked to be on their way to a win heading into the third period with a 6-2 lead. Unfortunately for them, the Knights stormed back to score four unanswered to force overtime. Neither team found the back of the net and headed to double overtime, where London’s Henry Brzustewicz scored the game-winner back door to put the Generals on the brink of elimination.
With the OHL Championship within arms reach for London, they kept their foot on the gas pedal in Game 4 last night and put together another dominating performance en route to their third lopsided win of the series, winning 7-1 and capturing the 2024 OHL Championship.
Many players stood out for the Knights during the run to the franchise’s fifth J. Ross Robertson Cup. But one player, in particular, continued his MVP season and helped lead his team to victory, hoisting the Cup with his teammates and the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award for the MVP of the playoffs. After recording 34 points – 10 goals and 24 assists – in 18 playoff games, including three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in four games in the Championship Series, Easton Cowan was named playoff MVP, continuing his fabulous season.
REGULAR SEASON MVP.
PLAYOFF MVP.
OHL CHAMPION.@MapleLeafs | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/EYHOuFAVls— London Knights (@LondonKnights) May 16, 2024
The 18-year-old 2023 first-round pick became the first OHL player to win league MVP and playoff MVP in the same season since Mitch Marner in 2016.
Easton Cowan is named the OHL playoffs MVP, finishing with 34 points in 18 playoff games.
He becomes the first OHL player to win both regular season and playoffs MVP since Mitch Marner.
— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) May 16, 2024
With London’s sweep over Oshawa, the Knights are headed to the 2024 Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit, Drummondville Voltigeurs, and the Moose Jaw Warriors, who also completed a four-game sweep in the WHL Championship game last night.
(Stats from CHL.ca)
