The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Spirit perfect on four-game trek into Ontario
The Saginaw Spirit were sliding down the standings during some recent struggles, but used a four-game road trip to turn things around. The Spirit collected eight points with road wins over Sault Ste. Marie, Guelph, Owen Sound and Mississauga to restore what would be home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs if the regular season was to end today. The Spirit also clinched their 30th win of the season on Family Day, marking the third time in the past four seasons they’ve hit that mark. Vegas Golden Knights prospect Matyas Sapovaliv has scored in three straight games while New York Islanders draftee Tristan Lennox is the reigning OHL Goaltender of the Week. Andrew Oke took over on Monday in Mississauga, earning first star honours with a 31-save performance. Rookie defenceman Zayne Parekh also made history last week, setting a new mark for goals by a 16-year-old defenceman with his 20th on Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie. Overage blueliner Mitchell Smith also had a memorable road trip, crossing the 100-career point threshold as he collected eight points (1-7–8) in the four games.
Yes border patrol, we would like to declare four W’s, please 😊 pic.twitter.com/3576UMPgf9
— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) February 21, 2023
Knights halt Windsor’s nine-game winning streak
A highly anticipated Family Day clash between the Western Conference’s top two clubs went the way of the host London Knights. Denver Barkey’s second goal of the afternoon was the OT winner just 25 seconds into extra time, coming on a setup by Ryan Winterton. Brett Brochu pulled into a tie with Gene Chiarello for second in franchise goaltending wins with his 84th, and rookie Jacob Julien recorded his first OHL multi-goal outing, lighting the lamp twice. Last week was a successful one for the Knights, who won three games by a score of 4-3 in overtime, defeating Kitchener, Sarnia and Windsor in those matchups. Shane Wright has yet to return to the Spitfires lineup, being sidelined with a lower body injury since Feb. 2nd. Both Windsor and London clinched playoff berths last week.
Denver Barkey CLUTCH#NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/v4wQWn8v37
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) February 20, 2023
67’s take battle of the Eastern Conference’s best
Another great Family Day matchup saw the Central Division-leading North Bay Battalion in Ottawa to take on the East Division-leading 67’s. Anthony Romani scored to put North Bay up 2-1 with 6:55 remaining in the third, but Ottawa rallied with the extra attacker as Logan Morrison’s 34th of the campaign tied the score at two with 1:49 remaining. Nashville Predators prospect Jack Matier netted the overtime winner on a give-and-go with Luca Pinelli, helping the 67’s become the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a spot in the OHL Playoffs. Monday’s victory was Dave Cameron’s 800th game in the Ontario Hockey League, making him the 15th coach in League history to hit the milestone. North Bay’s Dom DiVincentiis, who earned third star honours on Monday, sits one win shy of Jake Smith’s 2015-16 franchise record of 30 wins in a season. The Winnipeg Jets prospect is 29-8-2-0 this season.
❌ MARKS THE SPOT
Your #67s are the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a spot in the 2023 #OHLPlayoffs 👊 pic.twitter.com/8M0eNl94Iv
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) February 20, 2023
Storm collect four big points, pull into tie for fifth
What was a disappointing start to the season for the Guelph Storm has seen gradual improvement as the crimson crew has ascended to a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference following a 6-2 win over the Owen Sound Attack on Monday. The Storm defeated the Oshawa Generals 5-4 in a shootout on Saturday as Max Namestnikov tied the game with 1:12 remaining before Valentin Zhugin beat former teammate Jacob Oster for the shootout winner. The Storm improved to 4-1 against Owen Sound this season on Monday as Braeden Bowman (2-1–3) and Matthew Poitras (1-2–3) both had three points in the 6-2 decision, handing the Bears their fourth straight loss. Patrick Leaver made 36 saves in the win, improving to 7-4 since joining Guelph in January. Poitras’ 56 assists are the second-most in the OHL as he leads the Storm with 70 points.
The @Storm_City take it in a shootout! 🏒
Valentin Zhugin goes five-hole on Oster, Brayden Gillespie comes up big, and Guelph takes home the extra point ✅ pic.twitter.com/m1NoKaw5qJ
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 19, 2023
Lardis, Panwar keep clicking for Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs made perhaps the most statistically impactful trade of the OHL season when they brought in 2023 NHL Draft prospect Nick Lardis and overage forward Sahil Panwar from the Peterborough Petes. Lardis struck for his 30th goal of the season in Monday’s 4-0 win over the Kitchener Rangers, giving him points in 13 of his last 14 games and 18 goals in 19 games since joining Hamilton. Panwar had a goal and an assist as he continues a career season, registering 31 points (12-19–31) in 20 games since joining the Bulldogs. Goaltender Tristan Malboeuf was Monday’s first star, posting a 40-save shutout as the Dogs won despite being outshot 40-23 by Kitchener. The 26-24-4-0 Bulldogs currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference.
More @NickLardis91 heat for the @BulldogsOHL on Sunday 🔥
2023 #NHLDraft prospect has 17 goals in 18 games with Hamilton 🎥 pic.twitter.com/l1UcrcMVfv
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 20, 2023
Simpson’s shutout streak continues
Michael Simpson posted a 45-save shutout on Family Day as the Peterborough Petes defeated the Sudbury Wolves 4-0 at the PMC. Simpson’s fifth shutout leads the OHL as he extended his current shutout streak to 121 minutes and 36 seconds, factoring in Friday’s blanking of the Kingston Frontenacs. The London, Ont. native is one shutout shy of a Petes single season franchise mark set by David Currie during the 2002-03 season.
TWO STRAIGHT SHUTOUTS FOR SIMMER
His FIFTH of the season extends his league lead 🤝 pic.twitter.com/sr2fEbB1Cq
— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) February 20, 2023
Lavoie equals IceDogs single game mark on Monday
The Niagara IceDogs surrendered 10 goals in a loss, but Zakary Lavoie entered himself into the club’s franchise record book with six points on the afternoon. Lavoie became the first OHL player in the past 25 years to score a hat-trick against a team, only to score one with that same team later in the same season when he buried three, tacking on three assists in Monday’s 10-7 road loss to the Oshawa Generals. Lavoie joins Ivan Lodnia, Phil Tomasino and David Pacan as the fourth player in Niagara IceDogs history to record six points in a game.
Another one for the history books.
This afternoons 6 point performance from Zakary Lavoie tied an IceDogs record for most points in a single game.
Zak joins Ivan Lodnia, Philip Tomasino, and David Pacan in the 6-point IceDogs club.@zaklavoie | #GoDogsGo pic.twitter.com/rD0t2IC85M
— Niagara IceDogs (@OHLIceDogs) February 20, 2023
Butler’s first win with Otters comes in North Bay
Stan Butler is officially back in the OHL win column, securing career victory #738 on Thursday in North Bay where he coached the Battalion for parts of seven seasons. Butler’s Erie Otters knocked-off the Central Division-leading Battalion 5-3 as Carey Terrance scored twice and Alexis Daviault collected a goal and two helpers. The rest of the weekend road trip saw the Otters fall 8-3 in Sudbury on Friday night before coming back to defeat the Soo Greyhounds 6-5 in overtime on Saturday. Erie is within five points of Sault Ste. Marie at the bottom of the Western Conference standings, owning a record of 18-29-1-4.
What a game to get your first win as the Otters Bench Boss!
Congratulations Coach! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/KHPhY79afc
— Erie Otters 🦦 (@ErieOtters) February 17, 2023
Fronts slide down Eastern Conference standings
The Kingston Frontenacs ran into some goal-scoring trouble last week, being shutout in two of their three outings. Their run of consecutive losses hit four on Monday afternoon as the Barrie Colts took a 4-0 decision at the Leon’s Centre, and paired with an Oshawa victory, the Fronts slipped down into eighth place in the conference. The Fronts have dealt with their share of injuries this season, but did see the return of 2023 NHL Draft prospect Quinton Burns to their blue line last week. They’re currently the lowest-scoring team in the OHL with 151 goals-for over 53 games.
Mason Vaccari’s spectacular save in the second period takes home our @bgmmetalworks Play of the Game.#FrontsHockey | @OHLHockey | @MasonVaccari pic.twitter.com/DXiGMAl6ON
— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) February 20, 2023
Frustrations mount for Greyhounds
After putting 10-2 loss to the Kitchener Rangers at home on Friday in their rear-view mirror, the Soo Greyhounds came out with some early jump against the Erie Otters on Saturday, leading 4-0 early in the second period. That lead however, would not hold up as Erie managed to score five consecutive to pull ahead 5-4 before Mark Duarte managed to salvage a point with his equalizer late in the third. Otters defenceman Spencer Sova scored his 15th of the season 1:54 into overtime, handing the Hounds a third consecutive loss as they dropped to 1-9 in overtime scenarios this season. Sault Ste. Marie’s path to the OHL Playoffs sees the Hounds five points back of eighth place Kitchener in the Western Conference, with the Rangers currently holding one game in hand. The Greyhounds kick-off a three-game weekend road trip on Thursday night in Niagara.
RECAP; Otters score five straight, beat Soo in OT
📰 https://t.co/iqPDB4bvBl
(by Peter Ruicci – Independent Media)
📽️ https://t.co/SqYmk1ybVF
📸 @FreezeFrameFtos pic.twitter.com/8VtgOIsrqv— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) February 19, 2023
