The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Firebirds heating up
The Flint Firebirds continued to enjoy the comforts of home this past weekend, defeating West Division rival Windsor by a scored of 4-1 on Friday before getting the better of the Guelph Storm in a 10-3 drubbing Saturday night. Thursday’s win featured goals 39 and 40 from Detroit Red Wings prospect Amadeus Lombardi while overage winger Riley Piercey recorded three primary assists. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Gavin Hayes extended his point streak to 13 games on Saturday with his 30th and 31st markers of the season. Rookie forward Nathan Aspinall capped-off the 10-goal barrage with his first career OHL goal. Nathan Day was in the crease for both wins, extending his run of success to six straight victories. Flint stays hot on the heels of the Owen Sound Attack as the two teams sit tied for sixth place in the Western Conference.
2023 #NHLDraft prospect Nathan Day was locked in on Friday 🔒@FlintFirebirds netminder provided the @RealCdnSS #SaveoftheNight in a 41-save victory over rival Windsor 🎥 pic.twitter.com/Ei4H8VBYkp
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 4, 2023
Rangers putting things together
The Kitchener Rangers appear to be getting into a rhythm with GM Mike McKenzie at the reins behind the bench. The Blueshirts extended their current winning streak to four games with decisions over Oshawa, Erie and Owen Sound last week. Lleyton Moore made his return to Oshawa on Wednesday as Kitchener had a pair of goals from both Francesco Arcuri and Danny Zhilkin in a 6-4 triumph. The success continued at home on Friday as Zhilkin starred once again, picking up first star honours with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Erie. Marco Costantini was the difference in Owen Sound on Saturday, logging his 10th career OHL shutout with 34 saves as Kitchener won 3-0 despite being outshot 34-20. Arcuri extended his scoring streak to five games as the Dallas Stars prospect now has 43 goals on the season. Kitchener, who won their past two games without suspended blueliner Tomas Hamara in the lineup, owns a nine-point cushion on the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and trails Flint and Owen Sound by three points for seventh.
Goals in 5⃣ straight for Francesco Arcuri! 🚨
@CanadiensMTL prospect @Filip_Mesar feeds @DallasStars pick @FArcuri13 coming out of the penalty box and the captain extends the @OHLRangers lead 👀 pic.twitter.com/kHzj5s6pH5— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 5, 2023
Spirit grab five of six points, clinch playoff spot on Eastern swing
The Saginaw Spirit ventured into Eastern Ontario and came back with five points thanks to a combination of solid goaltending and timely scoring. Fresh off signing an NHL contract with the New York Islanders, Tristan Lennox turned in a franchise-record 59-save shutout on Thursday in Peterborough, the most saves by an OHL goaltender in a shutout in the past 25 years. The Spirit defeated the Petes 2-0 on goals by defencemen Roberto Mancini and Mitchell Smith. The Spirit faced the League-leading Ottawa 67’s on Friday, taking the Barber Poles to a shootout before falling 4-3 as Joey Willis finished with two goals and a helper. Saginaw punched a ticket to the OHL Playoffs on Sunday, defeating the Kingston Frontenacs 5-2 thanks to a pair of goals from both Hunter Haight and Matyas Sapovaliv. Saginaw’s success came in the absence of standout rookies Michael Misa and Zayne Parekh, who remain out of the lineup with injuries.
All in a night’s work for newly signed #Isles prospect Tristan Lennox 👏 pic.twitter.com/vylMa5Cx8C
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 3, 2023
Battalion blank back-to-back opponents
The North Bay Battalion added three more victories to their win total this past weekend, surrendering just two goals in three games. The Battalion skated to a 5-2 win over the Sudbury Wolves at home on Thursday before Winnipeg Jets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis logged a 46-save shutout on Friday night in Mississauga. Newly acquired Vancouver Canucks prospect Josh Bloom scored twice in the Friday victory, giving him 28 goals on the campaign. Sunday saw 2023 NHL Draft prospect Charlie Robertson throw up a wall against visiting Niagara, stopping all 20 shots he faced in a 4-0 victory. Sophomore centreman Dalyn Wakely scored his team-leading 30th goal of the season on his 19th birthday. The Battalion remain three points up on the Barrie Colts for first place in the Central Division. They boast the League’s top penalty killing unit, operating at 86.6%.
A new @OHLBattalion benchmark set by @NHLJets prospect Domenic DiVincentiis 🪖 pic.twitter.com/aNgtWWyKXL
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 3, 2023
Sting run winning streak to five, clinch playoff spot
The Sarnia Sting continue to fill the net, lighting the lamp 19 times in three wins last week. Sarnia clinched a spot in the OHL Playoffs on Wednesday as Christian Kyrou scored the shootout winner in a 4-3 triumph over the Soo Greyhounds. The Sting were back at home on Friday, overwhelming the 402 rival London Knights in a 6-1 victory as Luca Del Bel Belluz and Sasha Pastujov both scored twice. Veteran goaltender Ben Gaudreau earned his 50th career victory, moving into fifth all-time in Sting franchise wins. The Sting wrapped up the weekend with a Saturday night shootin’ match in Windsor, outgunning the Spitfires 9-6 as Kyrou scored twice, potting the game winner with 2:17 remaining in the third period. Pastujov and Nolan Burke each enjoyed two-goal showings, giving them 37 and 43 goals on the season respectively.
Sandis Vilmanis had his dancing shoes on! 🕺#SwarmWarning🐝 pic.twitter.com/fnOJ4Aog31
— x – Sarnia Sting (@StingHockey) March 4, 2023
Knights clinch fourth straight Midwest Division title
The Barrie Colts did the London Knights a favour on Sunday, defeating the Owen Sound Attack 6-3 to secure London’s fourth straight Holody Trophy as Midwest Division champions. The 41-16-2-0 Knights have won the Midwest Division 12 times in their 24 seasons since joining in 2002-03. The Knights are in the midst of a run that has sen them play six of their last nine games beyond regulation. They improved to 7-0 in shootouts this season on Thursday when the defeated the Windsor Spitfires 4-3 at the WFCU Centre. London is currently on an eight-game road trip that continues this week with stops in Barrie, Sudbury and North Bay.
MIDWEST CHAMPS!!#GoKnightsGo pic.twitter.com/66TCtIimbm
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) March 5, 2023
Wolves widen the gap
The Sudbury Wolves rebounded from a Thursday night loss in North Bay, defeating the Oshawa Generals in an important game for both clubs. Draft eligible defenceman Matthew Mania scored twice, enjoying his first OHL multi-goal effort as Sudbury won 5-1. Seattle Kraken prospect David Goyette scored his 36th of the season 1:57 into overtime at home on Saturday as Sudbury defeated the Niagara IceDogs 5-4. Draft eligible forward Quentin Musty scored his 20th goal of the campaign and reigning OHL Rookie of the Month Nate Krawchuk made 30 saves to improve to 12-6-1-0. The Wolves now lead Oshawa by six points, trailing sixth place Mississauga by just two heading into a new week of action.
David Goyette wins it in for the Wolves in the extra frame! 🚨🚨🚨@SeattleKraken pick @DavidGoyette14 scores his second overtime winner of the year and the @Sudbury_Wolves earn their fourth win in five games! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/rf5DijqN0s
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 5, 2023
Poitras riding 13-game point streak
Boston Bruins prospect Matthew Poitras continues to find the scoresheet. The Guelph Storm centreman has accumulated 22 points (3-19–22) on his 13-game run that dates back to Feb. 5th. He managed to get in on all three Storm goals in a 10-3 loss on Saturday in Flint, recording a goal and two assists. Poitras’ 63 assists are the second-most in the OHL. He was Boston’s second round (54th overall) selection last summer.
Some of the boys had a fire February 🔥#StormCity | #TheStormIsComing pic.twitter.com/cGpi8vHv6Q
— Guelph Storm (@Storm_City) March 6, 2023
Spitfires drop three straight
The Windsor Spitfires had a down week, dropping three consecutive decisions to Western Conference opponents London, Flint and Sarnia. The Spits saw the return of Montreal Canadiens prospect Daniil Sobolev to the blue line, but were without key forwards Brett Harrison and Ryan Abraham as they deal with lower body injuries. Shane Wright, who has also dealt with an injury of late, played in all three games, but was held pointless for the first time this season on Friday night in Flint. The weekend’s silver lining for the Spitfires saw defenceman Rodwin Dionicio pot his first OHL hat trick in Saturday’s 9-6 loss to the Sarnia Sting. Captain and New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio continues to lead the OHL in scoring, sitting two points shy of 100 with 98 (47-51–98) through 58 games.
What a way to get your first-ever hatty! 🎩🎩🎩@SpitsHockey d-man Rodwin Dionicio took a spin at forward tonight and completed his hat-trick with this incredible goal! 👀@MilkUPOntario | #MilkUPxOHL pic.twitter.com/yhCdG28GyZ
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 5, 2023
Kingston slide hits 10 games
The Kingston Frontenacs are still hanging around in the pursuit of a trip to the OHL Playoffs, that despite losing their last 10 consecutive games in regulation. The Fronts fell to Ottawa twice last week, finishing their eight-game season series without a win against the high-powered 67’s. The Saginaw Spirit bested the Frontenacs 7-3 on Sunday afternoon. Kingston has dealt with a number of injuries this season, most recently losing Ottawa Senators prospect Ben Roger on the blue line, as well as 2021 first round (5th overall) pick Matthew Soto, who hasn’t played since Feb. 20th. The Fronts still have time to right the ship, trailing eighth place Oshawa, who went 0-3 last week, by just three points in the Eastern Conference.
Shots from our 2022-23 Sunday Funday finale against the @SpiritHockey.#FrontsHockey | @OHLHockey | @MNP_LLP
📸 @robert_boucher & Eric Schwar pic.twitter.com/DRxqhNApF7— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) March 6, 2023
