The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
Battalion bring the offence
The North Bay Battalion extended their winning streak to five with victories over Niagara, Hamilton and Erie on three consecutive nights. The Troops scored 19 goals in three games, improving to a Central Division-leading 10-4-0-0 mark. Edmonton Oilers prospect Matvey Petrov rides an 11-game point streak while overage winger Kyle McDonald has lit the lamp in five straight. Sophomore forward Dalyn Wakely recorded six points (2-4–6) last week, giving him 13 (5-8–13) in 14 games this season.
The @OHLBattalion get the night started with the first goal of the night 🔥@EdmontonOilers prospect Matvey Petrov makes no mistake on the rebound for his sixth of the season to give the Troops an early lead in Hamilton 📽️ pic.twitter.com/In1sEFZ053
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 4, 2022
67’s improve to 12-1, Cameron wins 400th
The Ottawa 67’s enjoyed another successful weekend at home, defeating Barrie 6-1 on Friday night for head coach Dave Cameron’s 400th career OHL win before besting the Peterborough Petes 4-2 on Saturday. Cameron becomes the 15th coach in OHL history to reach the 400-win milestone, and tied Eddie Bush for 14th on the all-time list on Saturday. Overage forward Cameron Tolnai has been a regular contributor offensively, racking up a nine-game point streak. He’s one of eight 67’s players with double-digit point totals this season. Sophomore forward Brad Gardiner had a productive weekend, scoring three times.
Our victory tonight is career win No. 400 for Head Coach Dave Cameron❗
📝 | https://t.co/x0ItyARVc6 pic.twitter.com/HVb0FcuqES
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) November 5, 2022
Greyhounds collect five of six points
The Soo Greyhounds needed a big showing this week and they got one, collective five of a possible six points with a 2-1 win over Sudbury on Wednesday, a 3-2 shootout loss to the Guelph Storm on Friday and a 5-2 victory over the Niagara IceDogs on Saturday. The win over the IceDogs erased a five-game slide on home ice – their prior four home matchups had resulted in an overtime or shootout loss. Tyler Savard was a difference-maker on Saturday, recording a goal and three assists as the Hounds pulled away from the IceDogs after being tied 2-2 entering the third period. Sault Ste. Marie sits at the bottom of a competitive West Division, sporting a 5-5-3-2 record.
WHAT A GOAL FROM @MarkDuarte65 😱
The @OHLHoundPower forward’s game-winning solo effort earns him tonight’s #BestOfOHL honours 🎥 pic.twitter.com/datZmIbIbV
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 6, 2022
Sting duo keeps producing
Arguably the best duo in the League so far this season, Ty Voit and Nolan Burke kept finding each other last week. Voit, who leads the entire CHL with 24 assists, helped Burke add six to his League-leading total of 14 goals. The Sting have scored 56 goals this season, with Voit assisting on nearly half of those including Ethan Ritchie‘s overtime winner on Sunday against the Flint Firebirds. Burke, who scored 34 goals last season, is five points shy of 100 on his OHL career.
This might be the best of his league-leading 13 so far! 😤 @StingHockey‘s Nolan Burke scored twice on Sunday sitting atop the goal-scoring race, but these #BestOfOHL moves on the break are worthy of a second look! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/5NLCUslPhS
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 7, 2022
Lennox lights out for Spirit
New York Islanders prospect Tristan Lennox was nearly perfect in two games over the weekend, stopping 46 of 47 shots for the Saginaw Spirit. The Cambridge, Ont. native got the start in Kitchener on Friday, making 20 saves before surrendering a late goal off the stick of Rangers defenceman Roman Schmidt in a 1-0 loss. He was back in the crease on Sunday night in Oshawa, making 26 saves for his second career OHL shutout as the Spirit won 5-0. Lennox is 7-3 so far this season, already matching his win total from 2021-22.
Tristan Lennox was takin’ care of business on Sunday night! 🚫🥅
The @NYIslanders prospect turned aside all 27 shots he faced for the shutout and the fourth @SpiritHockey win in their last five games! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/d0Faj7drwV
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 7, 2022
MacKenzie earns first coaching win in 30 years
Ken MacKenzie accomplished a rare feat on Sunday as the Sudbury Wolves interim coach earned his first OHL win since 1992. The Wolves came out hot, scoring three times in the opening four minutes in an 8-4 victory over the Mississauga Steelheads. MacKenzie, who serves as Wolves assistant general manager, took over behind the bench on an interim basis after Craig Duncanson was relieved of his duties on Oct. 31st. The 67-year-old formerly played for the Wolves back in the mid 1970’s, and was head coach of the team over parts of five seasons from 1988-92.
It’s all @Sudbury_Wolves early on at home! 🐺
Three first goals in the first five minutes started off by Quentin Musty getting the puck to @SeattleKraken prospect David Goyette as the Wolves lead the Steelheads 3-0 early! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/rf76hLUEtj
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 6, 2022
Lockhart lighting it up from the blue line
With Shawn Spearing, Brian Zanetti, Konnor Smith and Artem Guryev all sidelined for portions of the past week, Connor Lockhart dropped back to the blue line for the Peterborough Petes and proceeded to record six points in three outings. The Vancouver Canucks prospect continues to lead the Petes in scoring with 24 points (7-17–24) over 15 games. Lockhart came over in a summer deal with the Erie Otters. The former third overall pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection is still in the hunt for an NHL contract.
🗣️ “What a ROCKET by Connor Lockhart!”
The @Canucks prospect (@C_lockhart73) picks the top corner and the @PetesOHLhockey are on the board 🚀 pic.twitter.com/by8m0Rf0ez
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 3, 2022
Castle heating up, Flores busy on northern trip for IceDogs
The Niagara IceDogs dropped two of three in Northern Ontario last week, but broke out of a six-game funk on Saturday night in Sudbury as Aidan Castle netted the overtime winner in a 50-save performance from goaltender Owen Flores. Castle has points in nine straight games and leads the IceDogs with 16 points (9-7–16) in 15 games. Flores started all three games for Niagara last week, making 91 saves as the Dogs continue their road trip next weekend with stops in Kingston and Ottawa.
Flores on one end, and Castle on the other! 🤯
The @OHLIceDogs netminder Owen Flores makes the big-time stop leading to Aidan Castle’s game-winning goal, as Niagara holds off Sudbury’s late comeback to win in overtime 📽️ pic.twitter.com/hcGIZwyWv7
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 5, 2022
Vaccari, Sztuska see consecutive starts
A pair of young netminders saw a heavy workload over the weekend. The Kingston Frontenacs were on the road in Saginaw, Flint and Windsor and lost Colorado Avalanche prospect Ivan Zhigalov to illness, resulting in Mason Vaccari getting the nod as the Fronts let a late lead get away in Saginaw, got 41 saves from first star Vaccari in a win over Flint, and dropped a 6-3 loss to the Windsor Spitfires on Sunday. The 17-year-old from Mississauga is 4-2 with a 2.68 goals-against average and .915 save percentage through the first six games of his OHL career. The Peterborough Petes found themselves in a similar situation after starting netminder Michael Simpson came down with the flu. Eighteen-year-old Liam Sztuska got back-to-back starts, making a career-high 35 saves in Oshawa on Friday as the Petes won 3-1. He made 22 saves on Saturday in Ottawa as Peterborough lost 4-2 to the first place 67’s.
OHL Performer of the Night 🌟
Mason Vaccari was outstanding for the @KingstonFronts, making 41 saves in a 3-1 road victory against the Firebirds. pic.twitter.com/F3iM00hPRf
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) November 5, 2022
Bulldogs, Generals look to turn things around
It was another tough weekend for a pair of East Division clubs as the defending champion Hamilton Bulldogs saw their losing slide stretch to seven games. The Dogs found the back of the net once in losses to both Sarnia and North Bay on home ice. They’re gearing up for a pair of mid-week road games in Peterborough and Barrie this week. The Oshawa Generals have similarly been sliding, losing their last four with just one goal in their two home games this weekend. The job doesn’t get easier for the Gennies, who visit first place Ottawa on Friday night.
Final.#DawgMentality pic.twitter.com/bH20d4z5Ka
— Hamilton Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) November 5, 2022
