The OHL Weekend Notebook recaps the weekend that was with news, information and interesting facts from both on and off the ice.
67’s win record sixth straight to start the season
The Ottawa 67’s kept right on rolling with two more wins this past weekend. Cooper Foster had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win in Oshawa Friday night before Brady Stonehouse and Tyler Boucher both scored twice in a 6-3 win over the Guelph Storm. Nashville Predators prospect Jack Matier leads from the back end with seven points (3-4–7) and a plus-7 rating through his first six games. It’s a historic run for the Barber Poles, who are off to their best start in franchise history.
Stonehouse and Boucher score two apiece in a 6-3 win over Guelph, giving us our best start in franchise history with six straight victories.
GAME RECAP ⬇️
— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) October 16, 2022
Steelheads stretch winning streak to five
The Mississauga Steelheads took wins in three games in three days, defeating the London Knights 5-4 on an Owen Beck overtime-winner Friday night, besting the Oshawa Generals 3-2 at home on Saturday, and giving the Sarnia Sting a similar treatment on Sunday afternoon. Weekend highlights included blueliners Ethan Del Mastro and Chas Sharpe each registering five points while rookie netminder Ryerson Leenders made 33 saves in a first star performance on Sunday, picking up his first career OHL win. Sharpe is one of three OHL players with points in each of his first seven games of the 2022-23 season.
Welcome back, @OwenBeck92! 🤩
The @CanadiensMTL prospect opens his 22-23 campaign with a pair of goals, including the overtime-winner to give the @OHLSteelheads the extra point against the Knights 📽️ pic.twitter.com/VQE17vCIxC
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 15, 2022
Frontenacs take two wins at home
The Kingston Frontenacs put on a good showing at home this weekend as Chicago Blackhawks prospect Paul Ludwinski and Ottawa Senators draftee Ben Roger both returned to the lineup. Rookies Matthew Soto, Adam Cavallin and Owen Outwater each scored their first of the campaign Friday night as Kingston doubled-up Hamilton 4-2. Ludwinski and Francesco Arcuri both logged three points in Saturday’s 6-1 win over the Guelph Storm, with Colorado Avalanche prospect Ivan Zhigalov making 30 saves in goal. The Frontenacs are off to a 4-1-0-1 start to the season, outscoring opponents 22-13.
100 career points for Francesco Arcuri ☑️
Game Highlights: https://t.co/cc6Clzhzc6#FrontsHockey | @OHLHockey | @FArcuri13 | @DallasStars pic.twitter.com/x3NwFrO8PK
— Kingston Frontenacs (@KingstonFronts) October 16, 2022
Big weekend for Barlow as Attack bounce back
The Owen Sound Attack put three straight losses in their rear-view mirror, going into Kitchener to defeat the Rangers 4-1 behind a Colby Barlow hat trick on Friday night. The top 2023 NHL Draft eligible was back at it on Saturday in Owen Sound, scoring on the power play 1:18 into overtime as the Bears defeated the Windsor Spitfires 5-4. Barlow finished Saturday’s game with a goal and two assists, joining teammate Servac Petrovsky with three points. Sophomore netminder Corbin Votary picked up his first win of the season between the pipes.
CAPTAIN CLUTCH! 👀
2023 #NHLDraft eligible Colby Barlow follows up on a hat-trick performance last night with an overtime winner for the @AttackOHL 🎥 pic.twitter.com/7h17YG3JlN
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 16, 2022
Colts take consecutive OT wins on the road
The Barrie Colts were up north this weekend, grabbing a pair of overtime wins in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie. Veteran blueliner Connor Punnett was the hero with 1:05 remaining in Friday’s contest in Sudbury, getting help from Ethan Cardwell in his season debut to push the Colts past the Wolves 2-1. Rookie forward Carter Lowe scored his first career OHL goal on Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie before the Hounds battled back to tie the score at three. Jacob Frasca‘s third of the season 1:58 into overtime gave the Colts two points as they improved to 4-2-0-0 to start the season.
Connor Punnett (@ConnorPunnett), overtime hero! 🚨
The @OHLBarrieColts defenceman jumps into the rush and slips it five-hole to give the Colts the 2-1 win on the road in Sudbury 📽️ pic.twitter.com/JaGklL6nKH
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 15, 2022
Rookies make an impact for Otters
The Erie Otters had a forgettable start to their weekend, falling 8-1 to the Flint Firebirds on Friday night at home. The silver lining came in the OHL debut of second round 2022 OHL Priority Selection choice Jacob Gibbons, who stopped 12 of 13 in his first appearance. Gibbons was back in the crease Saturday night as the Otters played host to the Saginaw Spirit and the rookie came through with 16 saves for his first OHL win. In front of him, second overall 2022 OHL Priority Selection choice Malcolm Spence had a night to remember, tying the score with 5:09 remaining before netting the OT winner on an assist from Christian Kyrou 1:31 into the extra frame to give the Otters a 4-3 win. Spence has six points (3-3–6) in seven games so far this season. The Otters were without starting netminder Nolan Lalonde this past weekend as the Columbus Blue Jackets prospect is dealing with a lower body injury.
OVERTIME HERO MALCOLM SPENCE!
The 2022 second-overall pick forces overtime before winning it for the @ErieOtters 🦦🦦🦦 pic.twitter.com/rYieCI6XSs
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 16, 2022
Rangers ride Rehkopf hat trick to first win
2023 NHL Draft prospect Carson Rehkopf came up big for the Kitchener Rangers on Sunday. With the Blueshirts trying to shake an 0-5 start to the season, Rehkopf scored three times to lead Kitchener to a 6-2 win over the Flint Firebirds. The Rangers won the game with just 15 skaters in the lineup as Marco Costantini made 39 saves for his first win in a Kitchener uniform.
Carson Rehkopf leads the way to secure the first win of the year for the @OHLRangers! 🎩🎩🎩
The 2023 #NHLDraft prospect records his first hat-trick of the season in a 6-2 win over the Firebirds 🎥 pic.twitter.com/eKG6ZUIWNC
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 16, 2022
Knights get in the win column
The London Knights picked up their first point of the season in an overtime loss to the Mississauga Steelheads Friday night as George Diaco scored his first goal in green and gold. The Knights got the job done on Sunday in Hamilton against the defending champion Bulldogs as rookie defender Sam Dickinson scored in a second straight game, lifting London to a 4-2 win. Brett Brochu made 35 saves in Sunday’s win while Sean McGurn, Ryan Del Monte and Denver Barkey each posted a goal and an assist. The Knights are 1-3-1-0 to start the season, looking for another win on Wednesday night in Owen Sound.
Be sure to keep that puck, Sam! 👏@LondonKnights rookie Sam Dickinson wakes up the Budweiser Gardens crowd, as he launches a rocket to net for his first career #OHL goal! 📽️ pic.twitter.com/6vsxqTAjHB
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 14, 2022
Villeneuve’s first comes in big moment
You couldn’t have scripted a better first OHL goal for Sudbury Wolves rookie Nathan Villeneuve. The third overall pick of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection snapped a wrister past Peterborough’s Michael Simpson 3:08 into overtime on Sunday as the Wolves defeated the Petes 4-3. Fellow Wolves rookie Kieron Walton also scored the first of his OHL career as Sudbury shook-off a pair of losses to round out the weekend 3-3-1-0 on the young season. Seattle Kraken prospect David Goyette had an assist on Sunday, stretching his point streak to seven games to start the season.
Is there a better time to score your first career #OHL goal than in overtime?! 🚨🐺
2022 #OHLDraft third overall pick Nathan Villeneuve rips home a goal he’ll never forget to send the @Sudbury_Wolves home happy with two points! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/iMOXpHcNuu
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 16, 2022
IceDogs come back strong after week off
The Niagara IceDogs put a rough stretch of three straight losses behind them Saturday night, blitzing the Flint Firebirds for seven goals in a return to the win column. A high-scoring first period gave way to IceDogs dominance the rest of the way as sophomore forward Juan Copeland scored twice, Pano Fimis had a goal and two helpers and forwards Pasquale Zito and Nolan Dann each had a goal and an assist in a 7-3 win. It’s been an up-and-down season for the IceDogs thus far as they own a 3-3-1-0 record. They prepare for a home date against the Erie Otters on Thursday.
“WHAT A DAZZLING PIECE OF ARTISTRY, PANO FIMIS MAKES IT 3-2!” 🎨@Pano_Fimis roofs a backhander and we’ve got a goal-fest in Niagara! @OHLIceDogs pic.twitter.com/hwpncnlR14
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 15, 2022
Misa collects four points on Friday
Saginaw Spirit 15-year-old rookie Michael Misa collected four points on Friday night in Guelph, scoring while adding three assists as the Spirit outpowered the Storm 6-1. Misa set up Theo Hill, PJ Forgione and Joey Willis with primary assists before finding the back of the net 7:18 into the third period for his third goal of the season. The first overall pick of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection has three goals, six assists and nine points through his first seven OHL contests.
OHL Performer of the Night 🌟@SpiritHockey rookie Michael Misa had a goal and three assists as Saginaw defeated the Storm by a score of 6-1. pic.twitter.com/AGvYEiBrHO
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) October 15, 2022
Tough weekend for Storm
The Guelph Storm entered the 2022-23 season with lots of buzz, but the Storm have hit some early season turbulence that continued this past weekend as they suffered losses to Saginaw, Kingston and Ottawa on three straight days. The Storm were outscored 18-5 by their opponents and fell to a record of 1-5-1-0 to start the season. They’ve surrendered a league-high 17 power play goals in seven games. Recently-named head coach Chad Wiseman and the Storm try and get back on track Friday night when the Oshawa Generals visit the Sleeman Centre.
Just wasn’t our weekend.
Our next game is at the Sleeman Centre on Friday when we host the visiting Oshawa Generals.
🎟️https://t.co/69rEjofVsM#StormCity | #TheStormIsComing pic.twitter.com/QeRQd9splZ
— Guelph Storm (@Storm_City) October 16, 2022