By Kyle Watson/OHL
In front of a sell-out crowd at Scotiabank Pond Tuesday night, Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan defeated Team Clark-James-Stewart by a score of 6-4 at the 13th Annual GTHL Top Prospects Game.
The event sees some of the top 40 Under-16 “AAA” players in the Greater Toronto Hockey League face off against one another on teams led by celebrity coaches.
It didn’t take long for things to get going in the game: Team Clark-James-Stewart jumped out to an early 2-0 lead with goals from forwards Nico Addy (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) and Shamar Moses (Don Mills Flyers). They would hold that lead until well into the second period thanks to several key saves from Jack Ivankovic (Mississauga Senators).
“The game started out a little bumpy for us,” said Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan forward, William Moore (Toronto Marlboros).
“Going into the locker room, we were all like ‘there’s no chance we are losing this,” the Toronto Marlboros star explained.
“And then we came out in the second period absolutely flying.”
Moore’s Marlies teammates, Lev Katzin and Joseph Cadorin, each scored to tie the game for Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan. Ewan McChesney (Vaughn Kings) made it three unanswered goals.
It took a tidy piece of skill for Team Clark-James-Stewart to even things up. Centreman Luca Romano (Toronto Jr. Canadiens) walked down the right wing and beat the goaltender cleanly to make it a 3-3 game heading into the final frame.
Chase Del Colombo (Toronto Young Nationals) and Moore scored in succession to put the pressure on Team Clark-James-Stewart with the clock ticking down.
Romano would see his second of the game cancelled out by an empty-net goal from Moore in the final seconds and Team Antropov-Carnegie-Nolan saw out the victory.
That winning feeling 🤩#GTHLTopProspects | #GatoradeCanada pic.twitter.com/49qOodBNhM
— GTHL Hockey (@GTHLHockey) January 25, 2023
Shamar Moses and Chase Del Colombo were named Players of the Game for their respective teams. They join Otters teammates Kyle Downey and Pano Fimis, Frontenacs forwards Jacob Battaglia and Gabriel Frasca, and Spitfires star Shane Wright as recent recipients of the honour.
Shamar Moses (@DMFlyersAAA) and Chase Del Colombo (@TorontoNatsU16) are your 2023 #GatoradeCanada Players of the Game! ⚪️⚫️#GTHLTopProspects | #IPlayInTheG pic.twitter.com/wGM4yDwBTk
— GTHL Hockey (@GTHLHockey) January 25, 2023
For the game-winning goal-scorer, Moore, this was his second time on the winning side of the Top Prospects game. Colorado Avalanche farmhand Ryan Merkley is the only OHLer to have ever participated in the event twice.
“It’s an honour to do this once and I had the opportunity to do it twice,” said the Silver Stick MVP.
“It’s really special and I tried to make the most out of it today,” he added.
With the Marlboros currently the eight-week holders of first place in the OHL Cup Top-10 Rankings, the 6-foot-2 centreman has his eyes set on creating more history before the season finishes.
“I want back-to-back OHL Cups. I want to be the first person to do it,” he said.
Having won last year’s edition of the tournament just days after turning 15 with the ’06 Mississauga Senators, Moore and the powerhouse Marlboros are in a prime position to challenge for the 2023 OHL Cup.
“I think our team is in a really good spot right now, but we have to keep battling and playing the way we have been, he explained.
“I think we can do it.”
For more on the 2023 GTHL Top Prospects Game, visit gthlcanada.com.
