(Photo: Melissa Kania)
ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE
Some teams in the OHL have already begun their second rounds, while others kick off their series Friday night.
The Erie Otters defeated the London Knights 5-2 in game one on Thursday. Connor McDavid had four points, leading all skaters from both teams. Dylan Strome and Mitch Marner, other top-10 draft picks, each had a goal.
Buffalo Sabres prospect Nick Baptiste had a goal and assist in Thursday’s win, while Arizona Coyotes prospect Max Domi had a goal. In the first round, the Otters beat out Sarnia in five games, while the Knights knocked out Kitchener in six.
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Elsewhere, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds took a 2-0 series lead over the Guelph Storm with a decisive 9-3 victory on Thursday. Pius Suter, ranked 74th by CSS, was a minus-3 for Guelph. Zachary Senyshyn (38) had a goal for Soo, while Blake Speers (49) added an assist and a plus-2. Gustav Bouramman and Colton White, other 2015 NHL draft prospects, each had a point as well. The Greyhounds swept Saginaw in the first round, while Guelph knocked out Owen Sound in five games.
Two series that begin tonight see the Oshawa Generals and Niagara IceDogs face off, and the Barrie Colts and North Bay Battalion square off.
Oshawa defeated Peterborough in five games in the first round, while Niagara knocked out Ottawa in six games after coming back from a 2-0 series deficit. 2015 eligible defenseman Mitchell Vande Sompel had four points in five games in the first round for Oshawa, while fellow blueliner Stephen Desrocher had two assists.
The IceDogs were led by NY Islanders prospect Josh Ho-Sang, who had 10 points (1-9) in the first round. Prospect Vince Dunn was second in scoring on the team and led IceDogs defensemen with eight points (6-2), while Graham Knott registered three points in the series.
Barrie swept Belleville in the Colts’ first round, while North Bay swept Kingston. Andrew Mangiapane had five points in four games for Barrie, while winger Roy Radke (104) had a goal. Defenseman Rasmus Andersson registered one assist. Devils prospect Joseph Blandisi led the team with nine points (4-5) in the first round. For North Bay, impending draft pick Brett McKenzie registered one assist, while Riley Bruce had a goal in the first round. Kings prospect Mike Amadio led the team with seven points (4-3).