I’ll fess up that I read the score sheet wrong and I thought that there was a game seven on Tuesday, which is why this report is coming up after the OHL Eastern Conference Final has begun.
Anyway, we’re down to the final two Leafs prospects playing, and hopefully one of these two will be the lone kid to bring home a championship. Eemeli Räsänen and the Kingston Frontenacs will take on Nicolas Mattinen and the Hamilton Bulldogs in an all yellow and black OHL Eastern Conference Final.
Game one was last night and featured a big win for Hamilton as they trounced Kingston 6-2. Mattinen had no points while Räsänen had an assist on a power play goal.
Kingston eliminated the Bulldogs from the playoffs last year so this is the biggest rematch setting we could have seen for these two teams. The winner takes the Bobby Orr Trophy and the rights to be beaten by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL Championship Series.
Ontario Hockey League
#77 - Eemeli Räsänen (D) - 0G, 3A, +6
Kingston Frontenacs - Defeated the Barrie Colts 4-2
April 4th: @ Barrie Colts
L 6-5 OT - 0G, 1A, -1
April 6th: @ Barrie Colts
L 4-1 - 0G, 0A, -1
April 8th: vs Barrie Colts
W 4-2 - 0G, 1A, +1
April 10th: vs Barrie Colts
W 4-2 - 0G, 1A, +1
April 12th: @ Barrie Colts
W 7-1 - 0G, 0A, +5
April 13th: vs Barrie Colts
W 2-1 - 0G, 0A, +1
The Frontenacs have made it to the Eastern Conference championship for the first time since 1993, when they lost to the Peterborough Petes. Rattling off four straight wins, and keeping the Colts to 2 goals or under per game speaks to the defence of the Fronts. They’ll face off against the Hamilton Bulldogs for the Eastern Conference championship.
#19 - Ryan McGregor (F) - 1G, 0A, -4
Sarnia Sting - Eliminated 4-2 by the Kitchener Rangers
April 6th: @ Kitchener Rangers
L 4-2 - 1G, 0A, +1
April 8th: @ Kitchener Rangers
W 3-2 OT - 0G, 1A, +1
April 10th: vs Kitchener Rangers
W 4-1 - 0G, 0A, +1
April 12th: vs Kitchener Rangers
L 5-3 - 0G, 0A, -3
April 13th: @ Kitchener Rangers
L 3-2 OT - 0G, 1A
April 15th: vs Kitchener Rangers
L 6-2 - 0G, 0A, -4
McGregor and the Sting’s season ended with a whimper, rather than the bang it began with. Dropping three straight, giving up 14 goals, and losing in the second round in what should have been a conference final minimum season. His first post-draft season was going well until an injury slowed things down. Now he has all summer to get back to 100% for development camp in July.
#52 - Nicolas Mattinen (D) - 0G, 1A, +5
Hamilton Bulldogs - Defeated the Niagara IceDogs 4-1
April 5th: vs Niagara IceDogs
W 6-5 OT - 0G, 1A, +1
April 7th: vs Niagara IceDogs
W 3-2 OT - No Points
April 9th: @ Niagara IceDogs
L 4-3 OT - 0G, 0A, +1
April 11th: @ Niagara IceDogs
W 4-2 - 0G, 0A, +2
April 12th: vs Niagara IceDogs
W 4-2 - 0G, 0A, +1
The Bulldogs won a close series with their closest opponent. Three straight overtime games and two 3-2 games with an empty netter. A little disappointing to this writer, but now we’ll have a Leafs prospect vs Leafs prospect series playing for the Bobby Orr Trophy to win the OHL Eastern Conference.
NCAA
#8 - Dakota Joshua (F) - 0G, 1A
Ohio State Buckeyes
April 5th: vs Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs
L 2-1 - 0G, 1A
The Buckeyes came close, but couldn’t beat the Bulldogs to advance to the NCAA Championship. Joshua is heading into his senior year in Ohio State and is no doubt motivated to bring home the championship in his final chance to do so.
Completed Seasons
#14 - JD Greenway (D)
Wisconsin Badgers
#13 - Nolan Vesey (F)
Maine Black Bears
#15 - Fedor Gordeev (D)
Flint Firebirds
#31 - Joseph Woll (G)
Boston College Eagles
#55 - Keaton Middleton (D)
Saginaw Spirit
#24 - Ryan O'Connell (D)
Penticton Vees, BCHL
#33 - Ian Scott (G)
Prince Albert Raiders
