The OHL playoffs are well underway and the focus of Sudbury Hockey Hot Shots is going to remain fixed on all the local players and former Sudbury Wolves players currently battling it out for the championship.
I'll follow the boys until there's no one left to follow, but considering the vast amount of Sudbury connections in the OHL playoffs, it's safe to say there should be some local talent right through until the bitter end.
I'll start in the Eastern Conference with the Belleville Bulls (1) versus the Peterborough Petes (8).
The Bulls pushed aside the Petes in five games, including a
7-1 pounding in the fifth and deciding games. The Bulls feature
former Wolves players Andrew Self and Keaton Turkiewicz.
Self was his regular self tallying two goals, four points and a
+4 rating in five games. Turkiewicz supplied one goal, five
points and a +2 rating in five games.
Peterborough has Dowling boy Yves Bastien, who managed two
goals and a -1 rating in the five games.
The series between the Brampton Battalion (2) and the Barrie Colts (7) has taken an interesting twist. The Colts have stunned the Central Division powerhouse Battalion by taking three of the first four games in the series. Barrie features local boy Cory McGillis. The six-foot-one, 210-pound forward hasn't played a game in the series as he's serving a five-game suspension. He's eligible to return in one more game. The next game is today in Brampton at 7 pm.
The Oshawa Generals (3) and the Ottawa 67's (6) has seen the Generals take a stranglehold on the series by winning the first three games. The Generals feature former Wolves players Kevin Baker and Brett Parnham. Baker has two points and a +4 rating in three games. Parnham is rolling along with two goals, four points and a +4 rating in three games. The next game is today in Ottawa at 7 pm.
The Niagara IceDogs (4) and Mississauga St. Michael's Majors (5) series is over after four games. The IceDogs feature former Wolves goalie Sebastian Dahm, who was nothing short of sensation against the Majors. Dahm went 4-0 with a 1.00 goals-against-average and a .969 save percentage. The Majors have former Wolves players Jesse Messier (0 points, -5 rating) and Justin Larson (0 points, -1 rating) who felt the wrath of Dahm's intense play.
Now, onto the wild Western Conference.
The Kitchener Rangers (1) smoked the Plymouth Whalers (8) in four straight games to win their first round series. The Rangers feature Azilda boy Mike Mascioli who played his typical rough game against the Whalers, picking up one goal, two points, 19 penalty minutes, a +1 rating and one fight in four games. (I was talking to a Kitchener scout recently who thought Mascioli's playing time, despite the fact he's a rookie, could increase as the playoffs wear on and in the Memorial Cup - which Kitchener is hosting in May. He figures the grind of the playoffs is suited for a player such as Mascioli and I have to agree.) Plymouth feature local boy Vern Cooper, who I'm sure is disappointed with the sweep after going to the Memorial Cup last season. Cooper managed one point and a -4 rating in the four games.
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (2) have the Saginaw Spirit (7) on the ropes after winning the first three games of their series. The Greyhounds feature local boy Jamie Haines - a rookie who hasn't seen any time in the playoffs yet after playing 31 regular season games. Hopefully coach Craig Hartsburg will give Haines a taste of playoff action before their run is over...whenever that may be. The next game is tonight in Saginaw at 7:11 pm.
The Windsor Spitfires (3) are having big trouble with the Sarnia Sting (6) in their playoff series. The Sting have stung the Spitfires by taking a 3-1 series lead. Sarnia features former Wolves winger Devin DiDiomete. The rugged forward has two points, 11 penalty minutes and one fight in four games. The next game goes today in Windsor at 7:30 pm.
The London Knights (4) could make an early exit from the playoffs courtesy of the Guelph Storm (5). Guelph has taken a 3-0 series lead and shows no signs of slowing down. The Storm feature former Wolves defenceman Stephen Miller. The physical six-foot-two, 210-pound Miller has "exploded" offensively with one goal and two points in three games. (In 36 regular season games with Guelph, Miller registered no goals and seven points.) London features Sudbury boy Jadran Beljo (two goals, three points) and former Wolves player Akim Aliu (one goal, two points) who are doing their best to get the Knights back into the series. The next game goes today in Guelph at 7 pm.
Keep checking NorthernLife.ca for more updates on local and former Wolves players gunning for OHL glory.
