Welcome back to the Thursday ramblings, where we should keep going over the OHL playoffs. People in the fantasy prospect scouting world need to know who is lighting it up come playoff time.
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OHL
The series is now tied up 2-2, after the Ottawa 67’s won the first two games 7-2 and 4-3 and the Guelph Storm tied the series up with a 5-4 win in game four after a 7-2 score in game three for Guelph. Game two was the game where Ottawa Goalie Michael DiPietro (VAN) went down with a leg injury, and although the 67’s have the skill to outscore opponents going in to Guelph for games three and four saw them finally lose games in the entirety of the OHL playoffs.
The 5-4 Guelph win came last night where most people were likely only paying attention to the Sharks-Avs final. Tye Felhaber (DAL) scored his 15th of the post season for Ottawa to make the score 5-3. Kody Clark (WSH) had two assists, Sasha Chmelevski (SJ) had an assist, and Kyle Maksimovich (FA) scored his eight goal of the post season to make it a 5-4 game. Alexey Toropchenko (STL) and Nick Suzuki (MTL) have been a thorn in the side of Ottawa all series and this game was no different with Toropchenko scoring two goals, and Suzuki scoring a goal and adding two assists, one of which being the primary assist on the game winning goal. Dmitri Samorukov (EDM) picked up two assists, and Sean Durzi (LA) and Isaac Ratcliff (PHI) picked up an assist each. Liam Hawel (DAL) scored his fourth goal for Guelph that held up as the game winner.
Game five will be Friday May 10 in Ottawa.
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WHL
The Prince Albert Raiders are up in the series 3-1, as after losing the first game to the Vancouver Giants 5-4, the Raiders won the next three games 4-0, 8-2, and just last night 1-0.
There are two players taking this series over for Prince Albert and those are Brett Leason (2019) up front and Ian Scott (TOR) in net. Leason scored the only goal in this game, his tenth of the post season, second game winner, fifth goal and seventh point of the entire series. Ian Scott has two shut outs and is rocking a 0.935 save percentage in the four games, and since game one has looked unbeatable. The Giants have been pretty neutralized since game two but Bowen Byram (2019) has been an absolute stand out for Vancouver.
Game five will be played May 10th as well, as the Giants looks to stave off elimination.
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QMJHL
The Halifax Mooseheads and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have a series tied at 2-2 with each team scoring five goals in the team’s victory, certainly an odd stat. The series has gone back and forth with each team winning every other game. The Huskies won game one 5-2, Halifax won the next game 5-4 in double OT, Huskies won game three 5-2, and Halifax won the last game 5-1.
Arnaud Durandeau (NYI) scored a goal and added two assists; Benoit-Olivier Groulx (ANA) scored a goal and added an assist, while Samuel Asselin (FA) scored the game winning goal for Halifax on Tuesday. Peter Abbandonato (FA – and really really should be signed by someone) scored the lone goal for Rouyn-Noranda as the Mooseheads cruised to victory in the penalty filled affair.
The next game is today as one of the Halifax or Rouyn-Noranda will come away with a 3-2 series lead.
Thanks for reading, by next Thursday the CHL playoffs should be complete and then we are headed to MEMORIAL CUP TIME!
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