CHL Daily: no. 1 ranked Blades clinch playoff spot

CHL Three Stars

Drummondville’s Sam Oliver had four goals, plus an assist, in an 8-6 win over Moncton. In his fourth QMJHL season, Oliver has established new career highs with 27 goals and 54 points.

Emmitt Finnie (DET) had the first four-goal game of his career during Kamloops’ 7-3 victory over Kelowna. Finnie has a career high 16 goals and 45 points this year to lead the Blazers in scoring.

Zac Funk registered his seventh hat-trick of the season during Prince George’s 9-6 win versus Victoria. Funk, who had never scored a hat-trick before this season, leads the CHL with 49 goals this year.

CHL Top 10

After a 3-2 win in Swift Current, the Saskatoon Blades (1) clinched its spot in the WHL Playoffs Saturday. Lukas Hansen scored the game-winner at 11:28 of the third as the Blades extended its point streak to 11 games (10-0-1). Saskatoon’s 39 wins leads the WHL.

Owen Beck (MTL) had three points (1G, 2A) as the Saginaw Spirit (4) won its third straight thanks to a 5-2 win against Erie. The Spirit’s 35 wins are the second most in the OHL this year.

In addition to Oliver’s five-point effort, Kassim Gaudet had four points (1G, 3A) in the Drummondville Voltigeurs (5) 8-6 victory over Moncton. Captain Luke Woodworth also had three points (1G, 2A) in the win for a Volts team that has clinched a spot in the QMJHL playoffs and leads the Western Conference with 36 wins.

Gabe Klassen and James Stefan each scored twice as the Portland Winterhawks (6) beat Seattle 4-1. The victory maintained the Winterhawks’ position atop the Western Conference with 35 wins and 73 points.

In addition to Funk’s hat-trick, Riley Heidt (MIN) had three assists in the Prince George Cougars’ (7) crazy 9-6 win against Victoria. The Cougars’ 35 wins are part of a three-way tie at the top of the Western Conference.

Jacob Frasca scored the game-winner in the second period as the Soo Greyhounds (8) slipped past Niagara 2-1. The Soo own the third best winning percentage in the OHL this year at .684.

The Everett Silvertips (9) collected a third straight win after a 7-6 shootout victory against Spokane. Ben Hemmerling (VGK) scored twice in regulation and then had the decisive goal in the shootout.

Five different players found the back of the net as the Moose Jaw Warriors (10) won its fifth straight after a 5-2 win in Calgary. The Warriors’ 33 wins are the second most in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

NHL prospect watch

Vsevolod Komarov (BUF) had three assists for Drummondville in their victory against Moncton. In 22 games with the Volts, he has 31 points (seven goals) while his 50 total points in 2023-24 are a new career high.

Saginaw’s Nolan LaLonde (CBJ) won his 14th straight start Saturday that also coincided with his 50th career OHL victory as he backstopped Saginaw to a 5-2 win over Erie. LaLonde is 15-4-1 as a member of the Spirit this year after an early season trade with the Otters.

FOURTEEN STRAIGHT WINS FOR NOLAN LALONDE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MCl4F04SKJ

— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) February 11, 2024

Jagger Firkus (SEA) extended his point streak to 24 games after he had an assist in Moose Jaw’s win over Calgary. over that stretch, he has amassed 48 points (18 goals) while he continues to lead the CHL in scoring with 91 points.

Connor Levis (WPG) tallied three points (2G, 1A) to lead Vancouver to a 7-2 decision over Wenatchee. Since he was acquired from Kamloops at the WHL trade deadline, Levis has 12 points (seven goals) in 11 games with the Giants.

Nightly notes

Maxim Massé had three points (2G, 1A) as Chicoutimi took down Cape Breton 5-2. Massé, the QMJHL’s top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft, has 26 goals and 52 points this year to lead the Sags in scoring.

Charles-Antoine Beauregard continues to impress for the Phoenix as he had three points (2G, 1A) in a 6-2 win over Blainville-Boisbriand. Beauregard, who began the year in the QJAAAHL, has 11 goals and 19 points in just 23 games with Sherbrooke.

Nathan Darveau needed to make just 16 saves to record the shutout as Victoriaville beat Val-d’Or 7-0. Darveau has five shutouts this year and is 23-12-1 with a 2.54 GAA and .919 save percentage.

Mathis Rousseau made only 13 saves to register the shutout and seven different Halifax players scored in a 7-0 win over Charlottetown that saw the Mooseheads clinch a playoff spot for the sixth straight year.

After he coached his 1,000th game in Mississauga, Barrie’s Marty Williamson was honoured pre-game in Barrie Saturday before his side beat Kingston 4-3 thanks to a pair of goals from captain Beau Jelsma. Williamson is one of just seven OHL coaches to have been behind the bench for 1,000 games.

Marty Williamson: #OHL icon.

The @OHLBarrieColts bench boss is honoured at Sadlon Arena after becoming the seventh coach in league history to coach 1,000 career regular season contests on Friday in Mississauga 🎥 pic.twitter.com/rpEjOAEBfX

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 11, 2024

Noah Morneau scored twice and added an assist in Windsor’s 7-4 victory versus Owen Sound. Morneau’s nine goals this year are a career high.

Bradley Horner scored the game-winner with 1:29 to play to give Ottawa a 3-2 win over Kitchener and extend its point streak to 6-0-3.

Niall Crocker, Krzysztof Macias and Sloan Stanick all had three points (2G, 1A) as Prince Albert beat Brandon 7-3. Stanick leads the Raiders in scoring with year with 67 points (22 goals).

Prince George’s Hunter Laing scored twice and had an assist during the Cougars’ 9-6 win against Victoria. The 2024 NHL Draft prospect has 10 goals and 19 points this year.

OHL results (Feb. 10, 2024)

Ottawa 3-2 Kitchener
Flint 3-1 Brantford
Saginaw 5-2 Erie
Sarnia 3-2 Guelph (OT)
Windsor 7-4 Owen Sound
Soo 2-1 Niagara
Barrie 4-3 Kingston

QMJHL results (Feb. 10, 2024)

Sherbrooke 6-2 Blainville-Boisbriand
Chicoutimi 5-2 Cape Breton
Drummondville 8-6 Moncton
Gatineau 5-2 Rimouski
Victoriaville 7-0 Val-d’Or
Halifax 7-0 Charlottetown

WHL results (Feb. 10, 2024)

Moose Jaw 5-2 Calgary
Prince Albert 7-3 Brandon
Regina 9-4 Edmonton
Saskatoon 3-2 Swift Current
Medicine Hat 5-4 Red Deer (OT)
Portland 4-1 Seattle
Prince George 9-6 Victoria
Everett 7-6 Spokane (SO)
Vancouver 7-2 Wenatchee
Kamloops 7-3 Kelowna

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