OHL grads shine in NHL Playoffs
Wednesday April 29, 2015
A total of 89 OHL graduates embarked on the Stanley Cup Playoffs approximately two weeks ago. 41 now remain in the hunt after the first round wrapped up on Wednesday as the Tampa Bay Lightning eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in seven games.
Here’s a look at how OHL graduates fared in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Western Conference
ANAHEIM DUCKS
A 4-0 first round sweep of the Winnipeg Jets featured former London Knights star Corey Perry leading Anaheim in scoring with three goals, four assists and seven points. The Peterborough, ON, native got the Ducks started off on the right foot, scoring twice while adding a pair of assists in a 4-2 win in Game 1.
Plymouth Whalers graduate Rickard Rakell was the hero in Game 3 for Anaheim, scoring 5:12 into overtime to give the Ducks a 5-4 victory and 3-0 series lead.
Rakell’s OT winner came nearly two years to the day after he scored 10:16 into the second overtime on April 21, 2013 to give Plymouth a 4-3 win over the London Knights in what remains the longest game in Whalers franchise history.
Pat Maroon (London Knights) and Cam Fowler (Windsor Spitfires) each had a goal in the series for Anaheim while Barrie Colts graduate Bryan Little led Winnipeg in scoring with two goals and an assist.
The Ducks move on to face the Calgary Flames in a second round matchup that begins on Thursday.
OHL GRADS (7): Matt Beleskey (Belleville Bulls), Cam Fowler (Windsor Spitfires), John Gibson (Kitchener Rangers), Pat Maroon (London Knights), Corey Perry (London Knights), Rickard Rakell (Plymouth Whalers), James Wisniewski (Plymouth Whalers).
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
The Hawks overcame the Nashville Predators in six games to advance to the second round as former London Knights standout Patrick Kane played a large role in the series victory.
Kane had two goals, five assists and seven points, including a goal and an assist in Chicago’s 4-3 Game 6 victory on Saturday. The former CHL and NHL Rookie of the Year tied the score at three with six seconds remaining in the first period before Duncan Keith’s third period winner pushed the Blackhawks past the Predators.
Saginaw Spirit graduate Brandon Saad played an integral role in the series, beating Pekka Rinne early in the second period of Game 3 for the winner to give Chicago a 2-1 series lead.
OHL graduates Andrew Shaw (Owen Sound Attack) and Bryan Bickell (Windsor Spitfires) each had a pair of assists in the series while former Plymouth Whalers winger James Neal had a strong finish to the series for Nashville, recording four goals and an assist in his final three contests.
Chicago advances to face the Minnesota Wild in a second round matchup that begins on Friday.
OHL GRADS (6): Bryan Bickell (Windsor Spitfires), Daniel Carcillo (Mississauga IceDogs), Andrew Desjardins (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Patrick Kane (London Knights),
Brandon Saad (Saginaw Spirit), Andrew Shaw (Owen Sound Attack).
CALGARY FLAMES
An exciting young group, the Calgary Flames feature recent OHL graduates in Sean Monahan (Ottawa 67’s) and Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs) turning heads up front while defencemen T.J. Brodie (Barrie Colts) and Dennis Wideman (London Knights) take care of business on the blueline.
Rookie forward Sam Bennett fit right in as the Flames got by the Canucks in six games. Bennett scored the game winning goal, his first in the NHL, 2:14 into the third period as Calgary took a 4-2 decision.
Monahan found the scoresheet consistently with two goals, three assists and five points while Brodie and Wideman registered four points each.
Former Belleville Bulls forward Matt Stajan closed out the series with a big performance, scoring the game winner with 4:17 remaining in the third period while also adding two assists to earn first star honours.
Two years removed from an OHL title, former London Knights forward Bo Horvat had a goal and three assists for Vancouver.
Calgary moves on to face the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
OHL GRADS (6): Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs), T.J. Brodie (Barrie Colts), Mark Giordano (Owen Sound Attack), Sean Monahan (Ottawa 67’s), Matt Stajan (Belleville Bulls), Dennis Wideman (London Knights).
MINNESOTA WILD
In perhaps the biggest upset of the first round, the Minnesota Wild eliminated the St. Louis Blues in six games as they advance to the Conference Semi-Finals to face the Chicago Blackhawks for a second straight season.
The Wild feature just two OHL graduates on the roster in a pair of former Kingston Frontenacs in Chris Stewart and Matt Cooke.
Stewart, who was acquired by Minnesota from the Buffalo Sabres mid-season, registered two assists while Cooke had one assist in three games.
The Wild and the Blackhawks begin their second round series on Friday.
OHL GRADS (2): Matt Cooke (Kingston Frontenacs), Chris Stewart (Kingston Frontenacs).
Eastern Conference
NEW YORK RANGERS
The Rangers got by the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games with help from six-time NHL All-Star and former London Knight Rick Nash who tied for the team scoring lead with a goal and three helpers.
Shutdown defencemen Dan Girardi (London Knights) and Marc Staal (Sudbury Wolves) were steady on the blueline while the blueshirts got their usual strong performance in goal from Henrik Lundqvist.
The Rangers advance to battle the Washington Capitals in a series that begins on Thursday.
OHL GRADS (5): Dan Girardi (London Knights), Kevin Klein (Guelph Storm), J.T. Miller (Plymouth Whalers), Marc Staal (Sudbury Wolves), Rick Nash (London Knights).
MONTREAL CANADIENS
Belleville Bulls graduate P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens are on to the second round after eliminating the Ottawa Senators in a hard fought six game series.
Subban led the way offensively for the Canadiens with a goal and three assists along with 23 shots on goal while Montreal received great goaltending from Carey Price who stymied the Senators with a .939 save percentage in the series.
Former Sarnia Sting forward and 2010 OHL Priority Selection first overall pick Alex Galchenyuk had a goal and an assist in the series for the Habs, providing the winner 3:40 into overtime of Game 2 to give them a 2-0 series lead.
London Knights graduate and 2005 MasterCard Memorial Cup Champion Brandon Prust picked up a pair of assists in the series.
OHL GRADS (5): Alex Galchenyuk (Sarnia Sting), Manny Malhotra (Guelph Storm), Brandon Prust (London Knights), Devante Smith-Pelly (Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors), P.K. Subban (Belleville Bulls).
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
It went right down to the wire, but the Tampa Bay Lightning are headed to the second round after defeating the Detroit Red Wings 2-0 in Game 7 on Wednesday.
Guelph Storm graduate Ryan Callahan chipped in with an assist on Braydon Coburn’s game winner 3:58 into the third period as the Bolts will move on to face the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Callahan finishes the series with three assists in seven contests and a plus/minus rating of plus-5.
Sarnia Sting graduate and 2008 first overall NHL Draft pick Steven Stamkos had three assists in the series for Tampa while former London Knights forward Vladislav Namestnikov notched one assist in six games.
OHL GRADS (3): Ryan Callahan (Guelph Storm), Vladislav Namestnikov (London Knights), Steven Stamkos (Sarnia Sting).
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
It will be interesting to see how the Capitals handle the New York Rangers after a lengthy seven game battle with the New York Islanders.
Former Owen Sound Attack forward Joel Ward scored a big goal late in the second period to get the Caps on the board in Game 7. London Knights graduate John Carlson pitched in with an assist on Evgeny Kuznetsov’s game winner with just over seven minutes left in regulation as the Caps took a 2-1 win.
Carlson and Ward finished the series with a goal and three assists each while Plymouth Whalers graduate Tom Wilson caught the attention of the opposition with his thunderous checks.
Islanders captain John Tavares (London Knights) led his club in scoring with two goals and four assists, scoring the overtime winner in Game 3 of the series.
The Capitals take on the Rangers in a rematch of the 2012 Eastern Conference Semi-Final that saw New York win in seven games.
OHL GRADS (7): Andre Burakovsky (Erie Otters). John Carlson (London Knights), Tim Gleason (Windsor Spitfires), Michael Latta (Guelph Storm), Justin Peters (Plymouth Whalers), Joel Ward (Owen Sound Attack), Tom Wilson (Plymouth Whalers).
