March 12, 2023

Saturday Highlights: Hat tricks pave the way to victory

Kitchener Rangers 3, Windsor Spitfires 6

The Spits trailed 3-2 midway through the third period, coming back with four unanswered goals to end Kitchener’s six-game winning streak
New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio became the League’s first 100-point scorer, finding the back of the net while adding three primary assists
Seattle Kraken prospect Shane Wright scored a hat trick and went 19-for-28 in the faceoff circle
Rodwin Dionicio finished the night with three assists for Windsor, spending time up on the forward ranks
Matthew Sop scored a pair of goals for Kitchener, with one coming shorthanded
Mathias Onuska turned aside 34 shots for the win, Windsor’s 40th of the season; they’re tied with London at 86 points for first place in the Western Conference
The 30-27-4-0 Rangers sit one point back of seventh place Guelph in the Western Conference

Flint Firebirds 7, Erie Otters 4

Chicago Blackhawks prospect Gavin Hayes stayed hot, recording his second hat trick of the season along with an assist; Hayes has points in 14 of his last 15 games
Zacharie Giroux scored the unassisted, shorthanded game winner with 5:54 left in the second, breaking a 4-4 tie
2023 NHL Draft prospect Coulson Pitre had two goals and an assist, giving him 101 points on his OHL career
Winnipeg Jets prospect Dmitry Kuzmin recorded an assist, giving him 45 on the season, a new Firebirds club record by a blueliner
Draft eligible forward Carey Terrance scored his club-leading 28th goal of the season
St. Louis Blues prospect Will Cranley stopped 21-of-21 in relief to earn the win as the Firebirds won their sixth in a row
The loss is Erie’s fourth in a row as the Otters fall to 20-36-1-5

Mississauga Steelheads 5, Kingston Frontenacs 2

Rookie forward Porter Martone scored his first career OHL hat trick, netting goals 16, 17 and 18 on the season
Adam Zidlicky and Zander Veccia added Mississauga goals as the Trout ended a five-game slide
Nathan Poole and Ethan Miedema scored for Kingston as the Fronts were outshot 33-23
Ryerson Leenders stopped 21 of 23 for the win
Mississauga holds down sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 29-26-6-0 record
The Frontenacs trail Oshawa by one point for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference

Oshawa Generals 4, Owen Sound Attack 7

Up 4-3 entering the third, Owen Sound pulled away with three in the final frame, claiming the final playoff spot in the Western Conference
Overage blueliner Nolan Seed was the game’s first star with a goal, assist and plus-4 rating
Top 2023 NHL Draft prospect Colby Barlow opened the scoring 14 seconds in with his 46th of the season
Attack rookies Antonio Tersigni and Ben Cormier each scored their second goal of the season
Generals veteran Stuart Rolofs scored goals 29 and 30 on the campaign, also adding an assist
Owen Sound rookie Carter George made 30 saves for the win as the Bears outshot the Generals 49-34
The Generals were limited to 16 skaters, missing star forward Calum Ritchie for the third straight game
Owen Sound’s 30th win gives the Attack 12 consecutive seasons with at least 30 victories
Oshawa’s fifth straight loss drops their record to 24-31-1-5; they hold a one-point edge on Kingston for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference

Ottawa 67’s 3, Niagara IceDogs 2

Cameron Tolnai, Brady Stonehouse and Brad Gardiner scored goals as Ottawa skated to a fifth straight win
Tolnai picked up an assist, giving him 100 on his OHL career
Anaheim Ducks prospect Pavel Mintyukov had a pair of helpers; he leads OHL blueliners with 81 points (23-58–81) in 63 games
Declan Waddick and David Jesus scored Niagara goals
Collin MacKenzie made 29 saves, improving to 17-2-3-0 opposite Niagara’s Owen Flores, who turned aside 45 shots

Soo Greyhounds 1, Saginaw Spirit 3

Calem Mangone scored twice, leading the Spirit to their fourth win in five games
Minnesota Wild prospect Hunter Haight collected three primary assists while Joey Willis finished the night with two helpers
Owen Allard scored Sault Ste. Marie’s lone goal midway through the contest
Tristan Lennox stopped 27 of 28 for the win opposite Sault Ste. Marie’s Charlie Schenkel, who made 35 stops
The Spirit lead fifth place Flint by five points for home ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs
Sault Ste. Marie’s third straight loss sees them officially eliminated from postseason contention

Sudbury Wolves 2, Barrie Colts 5

The Colts racked up 50 shots as San Jose Sharks prospect Ethan Cardwell scored his 37th and 38th goals in their fourth straight win
Jacob Frasca’s 25th of the season 3:16 into the third period was the game winner
Callum Chisholm recorded a pair of primary assists for Barrie
Seattle Kraken prospect David Goyette had a goal and an assist while Kocha Delic picked up two assists for Sudbury
Arizona Coyotes prospect Anson Thornton stopped 27 of 29 for the win while Sudbury’s Kevyn Brassard turned away 38 of 40 in a relief appearance
Barrie trails Central Division-leading North Bay by three points
The Wolves are two points back of sixth place Mississauga in the Eastern Conference