Four posts in two weeks? I’m a wild man. Hello all, we’re getting to the end of the line as only three of the four prospects are moving on to their conference finals.
Peter Quenneville-Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL-Won Series 4-1) S
eries Stats 5GP 3-3-6 +5 2PIM
Playoff Stats 10GP 4-6-10 +2 4PIM
Peter and the Wheat Kings took on the Regina Pats in the WHL’s Eastern Conference Final and won the series in six games. Peter was held pointless in the first two games -both of which were Wheat Kings victories. In game three, when the series switched to Regina, Peter scored his second of the playoffs and first since game one against Edmonton. The Kings were trailing 3-1 late in the second when Peter worked from his usual spot and finished off a one timer to make it 3-2. In game four, Peter helped open the scoring when he sent a cross rink pass to Kale Clague whose shot was tipped by Nolan Patrick to make it 1-0. After two Pats goals, Peter scored when Ivan Provorov carried the puck in and dropped it to Eric Roy. Roy passed to Peter who had an almost empty net to shoot into to make it 2-2 in a 3-2 overtime win.
In the series clinching game, Peter was the star and had him securing a point in each of the Wheat Kings wins. First with the Kings shorthanded, Peter gathered a loose puck and skated in to find Nolan Patrick who made it 1-0. After two Pats goals, the duo combined again (but you can’t see Peter’s assist in the highlight). After little brother John scored the series winner in the first round, it wasn now Peter’s turn. John did most of the work by going into the corner and finding a trailing Peter who scored to send the Wheat Kings into a matchup against the Calgary Hitmen.
The Hitmen finished second to Brandon 19 points behind the Kings.
Blake Siebenaler-Niagara IceDogs (OHL-Lost Series 1-4)
Series Stats 5GP 0-0-0 -1 8PIM
Final Playoff Stats 11GP 0-1-1 -1 8PIM
Blake and the Dogs advanced to face the top team in the Eastern Conference – the Oshawa Generals and the series probably went as expected for a fifth seed going against the top seed. All of the wins were by more than two goals. Blake was held pointless in all five games. Blake will more than likely be back in Niagara next year as one of the team’s top dmen.
Nick Moutrey-North Bay Battalion (OHL-Won Series 4-1)
Series Stats 5GP 4-3-7 +1 4PIM
Playoff Stats 9GP 4-5-9 +3 6PIM
Nick and the Troops took on the Barrie Colts in the Eastern Conference Semifinal and earned a 4-1 series win. Starting off in game one, Nick got North Bay on the board when on a five on three and a half (player with no stick) the Battalion worked a pretty passing play with Nick Paul finding Moutrey in front to make it 1-1 in a 3-2 Colts game one win. The goal was Nick’s first career playoff goal. Nick was held pointless in a game two Battalion win before scoring again when the series shifted to North Bay.
Again, with the Troops on the power play and trailing 1-0, Nick Amadio skated in with Moutrey banging in the rebound to tie it at 1 in a 4-2 Battalion win.
Next in game four, it would be a long one. First Nick picked up an assist on the Battalion’s second goal and actually did most of the work making it happen. He drove to the net and took a shot that a Colt may have got a piece of but Nick absorbed a hit and allowed Nick Paul to gather the loose puck and find Mike Amadio in front for a one timer, making it 2-0. 40 seconds after a Colts goal made it 2-1 Nick scored another one in the series. Out of a board battle, Ryan Kujawinski (even though the announcer said Alex Henriksson) absorbed a check and sent a pass to Nick who fired a shot to make it 3-1. The Colts would score two third period goals to force overtime… and then another overtime. That’s right folks, we got all the way to double overtime before the Troops decided to win it.
In double overtime, Nick took a stretch pass from Breden Miller that led to a two on half (dman too tired to get back) with Nick passing it to Kujawinski to end it. Nick was named second star in the win.
n the deciding game five, Nick picked up more points. Midway through the first period Brenden Miller fired a shot that led to a scramble with the pay by play man thinking Nick scored it but he got an assist on Nick Paul’s goal to make it 2-1. Due to a cross checking penalty at 19:58 of the second period, the Troops opened the third on the power play. It was then that Nick Amadio skated in and shot. The attempt was blocked but Amadio got the puck back and found Nick to make it 6-3 in a 7-5 Battalion win. For those of you scoring at home, that’s the second CBJ prospect to score the series clinching goal.
Up next for the Battalion is a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals with a matchup against the Oshawa Generals. Last year, the Battalion won the series in a sweep. Most of the OHL writers have North Bay winning the series but they make it sound like it may be a war (no pun intended…what? Battalion, Generals)
Oliver Bjorkstrand-Portland Winterhawks (WHL-Won Series 4-1)
Series Stats 5GP 5-1-6 +3 4PIM
Playoff Stats 11GP 10-8-18 +10 4PIM 3rd in scoring 1st in goals
For the second series in a row it was a US Division matchup against the Everett Silvertips for the Winterhawks. Oliver had his three game point streak snapped in game one – a 5-3 Silvertips win. In the three games he only collected 10 points (4-6-10). In game two, Oliver was quiet for 80 minutes before scoring the game winner 29 seconds into the double overtime when, off a Nic Petan faceoff win, Oliver deked through everyone in green to score the Hawks first double overtime winner since 2004.
After five days off (thanks to Garth Brooks and a local beer event taking both of the Hawks homes) the series got going again. In the third Oliver was Oliver. He scored two goals just 1:47 apart. First Paul Bittner gathered a loose puck/left puck from Nic Petan firing a shot that Oliver tapped in to make it 3-0. 1:47 later, with the Hawks on the power play, Nic Petan passed to Chase De Leo who found Oliver who fired a howitzer to make it 4-0 in a 5-3 Hawks win.
Game four again went to overtime with Oliver picking up his only assist of the series on the game winner(but it doesn’t look like Oliver touched it in the highlight). In game five Oliver scored two more each about five minutes apart. The first one came in the second but due to a terrible camera man anyone outside of the XFINITY Arena didn’t see it… but you did get to see a Tips player have a hissy fit (haha). 5:21 later Oliver had a two on two but instead, decided to do it his dang self when he fired a shot to make it 3-1 in a 3-2 game five win.
So yes folks, that’s three CBJ prospects all scoring their team’s series clinching goal. Oliver is currently second in WHL scoring while leading the playoffs in goals. The win sent the Winterhawks into their fifth straight Western Conference final against the Kelowna Rockets who they faced in last year’s final with the Hawks winning the series four to one.
The Hawks and Rockets have played in the playoffs four of the last five playoffs with Portland winning the last three. The Rockets loaded up this year adding Oilers first rounder “The Deutschland Dangler” Leon Draisaitl and Jets first rounder Josh Morrissey along with Lucas Johansen of Port Moody, B.C. …why does that last name/city combination sound familiar?
There you have it folks. We’re coming to the end of the line of the season as were down to just three prospects still in it for the CHL, a few kids playing in the World Championships, and, maybe Oscar Dansk if he makes it into a Wings playoff game, (Oscar won his first ECHL game last week).
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