Visentin Leads Niagara Icedogs to #1 Spot

DURHAM REGION - As the calendar creeps closer to March, that can mean only one thing in the OHL. The Playoffs are right around the corner! Every game at this time of year carries extra meaning in the OHL, where 16 of the 20 teams make the playoffs, and are consistently jockeying for a better seeding. There are no meaningless games this time of year, and we can really see which teams are rising to the top.

Starting this week, we will now take a moment to discuss all 20 OHL teams, how they fared this week, who’s on deck, and where they stand in the Playoff picture.

POWER RANKINGS
1. At the top spot in the OHL Power Rankings this week are the Niagara Icedogs (77.472), who have been playing a virtual game of leapfrog with Mississauga for this top spot in recent weeks. Niagara would take all three games this week, climbing now to just 4 points behind the Majors for the League lead. Victories over Kingston, Barrie, and Brampton this week secures the Icedogs as the new leader of the OHL Power Rankings. The only question now is, can they hang on to the top spot? (CHL Rank = 3)

2. The Owen Sound Attack (76.875) hold steady at #2 on this week’s Power Rankings. Owen Sound has not lost in regulation since January 22nd, a streak that has covered 10 games, and vaulted them into 1st place in the Western Conference. The Attack would take 5 out of a possible 6 points this weekend, starting a long road trip. Owen Sound would defeat Windsor on Thursday night by a 5-3 score, before dropping a game to the Saginaw Spirit, 4-3 in overtime, on Friday. Wrapping up in Plymouth, the Attack would earn a 2-1 victory on Saturday, and have now earned 19 points over their last 10 games. The road trip continues for Owen Sound this week, with games Wednesday and Thursday in Erie and Niagara, before finally returning home this Saturday to face the Oshawa Generals. (CHL Rank = 4)

3. A disappointing week for the former leaders of the Power Rankings, the Mississauga St. Michaels Majors (74.240) slip two places this week, landing at #3 in the OHL Power Rankings. After starting the weekend with a 5-3 win over Barrie, the Majors would falter on back to back nights on home ice. Mississauga had lost in regulation just 4 times at the Hershey Centre this season, but a 4-3 loss to Plymouth Friday was followed by a tough 4-2 loss to Ottawa on Sunday afternoon. The Majors face a big week coming up, as they look to avoid losing 3 straight on home ice when the Oshawa Generals visit on Wednesday. Friday night, Mississauga faces a tough challenge when they travel to Kitchener to face a good Rangers team, and then the Majors return home Sunday for a big contest against the rival Niagara Icedogs. (CHL Rank = 6)

4. The Ottawa 67’s (66.358) leap 3 spots this week, climbing into the top 5 on the strength of a big road win over the Mississauga Majors on Sunday afternoon, shocking the best team in the OHL. The win salvaged a weekend in which Ottawa was upset themselves, just 1 day earlier when the 67’s lost to the Barrie Colts. Ottawa also picked up a win this past week over the Erie Otters, and they continue to hold a 6 point lead in the East Division over the Oshawa Generals. Ottawa has a great chance to secure the Division this week, with a home-and-home series with the Belleville Bulls on deck Wednesday and Friday, followed by a trip to Brampton on Sunday. (CHL Rank = 15)

5. Despite losing two of their three games this week, the Kitchener Rangers (63.321) stay the course, and remain in the 5th spot on the OHL Power Rankings. A big 7-1 win over Sarnia started the week off well for the Rangers, but they would lose to the Saginaw Spirit in a shootout on Saturday before being embarrassed 8-3 by the Greyhounds, who are in last place in the West. It doesn’t get any easier for Kitchener, who face a visit into Windsor to take on the Spitfires on Wednesday, return home to face Mississauga on Friday, and the Sudbury Wolves on Sunday. (CHL Rank = 19)

6. The Plymouth Whalers (62.843) slip two spots to #6 in the OHL Power Rankings. After a big win in Mississauga on Friday night, the Whalers were unable to capitalize on momentum, as they would lose to Owen Sound 2-1 on Saturday, despite being better than the Western leaders for much of the game. Home and home with the Windsor Spitfires awaits the Whalers this week, before a Sunday afternoon matchup in Plymouth. (CHL Rank = 20)

7. The Oshawa Generals (62.245) were able to clinch a playoff spot this week, marking their first appearance in the post-season since 2008. That didn’t stop them from falling one spot this week to #7 on the OHL Power Rankings. Back to back losses to start the week against Brampton and Sudbury, two potential first round opponents this season hurt Oshawa’s chances of catching the Division leading 67’s, but a 6-4 win over Belleville on Sunday night salvaged what could have been a disasterous weekend for the Generals. Oshawa has tough road games coming up against both Conference leaders this week, Wednesday in Mississauga, and Saturday in Owen Sound. The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds pay their only visit to the GM Centre in Oshawa on Friday night, and the Generals wrap up a busy week by hosting the Brampton Battalion on Monday afternoon. (CHL Rank = 22)

8. The Windsor Spitfires (57.851) hold onto the 8th spot in the OHL Power Rankings, taking two out of three games this week. After a 6-4 loss to Owen Sound on Thursday, the Spits would travel to London and defeat the Knights 5-2 the next night. On Sunday, Windsor enjoyed a big afternoon, striking for 8 goals in a whitewashing of the Sarnia Sting. The Spitfires host the Kitchener Rangers on Wednesday, and then begin a home and home series with the Plymouth Rangers on Friday, finishing up in Michigan on Saturday night (CHL Rank = 25)

9. The Erie Otters (57.000) climb from #10 to #9 this week, as they would win two out of three on an Eastern Division road trip. The weekend started with the Otters losing a 4-3 game in Ottawa, but big wins, 6-1 Friday in Belleville and 10-3 Sunday in Kingston, has the Otters right in the thick of things in the tough Western Conference. Three home games are on tap for Erie this week, but visits from the Owen Sound Attack, Niagara Icedogs, and Guelph Storm are sure to give the Otters all they can handle. (CHL Rank = 26)

10. The Saginaw Spirit (56.417) jump back up 4 spots to re-enter the top 10 this week, after plummeting as low as 14th in recent weeks. Friday night in Owen Sound, the Spirit were able to come away with a big two points, getting a 4-3 overtime win. Extra time would be needed again the next night, as Saginaw was able to defeat the Kitchener Rangers in a shootout. Things are getting tight in the Western Conference, and the Spirit will have to be good over the final 15 games if they wish to win their division, and it starts this week. Three home games, with the struggling Barrie Colts and Sarnia Sting coming to town should keep Saginaw moving in the right direction, and Sunday afternoon, the Spirit host Plymouth. (CHL Rank = 28)

11. Down 2 spots this week, the London Knights (55.613) wind up at #11 in the OHL Power Rankings. The Knights could only manage one point in three games this week, all against beatable teams around the OHL. A 4-3 loss in overtime to Sarnia would be as close as London would get this week, dropping home games to Windsor and Guelph. The Knights will be looking to get back on track this week as they hit the road from three games, starting in Sault Ste. Marie, and then making stops in Sudbury and Barrie. With three games against sub .500 teams, look for London to have a big week. (CHL Rank = 30)

12. The Guelph Storm (54.778) were able to keep pace and hang onto the #12 spot in the Power Rankings with a pair of wins this week. After a disappointing 5-3 loss to Peterborough, the Storm were able to pull off consecutive victories over Brampton and London. The victories give them a comfortable 12 point cushion on the final playoff spot with 14 to go, but they are also just 8 points behind Windsor in 4th place in the Conference. With so much up for grabs, the Storm will want to be successful this week, playing the Peterborough Petes on Friday night, before traveling to Erie for a Saturday night game. Guelph wraps up their week with a game next Monday, hosting the Greyhounds. (CHL Rank = 32)

13. The Sudbury Wolves (49.724) fall from 11 to 13 this week, suffering a pair of defeats to teams lower than .500 this season. Thursday night in Sault Ste. Marie, the Wolves were shutout 6-0, never really competing. Sudbury answered back the following night, defeating a tough Oshawa Generals squad, 6-5. On Sunday, the Wolves let a 3rd period lead slip away in Peterborough, losing the game 2-1. Sudbury currently sits 7th in the East, but are just 3 points behind the Brampton Battalion. The Wolves host London on Friday before departing on a two game road trip, with stops in Kitchener on Sunday, and Sarnia on Monday. (CHL Rank = 37)

14. The Kingston Frontenacs (43.875) continue to spiral down the stretch, losing all three contests this week, and falling one spot on the OHL Power Rankings. Coach Doug Gilmour has had his hands full recently, but the loss of Erik Gudbanson, who is sitting out an 8 game suspension, has hurt this squad. Kingston lost 3-1 to Niagara, 3-2 to Barrie, and ended a bad week with a poor home ice performance in a 10-3 loss to Erie. The Fronts have now dropped 6 of their last 7, all played without Erik in their lineup. With Gudbanson’s return imminent, Kingston needs to start winning, as they only hold a 3 point lead on Brampton for 5th place in the East, and Sudbury isn’t far behind as well. The Fronts play Thursday night in Peterborough, before hosting Brampton on Friday night in a big Eastern Conference matchup. Kingston finishes their week at home to Ottawa on Monday. (CHL Rank = 41)

15. Coming off a big week, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (42.455) are up one spot this week, winning all three contests on home ice. A sound 6-0 defeat of the Sudbury Wolves on Thursday got the ball rolling, and after defeating the Peterborough Petes 4-3 on Friday, they would win convincingly over the Kitchener Rangers on Sunday, by a score of 8-3. The three victories move the Greyhounds past the Sarnia Sting for 9th in the West, but the Soo are still 12 points behind the Guelph Storm for the final playoff spot, and with only 14 games remaining, time is running out. The Hounds will have to continue their winning ways this week, with 4 games in the next 7 days, against some quality opponents. They host the London Knights on Wednesday, before a three game road trip takes them to Oshawa Saturday, Belleville on Sunday, and wraps up in Guelph on Monday. (CHL Rank = 43)

16. The Brampton Battalion (38.838) are down another spot this week, now sitting at 16 this week. While starting the week off right with a 3-1 victory over Oshawa in Coach Stan Butler’s 1000th Game, the Battalion were unable to follow up with any success, losing to Guelph 4-2, and 3-1 to the Niagara Icedogs. While Brampton currently sits in 6th place in the East, they are just 3 points behind Kingston for 5th, and only 3 points ahead of Sudbury in 7th. Things are getting tight in the Eastern Conference, and the Battalion look to move up this week with three games against Conference rivals, playing Friday in Kingston, hosting Ottawa on Saturday, and traveling to Oshawa on Monday. (CHL Rank = 48)

17. The Sarnia Sting (34.330) manage to hang onto #17 in the OHL Power Rankings, despite falling into last place in the Western Conference. The Sting got the week started right with a 4-3 overtime victory against the London Knights on Thursday, but were completely outclassed in back to back games over the weekend, defeated 7-1 by Kitchener, and 8-0 by Windsor. 13 points out of a playoff spot, the Sting are already looking ahead to next season. Sarnia hosts Barrie on Friday, plays in Saginaw on Saturday, and then return home to face Sudbury on Monday. (CHL Rank = 51)

18. The Peterborough Petes (33.833) jump two spots out of the cellar this week, landing at #18 after chalking up 4 points in 6 games this weekend, and regaining the 8th and final playoff spot in the East. An impressive 5-3 win over Guelph on Thursday got the Petes feeling good about themselves, and the following night, the Petes just failed to complete a 3 goal comeback, falling 4-3 to Sault Ste. Marie. On Saturday, Peterborough would continue to play good hockey, and were rewarded with a hard fought 2-1 comeback win over Sudbury on Saturday. The Petes hold a 2 point lead on the Belleville Bulls for the final playoff spot, but the Bulls’ 2 games in hand mean that Peterborough needs to win as many as possible over the final 14 games. Thursday, the Petes host Kingston before heading on the road to play in Guelph Friday. On Monday, Peterborough and Belleville begin a home and home series that will most likely dictate which team will make the playoffs this year. (CHL Rank = 52)

19. The Belleville Bulls (31.231) have fallen a spot in the Eastern Conference, and in our OHL Power Rankings, back into #19 this week. On Friday, the Bulls went into Kingston, where they managed a 3-2 win over a struggling Frontenacs squad, but would fail to build on the win, dropping a 6-1 game to Erie the next night. On Sunday, the Bulls would get off to a good start in Oshawa, but playing their third game in three nights, the Generals would eventually defeat Belleville 6-4. Now 2 points behind Peterborough for the last playoff spot in the East, this week is huge for Belleville, as they play a home and home series against the Division leading Ottawa 67’s on Wednesday and Friday, then host the Greyhounds on Saturday before starting a big home and home series with Peterborough on Monday. (CHL Rank = 55)

20. Welcome home! The Barrie Colts (30.384) are back at the bottom of this week’s OHL Power Standings, after spending 1 week at #19. To be fair, it’s not every week you have to play the top 3 teams in the East consecutively. Barrie dropped a 5-3 decision to Mississauga on Thursday, and were blanked in Niagara by the Icedogs on Friday. A big 3-1 win over the Ottawa 67’s earned an important two points for the Colts this weekend, as they remain 8 points behind Peterborough in the race for the playoffs. Barrie plays in Saginaw on Thursday and Sarnia on Friday, and then return home to host London on Saturday. (CHL Rank = 57)

3 STARS
1st Star: Niagara Icedogs goaltender Mark Visentin is the Standing Room Only OHL 1st Star Of The Week, picking up 3 wins and a shutout in his 3 games this week. Known as the goaltender of Canada’s World Junior team, Mark would show glimpses of why he was selected this week, as he would give up just 2 goals. Beaten just once in victories over Kingston and Brampton, and earning a shutout over the Barrie Colts, Visentin would carry his team to the top spot in the OHL Power Rankings with a .973 save percentage. For his efforts, Mark Visentin earns the OHL 1st Star of the Week.

2nd Star: Star #2 this week goes to right winger Jason Akeson of the Kitchener Rangers. His 2 goal, 5 point night Friday, in a 7-1 win over Sarnia, would ward performance of the week awards, but he would also register 5 more points over three other games this past week. Jason would finish with 3 goals and 7 assists in his 4 games this week, and earns the S.R.O. OHL 2nd Star for the week of February 7th-13th.

3rd Star: Another member of Canada’s World Junior team from last month, defenceman Ryan Ellis of the Windsor Spitfires is our 3rd Star, raking up a goal and 7 assists in three games this week. Somewhat quietly, Ryan has put together another outstanding season this year in Windsor, and he would have multi-point games in all three contests this week. Thursday, against the Conference leading Owen Sound Attack, Ryan would score once, and add 3 helpers, but the Spits would lose the game 6-4. Ellis would add a pair of assists in games Friday in London and Sunday against the Sting, and his 8 points is enough to be named the OHL 3rd Star for the week.

We’ll be back next week with another Three Star Selection from the Ontario Hockey League, as well as an update to our Power Rankings!

Anthony Nicholson writes for News24 Network, as well as for Standing Room Only Hockey. You can contact him on Twitter at @N24Nicholson.