In a re-match of our Jan. 24th game, it’s the Barrie Colts at home to the Mississauga Steelheads in Game 7 of their first-round playoff series.
The Colts earned the No. 2 seed in the OHL’s Eastern Conference by virtue of finishing first in the Central division thanks to points in eight of their final 10 games. Mississauga flirted with home-ice advantage during the final month of the season, but ended up finishing six points behind Niagara in seventh spot in the conference.
To say the series has been entertaining is an understatement. Game 1 was postponed two days by a power outage in Barrie and only one of the six contests has featured fewer than seven goals—yet each team has a shutout in the series. Two of the games have gone to overtime, one of those to double OT. There have been lead changes, goalie changes and line changes.
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Mississauga Steelheads
33-30-2-3 (16-15-1-2 Home) 4th Central Div., 7th Eastern Conference, 3-3 Playoffs
With their backs to the wall at home in Game 6, Mississauga came out flying, scoring three goals before the 6:30 mark of the first en route to a 7-0 win to force the decisive tilt. Thirteen different Steelheads had points, while Jack Flinn made 24 saves for his first OHL playoff shutout.
There’s no doubt who will start for Mississauga in goal Tuesday night. Flinn was acquired before the season and Mississauga has worked him to the bone. He led the league in minutes played, saves, shutouts and losses, and was third in wins. He’s played every minute of the series for the Steelheads.
| Individual Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Scorers | GP | G | A | PTS | Note |
| Alexander Nylander | 5 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 7th OHL Pts |
| Daniel Muzito-Bagenda | 6 | 6 | 3 | 9 | |
| Michael McLeod | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | |
| Mason Marchment | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | |
| Everett Clart | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| In Goal | |||||
| Jack Flinn (3-2-1-0, 2.63, .917%) |
Defensively, the Steelheads are young. Nick Osmanski is expected to go in the middle rounds of the 2016 NHL Draft, while Nicolas Hague is an up and comer eligible in 2017, where he will likely go in the first round. The Sean Day story has been well documented and he’s coming off the his best game in the series.
Stefan LeBlanc is a Steady Eddie-type with some sneaky offensive upside. Jared Walsh missed almost four months in the regular season, but got back into 10 games at the end of the schedule. He’s been a big addition to the Steelheads lineup, eating up minutes, defending and a few points. Stephen Gibson rounds out the group.
Mississauga’s offence is driven by it’s collection of draft eligible gems. It starts with Alexander Nylander who missed Game 1 of the series, only to come back with a third period hat trick to lead the Steelheads to a Game 2 victory.
The top-ranked Nylander has 11 points in the series. (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)
Michael McLeod won’t be far behind Nylander in the draft’s top 10. He plays like his hair is on fire, he’s a leader and he’s good in the faceoff circle. Nathan Bastian missed Game 6 and his status is up in the air for Tuesday’s contest.
| Team Stats | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PP | 7/32=21.9% | 9th | |
| PK | 5/25=80% | 6th | |
| GF/gm | 4 | 5th | |
| GA/gm | 3.33 | 7th |
Everett Clark is the engine who drives Mississauga, he’s tenacious, skates well and wins draws. Captain Josh Burnside is as honest as they come. Mason Marchment provides physical presence and point-producing ability. Owen Tippett will also be a first-round pick in 2017, while Ryan McLeod will be a first-rounder in 2018.
NHL Drafted/Signed Players
nil
NHL Central Scouting MIdterm Rankings
Alexander Nylander, No. 3
Michael McLeod, No. 6
Nathan Bastian, No. 19
Sean Day, No. 43
Austin Osmanski, No. 153
Under The Radar
Jack Flinn has been Mississauga’s rock. He played in 64 of 68 games and finished the regular season with 32 wins, 3rd best in the OHL.
Barrie Colts
43-22-0-3 (25-7-0-2 Home) 1st Central Div., 2nd Eastern Conference, 3-3 Playoffs
Barrie played well at home all season long and was 3-0 versus Mississauga during the regular season, with all three victories by three goals or more. Over the past five seasons, including playoffs, the Colts are 16-5 against Mississauga at the Barrie Molson Centre.
The Colts have a conundrum in goal. Mackenzie Blackwood started the series, but was pulled in double overtime of Game 3, supposedly due to injury. David Ovsjannikov then started games four, five and six, but was yanked before the seven-minute mark in Sunday, replaced by Blackwood and leaving an abundance of speculation for who will start Game 7.
| Individual Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top Scorers | GP | G | A | PTS | Note |
| Kevin Labanc | 6 | 3 | 6 | 9 | |
| Rasmus Andersson | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | |
| Justin Scott | 6 | 7 | 0 | 7 | T 2nd OHL G |
| Andrew Mangiapane | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
| Julius Nattinen | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| In Goal | |||||
| David Ovsjannikov (2-1-1-0, 4.11, .868) |
On the blueline, the Colts possess good offensive pieces in Calgary prospect Rasmus Andersson and Michael Webster who combined to put up 104 regular season points, with Andersson pacing all OHL defencemen. Barrie’s two shutdown defencemen—Cameron Lizotte and Greg DiTomaso—were both mid-season acquisitions while Josh Carrick and Justin Murray are tweeners who put up good numbers on both sides of the puck.
After 51 goals in the regular season, Mangiapane has been relatively quiet with just three in the series. (Terry Wilson/OHL Images)
Barrie’s team success revolves around the offence and there’s plenty of it, beginning with Calgary prospect Andrew Mangiapane and Sharks signee Kevin Labanc who lead the OHL with 127 points. Another Sharks prospect, Dylan Sadowy, as well as Anthony Stefano thrived with their speed after being acquired during the season.
| Team Stats | Rank | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| PP | 5/25=20% | 11th | |
| PK | 7/32=78.1% | 8th | |
| GF/gm | 3.33 | 10th | |
| GA/gm | 4 | 12th |
Julius Nattinen is good in the faceoff circle and on the power play. Overager Justin Scott has scored seven goals in the series, accounting for a thirdof Barrie’s offence. Keigan Goetz brings high-flying ability, while Ben Hawerchuk is a pesky and can get under the opponent’s skin. Cordell James, Chicago prospect Roy Radke and Adrian Carbonara add some grit and decent offensive output.
NHL Drafted/Signed Players
Mackenzie Blackwood (NJ, 42nd 2015)
Rasmus Andersson (CGY, 53rd in 2015)
Julius Nattinen (ANA, 59th in 2015)
Dylan Sadowy (SJ, 81st in 2014)
Roy Radke (CHI, 164th in 2015)
Andrew Mangiapane (CGY, 166th in 2015)
Kevin Labanc (SJ, 171st in 2014)
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings
Ben Hawerchuk, No. 159
Justin Murray, No. 171
Under The Radar
Justin Scott has been a one-man wrecking crew. He’s got size and skill and is a Colt through and through, having been a fourth-round OHL pick in 2011.
Based on the previous six games of this series, put your helmet on and enjoy the ride, because it’s anyone’s guess who will win.