OHL: Knights hold off Rangers to complete second-round series sweep
By The Canadian Press on April 18, 2024.
KITCHENER, Ont. – Jacob Julien scored a hat trick in leading the London Knights past the Kitchener Rangers 4-3 to finish off a second-round sweep on Thursday in Ontario Hockey League playoff action. Kasper Halttunen had the other goal for London, which earned its second straight sweep of the post-season. Michael Simpson made 26 saves. The Knights now await the winner between the Saginaw Spirit and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the final remaining second-round series. That series is tied 2-2, with Game 5 in the best-of-seven series set for Friday. Trent Swick, with two goals, and Carson Rehkopf replied for Kitchener. Jackson Parsons stopped 25 shots. A run of three unanswered goals in the second period gave London a 4-1 edge late in the frame. Swick trimmed the deficit with 18 seconds left in the second before making it a one-score contest with 2:47 left in the third period. But that was as close as the Rangers would get. — BATTALION 5 WOLVES 0 (Battalion win best-of-seven series 4-0) SUDBURY, Ont. – Sandis Vilmanis had a hat trick and an assist, Mike McIvor earned a 36-save shutout and the North Bay Battalion cruised past the Sudbury Wolves 5-0 to complete the second-round sweep. Dalyn Wakely scored two goals for North Bay, which advances to the Eastern Conference Championship series for the third straight year. Jakub Vondras surrendered three goals on six shots in the opening 17:52 of the game before exiting. Marcus Vandenberg turned away all 13 shots he faced in relief as the Battalion scored two empty-netters in the third period. — GENERALS 4 67’S 1 (Generals win best-of-seven series 4-0) OTTAWA — Owen Griffin had a goal and an assist, Jacob Oster made 31 saves and the Oshawa Generals topped the Ottawa 67’s 4-1 to close out their second-round sweep. Calum Ritchie, Dylan Roobroeck and Luke Torrance also scored for Oshawa, which will face North Bay in the Eastern Conference Championship series next. Thomas Sirman had the lone goal for Ottawa. * This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application. This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 18, 2024. 21-20
