OHL playoffs: Vanacker leads Bulldogs to 4-3 overtime win over Battalion

By Canadian Press on April 1, 2025.

NORTH BAY, Ont. — Marek Vanacker’s second goal of the game, scored at 5:29 of overtime, lifted the visiting Brantford Bulldogs to a 4-3 victory over the North Bay Battalion in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Tuesday at Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens.

Luca Testa and Noah Nelson also scored for the Bulldogs, who grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead in the first-round, best-of-seven series. Patrick Thomas chipped in with two assists.

Ethan Procyszyn, Lirim Amidovski and Jacob Therrien scored for the Battalion, who were outshot 38-34.

The Battalion went 1-for-5 on the power play, while the Bulldogs were 0-for-3.

Game 4 in the series is Thursday in North Bay.

Elsewhere in the OHL playoffs on Tuesday:

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FRONTENACS 4 WOLVES 2

(Frontenacs lead best-of-seven series 3-0)

SUDBURY, Ont. — Cedrick Guindon had a goal and an assist as the visiting Kingston Frontenacs defeated the Sudbury Wolves 4-2.

Ben Pickell, Matthew Soto and Maleek McGowan also scored for the Frontenacs, who grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. Quinton Burns chipped in with two assists.

Donovan McCoy and Quentin Musty scored for the Wolves, who were outshot 36-27.

Game 4 is Thursday in Sudbury.

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KNIGHTS 7 ATTACK 4

(Knights lead best-of-seven series 3-0)

OWEN SOUND, Ont. — Easton Cowan and Sam O’Reilly each had two goals and two assists as the visiting London Knights beat the Owen Sound Attack 7-4.

Jared Woolley, Denver Barkey and Sam Dickinson also scored for the Knights, who grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. Dickinson chipped in with three assists, and Barkey added a pair of helpers.

Declan Waddick, Landen Hookey, Ben Cormier and Tristan Delisle scored for the Attack, who were outshot 39-22.

Game 4 is scheduled for Thursday in Owen Sound.

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ICEDOGS 6 COLTS 4

(Colts lead best-of-seven series 2-1)

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. — Alex Assadourian and Kevin He both scored twice as the Niagara IceDogs knocked off the visiting Barrie Colts 6-4.

Blake Arrowsmith and Ryan Roobroeck also scored for the IceDogs, who now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1. Andrei Loshko and Mathieu Paris each added two assists.

Owen Van Steensel, Anthony Romani, Riley Patterson and Emil Hemming scored for the Colts, who outshot the hosts 39-33.

Game 4 is Thursday in St. Catharines.

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FIREBIRDS 2 RANGERS 0

(Rangers lead best-of-seven series 2-1)

FLINT, Mich. — Matthew Wang and Kaden Pitre scored in the third period and Nathan Day made 38 saves as the Flint Firebirds beat the visiting Kitchener Rangers 2-0.

The Rangers, who outshot the hosts 38-22, still lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

Game 4 is Thursday in Flint.

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GENERALS 7 STEELHEADS 5

(Generals lead best-of-seven series 2-1)

BRAMPTON, Ont. — Owen Griffin scored three goals and added an assist as the visiting Oshawa Generals defeated the Brampton Steelheads 7-5.

Luca Marrelli, Matthew Buckley, Brooks Rogowski and Calum Ritchie also scored for the Generals, who now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Colby Barlow, Beckett Sennecke and Marrelli each chipped in with two assists.

Carson Rehkopf scored twice for the Steelheads, while Gabriel Chiarot, Porter Martone and Mason Zebeski netted singles. Zebeski and Martone each added two assists.

Game 4 is Thursday in Brampton.

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SPIRIT 3 OTTERS 2 (OT)

(Otters lead best-of-seven series 2-1)

ERIE, Penn. — Zayne Parekh’s second goal of the game, scored at 14:07 of overtime, lifted the visiting Saginaw Spirit to a 3-2 win over the Erie Otters.

Calem Mangone also scored for the Spirit, who now trail the best-of-seven series 2-1. Parekh earned an assist on Mangone’s goal.

Sam Alfano and Malcolm Spence scored for the Otters. Martin Misiak chipped in with two assists.

Game 4 is Thursday in Erie.

* This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2025.

The Canadian Press

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