Jenner-als Jilt Frontenacs 6 – 4

Captain Boone Jenner had a three-point night on Friday as the Oshawa Generals laid a beating on their East Division rivals, the Kingston Frontenacs, winning 6 – 4 at the General Motors Centre (Ian Goodall/Goodall Media Inc.)

Frontenacs 4 – Generals 6
Regular Season Record:  5 – 1 – 0 – 0
Oshawa ON

Fans in Oshawa went to the fights on Friday evening and a hockey game eventually broke out.  A fight-filled second period highlighted a chippy East Divisional matchup between the Oshawa Generals and the Kingston Frontenacs.  Generals’ captain Boone Jenner led the way for the Generals with three assists and remains the league’s leader in points (15 points).  Acquired in a trade from Kingston on August 1st, winger Adam Lloyd scored the game winning goal against his former team to give Oshawa a 6 – 4 victory.  Friday’s contest was Lloyd’s first as a General and his first since recovering from a broken hand suffered in a pre-season exhibition match.

Six different Oshawa Generals scored goals against the Kingston Frontenacs.  Scoring for Oshawa was Scott Sabourin, Michael Dal Colle, Scott Laughton, Brian Hughes, Adam Lloyd and Tyler Biggs.  Biggs registered a Gordie Howe hat trick when he defended his team captain by exchanging knuckle sandwiches with Frontenacs’ defenseman Mikko Vainonen.  Vainonen had cross-checked Jenner in front of the Kingston goal on the Oshawa power play.  Instantaneously, Vainonen and the rest of his teammates were swarmed by the entire Generals’ power play unit defending their captain’s honour.  This year’s version of the Oshawa Generals is quickly building character.  Scoring for Kingston was Spencer Watson, Ryan Kujawinski, Darcy Greenaway and Slater Dogget.

While the Oshawa Generals appear to be the class of the East over the first six games of this young OHL season, the team collectively has to work at reducing the amount of needless penalties they are taking each game.  In the opening frame of Friday’s contest, Oshawa was guilty of taking five minor penalties, at times putting the Generals on their heels against a smaller, but speedy Frontenacs’ team.

The announced three stars of the game were Generals’ forward Brian Hughes (3rd star, one goal), Frontenacs’ forward and OHL player of the week, Ryan Kujawinski (2nd star, one goal, two assists) and Generals’ captain, Boone Jenner (1st star, three assists).  Other notables on this evening were defensemen Mikko Vainonen and Michael Moffat and forward Spencer Watson.  Oshawa defenseman Tyler Hore continues to play simple but solid defense for the Generals.  When the Generals skate and lay on the body, they collectively make things happen.  Sophomore forward Cole Cassels isn’t a passenger so far this season; he’s the driver, delivering crushing body checks and has been playing solid hockey at both ends of the rink.

Oshawa Generals’ sophomore forward Cole Cassels is quickly becoming a PK specialist. His game has moved to the next level (Ian Goodall/Goodall Media Inc.)

Generals’ goaltender Daniel Altshuller registered his fifth win (stopped 25-of-29 shots) of the season, while goaltender Mike Morrison (stopped 36-of-42 shots) registered the loss for the Frontenacs.  Altshuller definitely did not have his best game on this night, but still came up strong when needed as Kingston mounted a comeback in the third period to keep things interesting.  Perhaps Generals fans might finally see rookie backup goaltender Ken Appleby start in Oshawa’s next contest on Monday afternoon against the Belleville Bulls.  Game time is slotted for a 2:05 p.m. start.

For the entire boxscore, please click on the Ontario Hockey League link at:  http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/schedule/scoresheet/game/63245

For the love of the game, I remain, Dean Eastman.

Peterborough Petes no match for Oshawa Generals

Lucas Lessio celebrates after scoring the game’s first goal Thursday night as the Oshawa Generals were no match for the visiting Peterborough Petes. The Gens won the contest 5 -1 to bring their season record to 2 – 1 – 1 – 0.  Photo credit courtesy of MyKawartha.com.

Petes 2 – Generals 5
Oshawa ON

The 2012 – 13 version of the Oshawa Generals is an impressive combination of size, skill and determination.  The team will no longer be pushed around by its opponents as in prior OHL seasons–only 2 of the 24 players stand less than 6′ in height.  Opponents be forewarned; keep your head up and keep your skate blades in motion–this year’s collection of Oshawa Generals will hit anything that gets in their way.  Opposing teams won’t be walking away from the General Motors Centre with an easy two points in their pockets.  Every point will need to be earned.

The visiting Peterborough Petes learned exactly that on Thursday night.  The Petes were outshot 47 – 23 and were handed a convincing 5 – 1 loss at the hands of the Generals.    While the season is still young, every Generals’ skater is playing with a purpose–the team appears to be buying into Head Coach D.J. Smith’s game plan.

Goal scorers on the night for Oshawa were Lucas Lessio (3rd), Geoffrey Schemitsch (1st), Tyler Biggs (1st), Scott Laughton (1st) and Michael Dal Colle (1st).  Francis Menard registered Peterborough’s lone goal in the contest.  Biggs and Dal Colle’s two goals were the first of each skater’s OHL career.  The line of Biggs, Boone Jenner and Dal Colle is potently solid to say the least.  Both wing rookies are playing like experienced OHL skaters.

Normally billed as the league’s most heated rivalry, Oshawa and Peterborough only combined for three separate fighting majors.  One of the three fights may have proved costly for the Oshawa Generals.  At 2:40 of the third period, sophomore forward Sebastian Uvira stood up for himself and challenged Petes’ forward Chase Hatcher to a fight.  Moments prior, Hatcher delivered a blind-sided hit on Uvira in front of the Petes’ bench.  Uvira was awarded the win in the short-lived bout, but never did return to action in the final frame.  It is presumed that Uvira suffered an apparent hand injury in the fight.

Game stars were in favour of your hometown Generals:  defenseman Geoffrey Schemitsch (3rd star, 2 points), centreman Boone Jenner (2nd star, 2 points) and centreman Scott Laughton (1st star, 2 points).  Goaltender Daniel Altshuller registered his second win of the season.  Petes’ netminder, Michael Giugovaz suffered the loss.  The Generals’ record now stands at 2 – 1 – 0.

For the complete boxscore, please click the OHL link:  http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/schedule/scoresheet/game/63222

The Generals next game is scheduled for Saturday evening in Belleville with a 7:05 p.m. start when they face the conference-leading Bulls.

View from the Whitby cheap seats

Thank you for not trading away Sabourin

Hockey pundits often say you can’t teach size.  Thankfully for the Oshawa Generals, General Manager Jeff Twohey elected to retain the services of one Scott Sabourin and not Emerson Clark.  We all love what Clark brings to the table, but at times he can be reckless and has been known to take the odd bad penalty.   Sabourin on the other hand is more controlled and is not a liability at either end of the rink.

The Generals’ home opener saw Sabourin delivering a crushing hit on Petes’ defenceman Slater Koekkoek at the :30 second mark of the opening frame that got the fans and players on their feet.  Sabouring was challenged by Petes’ enforcer Derek Mathers only two seconds later–Sabourin accepted the invitation and while Sabourin did not win the fight, he definitely got his team motivated.

Sabourin continues to improve each season with his hockey playing skills.  I am excited to see his new level of competitiveness this season.  We may even see his name on the score sheet more often this season than ever before.

Penalty killers to keep your eye on

Oshawa forwards Scott Laughton and Cole Cassels each played a strong game on Thursday night.  Both players created some offensive chances on the penalty killing unit.  Both skaters are difficult to knock off the puck and are tenacious in the defensive zone breaking up any offensive chances created by the opposition.

Big Rig

According to his Twitter account (@AppleTreeSmitty), newly acquired Hunter Smith is beginning to accept his new nickname.  The 6’7″, 220 pound forward has been called “Big Rig” by some of his new teammates.  Backup netminder, Ken Appleby, indicates on Twitter that the “Apple Tree” handle belongs to him, not Smith.  On Thursday night, Smith absolutely crushed an unsuspected Petes’ player into tomorrow.  Expect to see Smith work on his skating this season and should see more ice time with the Uvira hand injury as Smith will take his place for the time being.

Stickhandling in a phone booth

Generals’ forward and Phoenix Coyotes’ drafted, Lucas Lessio is a man on a mission this season.  Lessio appears to be a completely different player, playing with confidence and appears to possess a ‘putting the team first’ attitude.  Lessio has been aggressive on the puck and is not tentative to rough play like he was last year.  So far this season, he is leaving the shenanigans at home and is focused on giving 100% on every shift.

For the love of the game, I remain, Dean Eastman.