Montreal Canadiens: Advancing to the next round and a crucial Game 7
Montreal Canadiens prospects are continuing their playoffs as the OHL has gone to the second round while the WHL is on the cusp of wrapping up their first.
Playoffs in the OHL and WHL has gone on for almost two weeks now. If you’re a Montreal Canadiens fan looking forward to the future, those are the spots to be putting your focus into. Fortunately, there have been some eliminations involving a prospect in the Habs system, and hopefully, the others continue the battle for as long as possible.
The OHL has already wrapped up their remaining games of the first round. Hayden Verbeek and William Bitten have been sitting pretty as their teams advanced easily winning their series in four and five games respectively. Michael Pezzetta and the Sarnia Sting had more of a challenge but managed to do away with the Windsor Spitfires on April Fools Day. The final game of the series ended 5-2, and the 2016 sixth-round pick had a single assist.
Pezzetta finished the opening round against Windsor with two points (a goal and that assist in the elimination game). Bitten had two goals and five assists while Verbeek put up a goal and two assists in the series sweep.
The second round in the 2018 OHL Playoffs is set to begin on Wednesday. Verbeek and the Sault. St. Marie Greyhounds will be taking on the Owen Sound Attack who swept the London Knights. It will be a rematch of last year’s playoffs which had Owen Sound walk away with the series victory.
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Bitten’s Bulldogs and the Niagra Ice Dogs are matched up for the next round as well while Pezzetta will be seeing the Kitchener Rangers for a best of seven. Obviously, we wish them all luck and a victory for both Verbeek and Pezzetta will have them face off against each other in the Conference Finals.
The WHL Playoffs are still in their second round, but things are getting very interesting. Unfortunately, Jarett Tyszka and his Seattle Thunderbirds were eliminated on Friday after a 7-3 loss to the Everett Silvertips. The 19-year-old missed the final two games with an injury and had an assist in the opening three. Scott Walford is another Montreal Canadiens prospect unable to play as an upper-body injury shut him down for the remainder of the series.
.@victoriaroyals GM Cam Hope says that Tyler Soy was injured in the third-period scrum Thursday with @WHLGiants Tyler Benson and "it looks like he's out for the rest of the series." Was only willing to call it an upper body injury.
— Steve Ewen (@SteveEwen) March 30, 2018
Cale Fleury and the Regina Pats were also eliminated Monday night after a 3-2 loss to the Swift Current Broncos. Fleury was continuing the offensive production in the playoffs that had him fifth in scoring on the team in the regular season with four assists in the seven games. It’s unfortunate to see him out so early, but that’s the way things go sometimes.
On a more positive note, Josh Brook is in a make or break situation. The Moose Jaw Warriors are in a Game 7 situation, similar to Fleury and the Pats, and the next victory takes the series. Brook has been all-world for Moose Jaw making the highlight reels for both offensive and defensive plays. He, as well as Bitten, have appeared to have taken their game to the next level and it’s been great to see.
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Let’s send some reassuring thoughts to Brook and the Warriors whose game is set for Tuesday night. Based on what he’s done in the playoffs, it’s fair to say that Montreal Canadiens fans want more.