Sunday, April 4, 2010

4/3 Recap: Kassian clicking; Adams ends well

In the OHL playoffs, Zack Kassian (+1) earned an assist Saturday as Windsor held off Plymouth, 5-3. The Spitfires victory gives them a 2-0 series advantage with the Eastern Conference semifinal match-up heading back to Windsor for Monday's game three.

Stationed in front of the net, Kassian drew the attention of Plymouth defenseman Leo Jenner to help Eric Wellwood tie the game 2-2 at 3:47 of the second period. He was credited with an actual assist, his seventh point of the playoff year, on a Taylor Hall goal later in the period to put the Spits ahead 3-2 going into the third. In all, the big right wing has been executing his bullish role as the creative Spits enjoy space en route to out-stacking the respectable Whalers roster.

In the USHL, Mark Adams picked up his 10th assist of the year as Chicago came up short in their season finale in a 3-2 loss to Indiana. On Friday, Adams assisted on an empty-netter while posting a season-best +3 as the Steel defeated Fargo, 6-4. With eight points in his final 16 games, the 6'3 Providence-bound blueliner completes his Hockey East ramp-up year with a line of 4-10-14, 85 PIM, and a -3 rating in 53 contests as the Steel finished 10 points out of the fourth playoff spot in the East.