Zack Kassian finished +2 with an assist Thursday as Windsor shut out Kitchener 3-0 to win game five of the OHL's Western Conference Championship. The Spitfires, who trail the series 3-2, have now won two straight must-win games after disappointments in the first three.
Still babyfaced after his post-game three shave, Kassian received top line minutes alongside Adam Henrqiue and Taylor Hall for the second consecutive game as Spits coach Bob Boughner attempted to rejuvenate his troops. Midway through a quiet first period, Kassian was whistled for embellishing a cross-check with a dive. Near the close of the opening twenty, Rangers captain Dan Kelly put a solid check on Kassian that left the big wing favoring his shoulder on his way off the ice.
Returning to the bench for period two, Kassian earned an assist on the second Spits tally as he went to the net while Hall went wide to create a Henrique goal. Later, the 6'3 forward nullified a Spits power play was called for goaltender interference while claiming a spot in front of the Rangers net.
Kassian, who now has six goals and 15 points in 13 postseason contests, will ride an eight-game point streak into Friday night's game six.
On Wednesday, Nick Crawford earned an assist as Barrie won the Eastern Conference Championship with a 4-2 victory of Mississauga. Holding a 3-2 lead into the third, Crawford helped create Luke Pither's marker 4:26 into the third to put the Colts into the OHL Championship series against the winner of Windsor/Kitchener. Crawford, the OHL's leading defensive point-getter in the regular season, now has 10 assists through 13 playoff games.
