Saturday, April 16, 2011

4/15 Recap: Shipley barks as Dogs move on

Steven Shipley cranked out a goal and two assists Friday as Niagara advanced to the OHL Eastern Conference final with a 7-3 thrashing of Oshawa. The 6'3 center wasted little time building his #2 star effort, notching an assist just 40-seconds into play and then sliding a pass for a successful one-timer nearly two minutes later. Shipley, who was without a goal in 12 career playoff games leading up to the clinching tilt, saw an earlier goal called back due to a high stick before capitalizing on a loose puck to get off the playoff schnide at 10:33 of the first period. Generals 6'2 pivot Boone Jenner ('11) had a goal and an assist to finish his postseason with 12 points (7+5) in 10 games, while teammate and fellow '11 eligible Lucas Lessio gave scouts a taste of his sportsmanship with a double-bird flipoff of the St. Catharines crowd as he left the ice after receiving a third period misconduct. The IceDogs move on to face Mississauga for the right to skate for the OHL Championship.

In the WHL, Riley Boychuk skated even as Portland failed to close the series by dropping an exciting 2-1 overtime decision to Kelowna. With Brad Ross (TOR) returning from a three-game suspension, Boychuk was bumped back to his usual checking line role as the Rockets looked to play another day. Kelowna winger Shane McColgan ('11) picked up an assist, his 18th point of the playoffs, to extend his point streak to nine games. The 5'11 Californian has notched at least one point in every Kelowna postseason game to date. The Winterhawks will get another crack at ending the series Sunday in Kelowna.