Following the game, Hawryluk collapsed in the hallway and was admitted to the hospital for a battery of tests. Amazingly, he returned to work Friday with a goal and a helper in Brandon's series-clinching 5-1 win over the Pats. Hawryluk, who was ranked the No. 42 North American skater on Central Scouting's midterm list, has 10 points (5+5) in four playoff games.
While Hawryluk was clicking, teammate John Quenneville stayed right in step with his third goal of the playoffs in the Wheat Kings win. A potential second round pick, Quenneville gathered nine points (3+6) in the four-game sweep.
In other Friday action, Sault Ste. Marie winger Michael Bunting cashed in a hat trick as the Greyhounds closed out the first round with a 6-1 triumph of Owen Sound. A 15-goal scorer during the regular season, Bunting posted five in the five-game series to keep his name among top-50 hopefuls.
Elsewhere in the OHL, Sam Bennett put his hands on display with a high-speed finish in Kingston's 6-5 overtime loss to Peterborough. Bennett, who later picked up an assist, played with energy at both ends of the ice en route to earning the game's number two star.
With Bennett putting forth a strong effort, two draft prospects on the other bench rose to the occasion as Peterborough stayed alive to force a game six. Eric Cornel opened scoring with his third goal of the playoffs for the Petes, while Nick Ritchie provided a key third-period marker while with the two-man advantage, his second of the series.
Niagara defenseman Blake Siebenaler scored the first playoff goal of his OHL career as the IceDogs were defeated by North Bay 4-3. Niagara leads the series 3-2 despite the loss.
Connor Chatham got one final lick in for Plymouth as the Whalers were sent home for the summer with an 8-3 loss at Guelph.The 6-foot-3, 225-pound winger contributed three goals in five playoff games. He had 13 goals in 54 regular season contests.
***
Europe
William Nylander kept up his productive junior pace Friday with a goal and an assist as MODO J20 advanced to the medal round of the Sweden's J20 playoff with a 5-0 victory over Sodertalje. Nylander, who produced a goal and a helper in MODO's 5-0 victory in game one on Wednesday, has seven points (3+4) in four games through the pre-quarter and quarterfinal rounds. He's quick and creative, and you have to think that someone is going to take him in the first hour of the draft.
Also of note is the final shift put in by top-ranked Finnish forward Kasperi Kapanen last Sunday as KalPa earned a 4-3 overtime victory in the Junior B third place game. The clip speaks for itself. Kapanen scored seven goals and 14 points in 47 games of Finland's top professional league this season as a 17-year old.
