Monday, March 23, 2015

3/22 Recap: Baptiste ends strong; Ullmark stays hot

Nicholas Baptiste struck for a pair of goals Sunday as Erie posted a stunning 8-7 victory over Niagara to close out the regular season schedule. Baptiste made a gorgeous individual effort to score his first goal while short-handed and then pounded a power-play slapshot from between the circles for his second. The Ottawa-area product boosts his final numbers to 32 goals and 32 assists in 53 games. Top 2015 draft talent Dylan Strome paced Erie with four goals and two assists to finish the year with 129 points and the OHL scoring title. The Otters draw Sarnia for the first round of the playoffs starting Thursday.

Justin Bailey was held off the scoresheet as Sault Ste. Marie blanked Kitchener 3-0. The Greyhounds won nine of their last 10 to claim the top overall spot in the league. Bailey, who finished the season with 34 goals and 69 points, will be counted on for offense when the Hounds open the first round of the playoffs Friday versus Saginaw. Jean Dupuy was given a rest day in the victory.

Eric Cornel was unable to connect as Peterborough wrapped up the schedule with a 4-2 loss to Mississauga. The top-line forward posted 14 goals and 52 points in 66 games for the Petes, who beging the postseason Friday versus top-seeded Oshawa.

In the WHL, Sam Reinhart notrched his 19th goal plus an assist as Kootenay was defeated by Calgary 3-2. Reinhart led all Sabres prospects with 1.38 points per game this season, notching a total of 65 in 47 games. The ICE and Hitmen will duke it out in the first round in a rematch of last year's opening round tilt that was won by the ICE.

In Sweden, Linus Ullmark stopped 22 of 23 shots as MODO took a commanding lead in their SHL direct qualification series with a 4-1 win over HC Vita Hasten. Ullmark had his shutout streak snapped at 171:55 when he allowed a third-period goal, his first goal against of the series. Gustav Possler logged one shot on goal in the win. MODO, who has a 3-0 lead in the series, and will go for the sweep on Thursday.