Late goals prevent disaster for Guelph, Drummondville in OHL and QMJHL series openers – Friday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 Star - Scott Kosmachuk, Guelph Storm (OHL)

Junior hockey fans tuning into Friday Night Hockey were treated to an excellent Game 1 between Guelph and London. The Storm pulled out ahead to a 4-0 lead, with the Winnipeg Jets prospect Scott Kosmachuk getting the fourth. It looked like the Storm had all but clinched the game at that point, but a furious rally from the Knights led by Max Domi and his two goals saw the game tied midway through the third.

Late in the game, Kosmachuk made an excellent keep in at the attacking blue line, allowing Jason Dickinson to set up Justin Auger for his second of the playoffs the go-ahead goal with 2:06 to go in the contest. Kosmachuk earned just the goal and the assist and wasn't named a star in the building, but the Storm don't take the game without his aggressive play late to extend the Storm's time in the offensive end.

Oddly, the winning goal for the Storm in their 6-4 win (Kerby Rychel added an empty-net goal) was the only five-on-five tally in the game. Maybe it's a bit of a stretch to give Kosmachuk credit for this, but the Storm's first two goals of the game came shorthanded killing a penalty—in the box for Guelph was Kosmachuk, off for slashing.

No. 2 Star - Jerome Verrier, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)

The sixth-seeded Volts got off to a strong start in their playoff series beginning in Val-d'Or Friday. Like the Storm, Drummondville got out to an early lead and had a two-goal advantage after two periods, 3-1. The Foreurs came back however, with Anthony Mantha striking twice including the tying goal with just 34 seconds to go to send the game to Overtime.

Verrier was the beneficiary of a good bounce in the overtime frame. Defenceman Ryan Culkin threw a puck at the net midway through the fourth period, and Verrier had the presence of mind to re-direct the puck with his skate and avoid kicking the puck in:

The goal was good, and Drummondville takes the one-game series lead.

No. 3 Star - Oliver Bjorkstrand, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Just the one game in the 'dub Friday night, and it was a total blowout from beginning to end. Portland took an early 2-0 lead over Victoria and scored four times in the second period, with the Columbus Blue Jackets' third rounder and Danish sniper Oliver Bjorkstrand providing most of the meat. He set Chase De Leo up with a centering pass to score the first goal of the game, and had a pair in the second. As is tradition, the third star could have gone to any number of Portland players. The Portland powerplay came alive, going 3-for-10, thanks in part to Mathew Dumba's two goals and assist, or Jets' prospect Nic Petan's four-point night.

The score 8-2 final score wasn't exactly flattering to Victoria, but the Royals didn't do themselves many favours as one of the most disciplined teams during the regular season piled up the penalties late in the game, leading to the two third period powerplay goals and a parade to the penalty box that resulted in a misconduct to Brandon Magee and Brett Cote's ejection due to a blatant slash targeting Petan's head.

Honourable Mention: Connor McDavid/Dane Fox/Connor Brown, Erie Otters (OHL) - After being held to a single point in the first game of their series against Sault Ste. Marie, the Erie top line exploded in the second game. The overage Dane Fox recorded a point on every Erie goal in their 4-0 Game 2 win, scoring once and registering three assists, while Connor Brown drew the primary assist on both Otters even strength tallies, each scored by the phenom Connor McDavid. With a 33-save shutout Friday night, Otters goaltender Devin Williams has stopped 59 of 60 shots early on in the series.

Honourable Mention: Andrew Ryan, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) - Throughout the season and early in the playoffs, the bulk of the Mooseheads scoring has been done by Jonathan Drouin and Nikolaj Ehlers. However, Gatineau coach Benoit Groulx stressed how scary the depth pieces on the Mooseheads can be, pointing specifically to Andrew Ryan, Brent Andrews and Darcy Ashley as players that can step up if the focus is on shutting down Halifax's 'Big Two'. Is it ironic or appropriate that Ryan scored twice and recorded an assist in Halifax's 4-1 Game 1 victory over the Olympiques, then, considering Groulx's early comments? Halifax went 3-for-7 on the powerplay and Ryan scored a shorthanded goal early in the third period as the Mooseheads pulled away late to take a 1-0 series lead.

Potent Notables: Philippe Desrosiers recorded a 40-save shutout in Rimouski's Game 1 win over Blainville-Boisbriand, with Anthony DeLuca scoring the winning goal 5:46 into the first… 12 Drakkar recorded a point in the team's 4-1 win against Rouyn-Noranda… Elsewhere in the OHL, Alex Henriksson scored the late go-ahead goal for North Bay in a 1-0 win over Barrie in Game 1, with Jake Smith earning the 21-save shutout… Oshawa out-shot Peterborough 43-18 and won 3-0 on goals by Hunter Smith, Scott Laughton and Cole Cassels.