Barrie Colts, Oshawa Generals open Eastern semis with wins: OHL post-game questions

Winnipeg Jets prospect Brendan Lemieux, playing his first game in 36 days, created the chance for the game-winner as the Barrie Colts won a spirited opener over the North Bay Battalion in the Eastern semifinal rematch. Oshawa topped Niagara in the other Eastern opener. Over in the Western Conference, Erie went up 2-0, because Connor McDavid.

On with the post-game questions:

Eastern Conference 

Barrie 3 North Bay 2 (Colts lead 1-0, host Game 2 on Sunday) — What lift did Lemieux, whose last game was March 5, provide for Barrie? Colts coach Dale Hawerchuk did took the hoary 'you'll see him at some point in the series' tack regarding Lemieux, who missed a month due to a suspension and a hand injury. Lemieux came and his blend of aggression of skating gave the Colts some extra bite, particularly on the forecheck and especially on captain Joseph Blandisi's game-winner with 14:52 to play. The chance came about when Lemieux drove down left wing and cut around defenceman Marcus McIvor for a shot that North Bay goalie Jake Smith stopped. Kevin Labanc retrieved the rebound and passed out to Blandisi, who scored.

"It was another team effort tonight and that's what it's going to take to win this series," Blandisi tolds Rogers Television. "This game is going to set the tone for the series. We need to keep that going on Sunday, go up 2-0 and hopefully get a split there [in games 3 and 4 at North Bay].

"It was huge for us that we never let them get the lead," the New Jersey Devils signing added.

Goalie Mackenzie Blackwood (34 saves) made that stand up, coming up with a big save on dangerous offensive defenceman Brenden Miller in the late stages.

The Colts will have a challenge to maintain a high pace for six or seven games against the beefer Battalion, especially if they should fall behind against notoriously neutral zone-clogging North Bay. They had 28 shots in the first 40 minutes, which very few teams do against North Bay.

What is the spin on the North Bay side? Realistically, all the Battalion need is a split to wrest home-ice advantage. It was a one-shot game on the road where Blackwood was dialled-in and the Colts carried themselves with certitude.

Barrie had a hometown bounce on Andrew Mangiapane's icebreaker 6:41 in. On what looked suspiciously like a set piece, Rasmus Andersson shot high and wide right of the net. Smith lost track of the caroming puck and Mangiapane, with overage Garrett Hooey oh-so-conveniently crashing through the goalmouth, scored.

The Colts were missing both Blandisi, a peak-form Blackwood and a healthy No. 1 defenceman last spring since Aaron Ekblad played hurt. They had all three ingredients Friday, since Ben Harpur also helped contain the Battalion. Point being, though, Barrie had to pull out all the stops and it was still just a one-goal spread.

Oshawa 5 Niagara 3 (Generals lead 1-0, host Game 2 on Sunday) — How will the IceDogs stay competitive without their best defender, Vince Dunn? The sophomore who scored six goals in as many games in Round 1 vs. Ottawa lasted fewer than 11 minutes before being ejected with a match penalty for slew-footing. That typically means a minimum two-game sitdown, which thins Niagara's ranks significantly as they try to contain a team that has three legitimate production lines centred by Cole Cassels, Michael Dal Colle and Michael McCarron.

The IceDogs killed off that five-minute power play, but it created their first pinhole leak. Two Cassels-assisted goals in the first seven minutes of the second gave Oshawa a stake, while Dal Colle (2G-1A, +1) cancelled out an 'Dogs response by scoring on a 3-on-0 for to maintain a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Two Generals goals in the first half of the third sealed the contest.

How tough is Oshawa in the high-leverage situations? Well, the Generals' most grim-minded defenders, Florida Panthers-signed captain Josh Brown and 19-year-old Will Petschenig, each had a clean sheet (neither was on for a goal against) against a team laden with skilled NHL draft picks. Unlike Niagara's first opponent, Oshawa is also deep enough that it has the option of rotating other defencemen alongside the 6-foot-4 Brown and 6-2 Petschenig.

The only 'Dogs scoring of the first 55 minutes came off the rush, via, who else, Josh Ho-Sang. The New York Islanders first-rounder broke free and turned back while sucking in two Generals, then made a perfect soft pass that was one-touched for a goal.

Any chance of the IceDogs making a switch in goal? Rogers TV Durham commentator Shane Hollinshead noted that Brandon Hope seemed to be favouring a groin injury. The Niagara 'tender was lifted after Mitchell Vande Sompel (1G-1A, +2) scored for a 5-1 lead at the midpoint of the third.

After a Game 1 loss in the first round, Niagara coach-GM Marty Williamson replaced Hope with 18-year-old Brent Moran, who bore the brunt of a lopsided loss. If that's any precedent, Hope should get the net back provided he's healthy. Williamson rotated the two in the regular season, but Hope has been the guy in the playoffs.

Western Conference

Erie 7 London 3 (Otters lead 2-0, Knights host Game 3 on Sunday) — What chance do the Knights have of icing their top lineup for their desperate hour? A White House disinformation campaign has nothing on London's operation when it comes to injury information. With 100-point scorers Max Domi and Mitch Marner already sidelined, London also lost goalie Tyler Parsons to an injury after the first period.

London has the luxury of turning to the older Michael Giogovaz, but Friday's relief stint was the 19-year-old southpaw's first exposure to the playoffs.

What concerns does Erie have as the series crosses the lake over to London? League rookie of the year Alex DeBrincat and fellow winger Nick Betz, each finished the game despite experiencing some discomfort during the contest. The Mason Marchment suspension also leaves Erie without another contributor up front.

It is a game of attitrition, even when a team has McDavid's awesomeness as a trump card. 

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.