Friday Night Pre-season Action, News Around the OHL - Junior Hockey News

The visiting Plymouth Whalers lost their first game of the preseason as they dropped a 6-4 decision to the London Knights at the John Labatt Centre. Rallying from a 3-0 second period deficit, the Whalers rallied to tie the game at 4-4 before Bo Horvat scored the deciding goal late in the third period. The Knights got two goals each from Seth Griffith and Ryan Rupert while Olli Maatta also found the net for the hosts. Matt Mahalak played the entire game for the Whalers as he stopped 37 out of 42 shots in a losing cause.

In a matchup between the OHL and QMJHL at the new Smiths Falls Memorial Community Centre in Smiths Falls, Ontario, the Ottawa 67's beat the Gatineau Olympiques 5-4. Ryan Van Stralen scored the deciding goal midway thru the third period and recently-acquired netminder Keegan Wilson made his 67's debut as he stopped 34 shots, including 18 in the first period, for the win.

The host Sudbury Wolves jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead after 20 minutes, but held on to beat the Kitchener Rangers 5-3 at the Sudbury Community Arena. The Wolves got goals from Nathan Pancel, Jake Ryan, Ray Huether, Jacob Harris and Justin Sefton while Frank Corrado added two assists. The Rangers got goals from Curtis Meighan, Brandon Lesway and Josh Sterk in a losing effort.

Garret Sparks made 30 saves and Hunter Garlent found the net twice as the host Guelph Storm beat the Barrie Colts 4-1 at the Sleeman Centre. The Storm also got goals from Spencer Turcotte and Zack Mitchell while Kyle Locke and Tanner Richard each registered two assists. Ryan O'Connor scored the lone goal for the Colts while Alex Fotinos played the entire game as he gave up three goals.

Henri Ikonen made his OHL debut and didn't disappoint as he scored two goals and added an assist as the host Kingston Frontenacs beat the Belleville Bulls 6-3 at the K-Rock Centre. Jean Dupuy also cashed in twice for the Frontenacs, who also got goals from Ryan Hutchinson and Nathan Cull. The Bulls got two goals from Garrett Hooey while Michael Curtis also provided the scoring for the visitors. The same two teams will wrap up the home-and-home series Saturday night at Belleville's Yardmen Arena.

Other OHL News: The Windsor Spitfires acquired forward Juraj Bezuch and a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection from the Kitchener Rangers. In return, the Rangers will receive two overagers, forward Nick Czinder, defenseman Jeff Brathwaite and the Spitfires' seventh-round selection in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. To make room on the roster for Bezuch, the Spitfires waived import forward Vladimir Ionin.

The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds acquired 1995-born forward Jacob Smith from the Kingston Frontenacs for a 14th round pick in the 2013 OHL Priority Selection. Last season with the Frontenacs, Smith scored once and added six assists with a plus/minus rating of -19 and 12 penalty minutes in 58 games.

Author: Alex Muscat