OHL net shuffle
Sarnia Sting and Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League have both moved on from bigger, highly-touted goalies who were former early-round draft picks. …[read more]
Showing some holiday Spirit
American super-center chain Meijer, which has corporate headquarters in mid Michigan, is a sponsor of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. As part of a Christmas holiday season promotion, Meijer is sponsoring a ‘Shop with a Hero’ event that features, among others, Sault Ste. Marie’s Nick Porco, a second year forward with the OHL Spirit. …[read more]
Wolves showing their teeth
Don’t look now but the Sudbury Wolves are a contender. Yes, the same Wolves who missed the Ontario Hockey League playoffs three times in the past four years including the 2017-2018 season in which they finished in last place in the 20-team loop. …[read more]
Spirit continues to move
Overage defenseman Justin Murray, acquired earlier in the day from the Barrie Colts, picked up a pair of assists and Sault Ste. Marie product Nick Porco scored his 12th goal of the season as the Saginaw Spirit continued its recent rise with a 5-3 win over the Mississauga Steelheads. …[read more]
Spirit adds seasoned d-man
Saginaw Spirit has made a move to solidify its injury-riddled blue line brigade by acquiring overage defenseman Justin Murray from the Barrie Colts in an Ontario Hockey League trade confirmed this morning. …[read more]
Michael DiPietro to Ottawa
The first-place team in the Ontario Hockey League has served notice that it is going all out on a championship bid. Ottawa 67s have acquired 2017 Memorial Cup championship goalie Michael DiPietro from the Windsor Spitfires in a blockbuster trade. …[read more]
OHL players well taken care of
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following guest column by Ontario Hockey League commissioner/Canadian Hockey League president David Branch originally appeared in The Toronto Star. It is reprinted by Hockey News North with the permission of Mr. Branch, the OHL and the CHL. …[read more]
Russian robber strikes again
Ivan Prosvetov stole another game for the Saginaw Spirit on Thursday night. The Russian-born goalie stopped 39 of 40 shots to lead surging Saginaw to a 2-1 home-ice victory over the Sarnia Sting. …[read more]
Spirit rises to fourth place
Sporting a 2-0-1 record under new head coach Chris Lazary, Saginaw Spirit has moved into fourth place in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League ahead of a pair of home games this week. …[read more]
Late round Hound sound
This is a story that has a good sound to it. Not only has Cullen McLean defied the odds by making the Soo Greyhounds after being a 15th round pick at the 2017 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft, the 2001 birth year center is on the Central Scouting players to watch list ahead of the 2019 National Hockey League draft. …[read more]
Shakeup in Saginaw
Those who know Dave Drinkill are most likely of the notion that the Saginaw Spirit general manager is a serious, thoughtful individual who is not known for making rash decisions. …[read more]
Pack of Wolves on track
They have missed the Ontario Hockey League playoffs three times in the past four years including the 2017-2018 season in which they finished in last place in the 20-member loop. But at about the one-third mark of the 2018-2019 season, Sudbury Wolves are on track to more than double the 17 wins they managed over the course of the entire 2017-2018 campaign. …[read more]
OHL has 47 players to watch
Four skaters from the reigning Western Conference champion Soo Greyhounds are among 47 players from the Ontario Hockey League who have been mentioned on the latest National Hockey League Central Scouting players to watch list ahead of the 2019 draft. …[read more]
10 goals for Nick Porco
Second-year Saginaw Spirit winger Nick Porco has already doubled his goal-scoring total from his rookie season in the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
Wolves of the NOJHL net
A pair of 2000 birth year puck-stoppers who have seen action with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League are now standing tall with separate teams in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League this season. …[read more]
Flint fends off feared foes
It would have been easy to talk trash about the Flint Firebirds through a win-less start to the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season. Through 17 games, Flint flopped and fumbled with a single point from a record of 0-16-1. …[read more]
Fired up again in Flint
Another day, another victory. After beginning the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season by failing to win in their first 17 outings, Flint Firebirds won their second straight game tonight. …[read more]
Hounds add a goalie
Soo Greyhounds have traded for journeyman goalie Mario Peccia, acquiring the 1999 birth year puck-stopper from the Oshawa Generals for a 12th round pick at the 2021 Ontario Hockey League priority selections draft. …[read more]
Hope for the small goalie
Cedrick Andree of the Ottawa 67s of the Ontario Hockey League is emerging as a shining example of a goalie who does not have to be big to play big. …[read more]
Good morning, Flint
Flint Firebirds finally have their first victory of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season. In their second annual School Day Game promotion, the Firebirds skated past the visiting Sarnia Sting 7-4 in a match that began at 11:00 this morning. …[read more]
OHL Notes: Hustling Hounds
Nineteen games into the 2018-2019 season and it is the Soo Greyhounds with 28 points from a record of 12-3-4 who have been a big surprise among Ontario Hockey League teams. …[read more]
Culina wins pro debut
Sault Ste. Marie native Mario Culina made his pro hockey debut a successful one on the weekend as he backstopped the expansion Newfoundland Growlers to a 5-2 win over the Worcester Railers. …[read more]
Storm hits the Soo
The top two teams in the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League will face off tonight when the Soo Greyhounds play host to the Guelph Storm at GFL Memorial Gardens. …[read more]
Steady, ready Freddie
He works in sales for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. He and his wife are parents to a one-year old boy. That aside, Sault Ste. Marie native Freddie Coccimiglio still finds time to stay involved in hockey. …[read more]
Spirit moves Grondin
Saginaw Spirit has dealt hulking center Max Grondin to the Peterborough Petes for a pair of future draft picks, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Greyhounds to Gatineau
Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League have claimed defenseman Phil Caron off Ontario Hockey League waivers from the Soo Greyhounds, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Saginaw to Oshawa
Left winger Kyle Bollers is getting another shot at playing in the Ontario Hockey League as the Saginaw Spirit has dealt the 1999 birth year port sider to the Oshawa Generals. …[read more]
Flint makes a point
It was not the elusive win. But it was their first point of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season. Flint Firebirds rallied from an early 3-0 deficit tonight only to drop a 6-5 overtime decision to the visiting Sarnia Sting. …[read more]
Come on, Flint
Maybe, just maybe, the number 13 will prove to be lucky for the Flint Firebirds. Flint, which has a record of 0-12-0 to begin the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League campaign, will try for its first win tonight in its 13th outing of the season. …[read more]
Time for Flint to win one
Flint Firebirds, with a record of 0-11-0, have as good an opportunity as any to break into the Ontario Hockey League win column this weekend. …[read more]
OHL Notes: Buyers, sellers?
It is still the early going of the 2018-2019 season. The January 10 trade deadline in the Ontario Hockey League is more than two months away. But the restless hands of time are ticking as buyers and sellers take stock of their assets. …[read more]
OHL warmup for Zeppa
It was a unique — and unexpected — Ontario Hockey League audition for Noah Zeppa on Saturday as the Sault Ste. Marie native dressed as the emergency backup goalie for the Hamilton Bulldogs. …[read more]
Hamilton calls on Soo boy
Goalie Noah Zeppa of Sault Ste. Marie will dress as an emergency backup for the Hamilton Bulldogs tonight, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
New coach in Flint
A week after Ryan Oulahen resigned as head coach of the Flint Firebirds for personal reasons, the Ontario Hockey League team has hired a new bench boss. …[read more]
Soo nets one on Saginaw
Goal-tending through two periods was an apparent difference tonight as the Soo Greyhounds slipped past the visiting Saginaw Spirit in an Ontario Hockey League mid week matchup. …[read more]
Thank you, Patrick Dovigi
It is just a sign. Actually, it is more like a welcome sign. Or, perhaps a sign of the times. As in good, old times from the good, old days. …[read more]
World challenge notables
Hockey Canada has confirmed its three-team, 66-player roster that will represent the nation at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. And while the Canadian Hockey League — specifically the Ontario Hockey League — dominates the rosters of the three teams, the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League is also represented. …[read more]
Porco’s stock is rising
He has a team-leading eight goals to along with two assists through nine outings heading into play this week. Nick Porco is on a developmental fast track as a second year left winger with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
OHL Notes: Trade talk
There are those teams that have built towards this season and who will continue to try to add on for a shot at Ontario Hockey League championship glory. Just as there are those who are rebuilding and who can move current assets for future planning. …[read more]
OHL Notes: Troops work OT
North Bay Battalion capped a three games in less than 72 hours road trip on Sunday afternoon with an improbable 3-2 overtime win over the Soo Greyhounds. …[read more]
Coaching change in Flint
Citing personal reasons, Ryan Oulahen has stepped aside as head coach of the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League, Hockey News North has confirmed. …[read more]
Historic start for Wolves
Winners of five straight games and with an overall record of 6-2-0 through eight outings, the Sudbury Wolves are off to their third best start in 48 years. …[read more]
Hounds cuff Firebirds
Goalie Emanuel Vella stood tall in the Flint Firebirds net tonight. But a lack of quality scoring chances for Flint sent the Firebirds to their seventh straight loss to begin the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season, dropping a 4-1 road decision to the Soo Greyhounds. …[read more]
Fired up for a win
It has been only six of what is a 68-game, regular-season schedule. But as the Flint Firebirds are the only team without a victory in the early stages of the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League season, the elusive win is becoming much-needed. …[read more]
OHL Notes: UPL is 5-0-0
Who are these guys? Backed by an unbeaten rookie goalie, the surging Sudbury Wolves have won five straight games to move into first place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League. …[read more]
Porco: 7 goals in 7 games
It has taken Saginaw Spirit left winger Nick Porco just seven games into the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League regular season to surpass his goal total from the 2017-2018 campaign. …[read more]
OHL scout likes Soo boys
At least one Ontario Hockey League scout sees a duo of defensemen from the Soo Minor Thunderbirds of the Great North Midget Hockey League as potential first or second round picks at the 2019 priority selections draft. …[read more]
Porco: 5 goals in 5 games
It has taken Saginaw Spirit left winger Nick Porco just five games into the 2018-2019 Ontario Hockey League regular season to match his goal total from the 2017-2018 campaign. …[read more]
NHL scouting likes Soo boys
Sault Ste. Marie products Nick Porco of the Saginaw Spirit and Keegan Stevenson of the Guelph Storm are among 44 players from the Ontario Hockey League who have made the initial ‘players to watch’ list ahead of the 2019 National Hockey League draft. …[read more]