Former Petes’ goalie Mancina named player of the week
Former Petes’ goalie Matt Mancina was named the Pioneer Energy OHL Player of the Week for the playoff week ending Sunday after posting a 2-0 record including a shutout victory with a goalsagainst-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .944.
Mancina turned aside 51 shots for the Mississauga Steelheads who opened the Eastern Conference Championship Series with a pair of road victories to take a 2-0 series lead against the Petes. In Game 1 on Thursday he made 27 saves in the 5-3 win, then recorded his first career playoff shutout stopping all 24 shots he faced in Game 2 on Saturday earning second star honours in the 3-0 triumph. The victory improved the Steel heads’ perfect playoff road record to 8-0 and marked a sixth straight playoff win for the club and Mancina.
A 20-year-old from Tecumseh, Ont., Mancina is playing in his fourth OHL season but first with the Steelheads after being acquired from the Petes prior to the 201617 campaign. Heading into Game 3 Tuesday night he carries a 6-1 record with a goals-against-average of 2.44 and save percentage of .908. Originally a third round choice of the Guelph Storm in the 2012 OHL Priority Selection, Mancina’s OHL tenure has included 157 regular season games including 76 victories between his three clubs. Otters contributing to a Game 7 victory over the London Knights and a 1-1 series split in the Western Conference Championship Series against the Owen Sound Attack. In addition, New Jersey Devils prospect and Steelheads captain Michael McLeod picked up four points including a goal and three assists in two games last week.
No suspension for paquette
Chris Paquette was in the Petes’ lineup Monday night after the OHL decided no further discipline was required for a blindsiding major penalty assessed in Game 2 of the series Saturday night.
Paquette knocked Shaw Boomhower to the ice during a scrum at the Petes’ net following a whistle to stop the play.
“The league reviewed it and determined there was no supplemental discipline required,” said Petes’ GM Mike Oke.
It was good news for the Petes since they’re already missing veteran forward Adam Timleck (upper body) and defenceman Matt Timms (shoulder) to injury.
Earlybird deadline approaching
The deadline to take advantage of earlybird pricing for Petes’ 201718 season tickets is Friday.
The Petes have a variety of packages available. Visit www. gopetesgo.com for more information or contact Matt D’Agostini at 705-743-3681 ext. 257.
Rookie sensation
Petes’ centre Semyon DerArguchintsev is the top scoring rookie still playing in this year’s OHL playoffs.
Der-Arguchintsev has three goals and five assists for eight points in 11 games. The only rookie with more points is Kingston Frontenacs’ Linus Nyman who had 11 points in 11 games. Campbellford native Nathan Dunkley is third with seven points in 11 games for Kingston.
General manager’s carousel
Three OHL general managers’ vacancies were filled in short order last week.
Cobourg native Mike Kelly announced late in the season he was retiring from his post with the Guelph Storm and former Storm coach George Burnett ended up leaving the Flint Firebirds to take the job.
Barcley Branch, who apprenticed under Burnett as an assistant GM with the Belleville Bulls, left his post as GM of the Sudbury Wolves to take the Firebirds job. The same day Burnett was introduced in Guelph, the Wolves announced Rob Papineau, a Sudbury native, was taking the Wolves job. Papineau, who played for the Ottawa 67’s and Detroit Ambassadors from 1988-91, has been a scout with the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.