Mancina finds new opportunity

MISSISSAUGA Lakeshore’s Matthew Mancina has escaped the crowded crease in Peterborough to become the clear No. 1 option in net for the Mississauga Steelheads.

The Steelheads, who are considered to be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, picked up the 20-year-old Mancina from Peterborough just prior to the start of training camp for a third-round pick.

“I think I just wanted to play a lot this year and here, there’s a great opportunity,” said Mancina, who is a Sun County minor hockey product and former member of the junior B Leamington Flyers. “When I got the call from Peterborough, I was pretty excited.”

OHL clubs can only play three overage players in a game and Peterborough already has 18-year-old Dylan Wells, who is an Edmonton Oilers draft pick.

“I think it’s a little easier when you’re older,” the 6-foot-2, 191-pound Mancina said of being traded. “I just want to win. I want to play a lot and I want to win.”

A former third-round pick by the Guelph Storm, Mancina won an OHL title in 2013-14 before requesting a trade the following season in hopes of securing a No. 1 job.

He had the bulk of the action in net for parts of two seasons in Peterborough, but the club could not find success in the playoffs.

“I think it’s a lot of fun when you win and, when you lose, it’s not so much fun,” Mancina said. “Ending out my OHL career on a winning team would be great. The first team I was on ended up winning and ever since then I just wanted to end up in a good place again.”

SPORTSNET POLL

Sportsnet’s pre-season coaching poll gave the Memorial Cup host Spitfires a boost.

In the 20-team vote, the Spitfires scored the highest when projecting the eventual league champion at 40 per cent.

Mikhail Sergachev, who is the defending OHL defenceman of the year, was also picked as the league’s top defenceman with 60 per cent of the vote.

Meanwhile, second-year centre Gabriel Vilardi was chosen as the top 2017 NHL Draft prospect with 60 per cent.

SERGACHEV DEBUT

Sergachev made his exhibition debut with the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

The 18-year-old Sergachev, who was Montreal’s first-round pick in June’s NHL Draft, played 19 minutes and 57 seconds in the Canadiens’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators.

Sergachev picked up an assist and was credited with three shots on goal and five hits while finishing the game a minus one.