Ang tied for first in OHL scoring race

The unexpected return of Nikita Korostelev gives an already strong Petes offence a serious boost.

Korostelev led the Petes in points per game after his arrival last season and including his time in Sarnia led the team in total points as well. The Petes have been near the top of the Eastern Conference in scoring the past two years. This season’s team should score even more.

Korostelev has played mostly with Semyon Der-Arguchintsev and Bobby Dow so far, a line that has proven effective, with Korostelev producing five points in three games. It has been the veteran line of Jonathan Ang, Logan Denoble and Adam Timleck that has been been most potent so far though. That trio sit atop the Petes points leaders, with Ang currently sharing the league lead in points.

The Petes haven’t had a player finish in the Top 10 in OHL scoring since Liam Reddox in 2004-05 but this could be the season that changes if Ang can maintain his pace, or Korostelev continues to produce as he has since joining the Petes.

Just seven games into the season, the Petes have already produced a seven-goal effort against North Bay and an 8 goal outburst against Niagara. Last year the Petes didn’t score more than five goals in a game until December and never scored more than seven goals in a game. They scored six or more just four times all season long.

In each of the Petes’ big offensive games they have received two goals from Pavel Gogolev. After struggling for ice time last season, Gogolev has emerged as a game breaker early on this season, giving the Petes another big weapon up front.

It’s easy to draw parallels between Gogolev this season and Zach Gallant last season. Both are OHL first round picks who produced little as rookies but Gallant emerged for 21 goals and 47 points last year on his way to being drafted by the Detroit Red Wings. The style they play is different but Gogolev looks to be on pace for a similar breakout in his NHL draft year and may produce even better offensive numbers. The two of them, along with Nick Isaacson have given the Petes yet another line capable of scoring on any shift.

For all the offence the Petes have produced already, we haven’t seen their full lineup. Their most potent offensive defenceman, Matt Timms has been sidelined since before Korostelev returned, as has Paquette, who will give the Petes even more of an embarrassment of riches up front.

The Petes may also need to score more goals than last season. They are giving opponents plenty of chances early on. They have yet to hold an opponent to fewer than 30 shots. It makes for exciting offensive hockey at both ends but the defense was a potential weak point entering the season and that was before injuries to Timms and Cole Fraser.

The addition of Austin Osmanski via trade will help compensate for those injuries in the short term and give the Petes a deeper, more experienced group on the back end for the long term. At a relatively minor cost it was a good trade to make to bolster the defense.

The strength of the Petes though will continue to be the offence and goaltending. With three lines capable of scoring at any time and the league’s best in net, they should be in good shape.