Full disclosure: I am finding myself not up to the task of dealing with the tedium of putting out one comprehensive article for all three CHL member leagues’ first rounds on the Road to the Memorial Cup, at least this time. As a result, each league will be getting a separate article and all three will be put out before action resumes. As indicated, we begin with the OHL. Perhaps this will break up the monotony on my end, as well as that of the reader. Let us begin, at any rate.

Eastern Conference:

(1) Brantford Bulldogs defeat (8) North Bay Battalion in five games

There was not much Sturm und Drang in the best vs. west matchup in the east’s first two games, as Brantford claimed both matchups by three-goal decisions (6-3 and 3-0, respectively). Game 3 was much more climactic, as Luca Testa gave Brantford C Luca Testa gave Brantford a 3-1 edge just minutes into the third period with his first goal of the series on assists from F Jake O’Brien (2025 NHL Entry Draft) and D Owen Protz (Montreal Canadiens). However, goals by Ethan Procyszyn (Anaheim Ducks) and Lirim Amidovski in succession over the next handful of minutes would eventually force overtime. That said, it was Marek Vanacker (Chicago Blackhawks) that was the hero 5:29 into the extra stanza, giving Brantford a commanding 3-0 series lead. North Bay would stay alive by going on a PDO bender of sorts by winning Game 5 6-3 (albeit the last goal of the game was an empty netter by RW Jacob Therrien, his fourth goal of the series and second of the game) in a matchup where they were outshot 47-33. Ultimately, though, Brantford would not trifle in Game 5, taking care of business by a score of 5-1. As one would anticipate, winger Nick Lardis (Chicago Blackhawks) had a heavy hand in the closeout win, with a hat trick to his name including two goals in their dominant second period.

(2) Barrie Colts defeat (7) Niagara IceDogs in five games

This was a series affected in part by unconventional disciplinary measures handed down to Niagara for an off-ice incident. You can read the details of the behavior in question, as well as the discipline for it, here. Ultimately, the team was dug into a hole as a result, though were respectably competitive despite that. However, they nevertheless began the series down 2-0, via losses of 4-2 and 7-5 scorelines. Once “normalcy” resumed for them, they were able to defeat Barrie 6-4 in Game 3. C Alex Assadourian and LW Kevin He (Winnipeg Jets) took home first and second star honors, respectively, for their two goal performances (including Assadourian scoring the PP GWG and He scoring the ENG to ice the game), while G Owen Flores was awarded third star for his 35 saves in the victory. However, they would drop Game 4 by a score of 6-3, with Barrie C Dalyn Wakely (Edmonton Oilers) leading the way with 1 goal and 3 assists. Barrie would close the series out with another 6-3 win, getting the job done by committee as the goals were scored by six different players. D Kashawn Aitcheson (2025 NHL Entry Draft) scored his lone goal of the series in the clincher. Cumulatively, he added 1 assist and a +6, along with 19 shots on goal, in the five-game win.

(3) Kingston Frontenacs defeat (6) Sudbury Wolves in four games

With the exception of Kingston’s fairly emphatic 4-1 victory in Game 1, this was a more competitive series than meets the eye despite its sweep status. Game 2 had to be resolved in double overtime, as Kingston led by margins of 2-0 before Sudbury LW Kieron Walton (Winnipeg Jets) put a dent into it mere seconds after Kingston LW Ben Pickell had found the back of the net and 3-1 before successive goals by C Nathan Villeneuve (Seattle Kraken) in the third forced extra hockey. Kingston RW Gage Heyes would win the game 2:50 into the fifth frame. Subsequently, Kingston won 4-2 and 3-2 decisions to close it out.

(4) Oshawa Generals defeat (5) Brampton Steelheads in six games

The Eastern bracket would have no upsets, as the higher seed won every series. Game 1 in the 4v5 matchup featured a tale of matching hat tricks, as Brampton C Angus MacDonell (Dallas Stars) recorded one of his own but Oshawa had LW Colby Barlow (Winnipeg Jets) and RW Beckett Sennecke (Anaheim Ducks) respond with 3g-1a and 2g-1a, respectively, as Oshawa just had more firepower on the day to respond with. Brampton G Jack Ivankovic (2025 NHL Entry Draft) recorded 46 saves in a 3-1 Game 2 victory, insulated by C Luke Misa (Calgary Flames) and his 1g-1a performance. Oshawa C Owen Griffin (2025 NHL Entry Draft) rattled off a hat trick in Game 3’s 7-5 victory before adding 1g-1a in a 4-1 Game 4 win (wherein Sennecke was the star via a 2g, +4 performance). Misa would subsequently light it up with a 1g-4a, +4 performance in Game 5 to keep Brampton’s light dimly lit in a 6-3 victory. However, Oshawa would ultimately prevail 4-1 in Game 6, with Griffin yet again putting in a strong performance with 2g (including the empty net icer), 1a, and a +2.

Western Conference:

(1) London Knights defeat (8) Owen Sound Attack in four games

Not much to say here. Try as they might, even while featuring a strong goaltender in Carter George (Los Angeles Kings), who quite possibly has a solid NHL career ahead of him, Owen Sound were simply no match for the repeat Hamilton Spectator Trophy winners and defending J. Ross Robertson Cup champions. Each game in the series was decided by at least three goals, with the max being the 6-1 victory by London in Game 1. Captain/C/LW Denver Barkey (Philadelphia Flyers) was particularly immaculate, with 4 goals and 8 assists in the four games.

(2) Windsor Spitfires defeat (7) Soo Greyhounds in five games

This was a similarly competitively imbalanced series, as Soo not only won one game, but said game was settled in overtime and marked the only match not decided by at least three goals. In fact, Windsor won games 1 and 2 by a combined score of 14-3. C Noah Morneau and LW Liam Greentree (Los Angeles Kings) were the main characters of those first two games, with a combined 8 goals and 5 assists between them. Games 4 and 5 were decided by a combined 12-5. The biggest standout performance in this pair was Greentree’s 3g-2a closeout performance in Game 5, which saw him and the Spitfires do cconsiderable damage on the power play. I would be remiss if I did not additionally praise LW Ilya Protas (Washington Capitals prospect and younger brother of current Cap Aliaksei) for his 3g-12a output over the five games. This one was never really in doubt.

(3) Kitchener Rangers defeat (6) Flint Firebirds in five games

Kitchener encountered some trouble in Game 1, as they were forced into overtime by a GTG by Flint LW Nathan Aspinall (New York Rangers) just one minute and one second after LW Trent Swick (Vegas Golden Knights) had given them a 3-2 lead. C Luca Romano (2025 NHL Entry Draft) would nevertheless give them the Game 1 victory 5:07 into the extra frame. The Rangers would dominate Game 2, out-shooting the firebirds 17-8 in period one then 17-5 in period 2, eventually ending the game up 43-22 on shots. The final score was a 6-1 victory, with RW Jack Pridham having 2g-2a (both assists being primaries) and a +2 in his first star performance. Flint would give some pushback when G Nathan Day (Edmonton Oilers) posted 38 saves in a 2-0 shutout win in Game 3. It would be voided, however, by a 5-1 victory in Game 4 by Kitchener, in which the victors out-shot Flint 36-24, and both Swick and C Christian Humphreys (Colorado Avalanche) had solid multi-point games. Kitchener won Game 5 by a score of 2-1 on the back of a performance by G Jackson Parsons, who stopped 24 of 25 and saved all 13 of the ones that Flint had in their second period barrage.

(5) Erie Otters defeat (4) Saginaw Spirit in five games

While nominally not the biggest upset in the world, this was something of a stunner. The defending Memorial Cup champs were upended by the lower-seeded Otters, who still do not have their talisman in the form of D Matthew Schaefer (2025 NHL Entry Draft). Erie out-scored Saginaw 17-10 in the first two games, with C Pano Fimis being the protagonist of that narrative as he had a combined 5g-2a and a +7, taking home first star both times. D Zayne Parekh (Calgary Flames) provided the overtime winner in a 3-2 Saginaw victory in Game 3, but Erie went right back to their winning ways in Game 4. Finis was first star again, with 2g-2a and a +2 in a 7-3 win. In Game 5, it’d be C Martin Misiak (Chicago Blackhawks) taking home first star, as he recorded 3g-1a and a +2. Misiak had an impressive first round, all told, with 7g-5a in the 5 games. Unfortunately, the opposite could be said for Saginaw C Michael Misa (2025 NHL Entry Draft), who had just 2g-1a and an appalling -10 in 4 games (he missed Game 5). Ultimately, a really shocking end to what was otherwise one of the greatest draft years by an OHL player this century, and symbolic of how badly the top portion of the Saginaw roster lost their minutes in this series.

Second round matchups and their respective Game 1’s:

1E Brantford vs. 4E Oshawa – Thursday, April 10th: 7:00 PM ET

2E Kingston vs. 3E Barrie – Thursday, April 10th: 7:00 PM ET

1W London vs. 5W Erie – Thursday, April 10th: 7:00 PM ET

2W Windsor vs. 3W Kitchener – Thursday, April 10th: 7:05 PM ET