Oshawa Generals collar the Bulldogs to take over first in the east
Published February 5, 2024 at 8:30 am
The red-hot Oshawa Generals won their eleventh game in their past 14 to complete the charge from the middle of the pack to top spot in the Eastern Division, taking down the formerly front-running Brantford Bulldogs 8-3 Sunday at the Tribute Centre in Oshawa.
The captain came to the rescue in this one – as Stuart Rolofs has during every game in the recent run – with a pair of goals to give him a team-leading 27 on the season and 26 points in what is now a 14-game point streak.
Matthew Buckley also scored twice while Beckett Sennecke and Dylan Roobroeck added three points each. Calum Ritchie added an assist to give him 18 points in his past eight games.
Ritchie, who missed the first month of the season with an upper-body injury, has already vaulted to the team scoring lead with 54 points in just 31 games. Rolofs is second with 49 points.
The Generals got things going early in the first when Beckett Sennecke opened the scoring and Rolof’s first of the night with just six seconds left on the clock gave the Generals a 3-0 lead heading into the second.
Just 49 seconds into the middle stanza Buckley scored his first and he added his second on a breakaway at the 7:19 mark to chase Brantford goalie Matteo Drobac. Rolofs then potted his second goal to give Oshawa a 6-0 lead after two periods.
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Patrick Thomas spoiled the shutout bid of Oshawa goalie Jacob Oster – already a three-time OHL goalie of the month this season – early in the third but Oshawa would win this one running away to claim first place.
The Generals won all three games of their extended weekend with 6-3 win over rival Peterborough Thursday, 5-3 over Kingston Friday and Sunday night’s beatdown over Brantford.
The club has outscored the opposition 75-33 in their last 14 games.
The Generals’ next home game is a rare mid-week game Tuesday with Oshawa taking on the Kingston Frontenacs once again, the final of eight meetings between the two clubs this season. Oshawa holds a 4-3 record, with victories in their past three matches.
The last time Kingston stepped foot onto Oshawa’s ice the Generals thumped the Frontenacs 8-2.
Oshawa will host western conferences sides Flint and London – the #1 team in the league – next Friday and Sunday.
Griffin, who won a Real Canadian Superstore jersey design contest (with all proceeds going to the PC Charity), dropped the ceremonial puck for Sunday’s game between Oshawa and Brantford