Oshawa Generals Capture Robertson Cup as 2015 OHL Champions
May 16, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) News Release
Oshawa, ON - The Oshawa Generals are 2015 OHL Champions, defeating the Erie Otters 6-2 in Game 5 of the Rogers OHL Championship Series to capture the 13th J. Ross Robertson Cup in franchise history.
Veteran winger Michael McCarron scored the winning goal on the powerplay 2:56 into the second period as the Generals claim their first OHL title since 1997.
"Words can't describe how proud I am of our team. We shut down Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters, which isn't easy," said Generals forward Cole Cassels who had four assists in Game 5. "We worked all year for this and to see it all pay off is unbelievable."
Oshawa overcame a 1-0 deficit after Erie's Nick Betz slipped a low shot inside the far post from down the right wing at 12:24 from Remi Elie and Cory Genovese.
Oshawa needed just 43 seconds to respond though as Calgary Flames prospect Hunter Smith found time and space bearing down on Devin Williams, firing a hard release under his arm as the jam packed General Motors Centre erupted.
After a 1-1 first period, the Generals came out for the second to score three goals in the opening five minutes.
Sam Harding beat Williams high over the glove off the rush just 26 seconds into the fresh frame before veterans Michael McCarron and Matt Mistele buried back-to-back powerplay markers at 2:56 and 4:52.
Down 4-1, a goaltending change seemed to inspire the Otters who picked up the pace approaching the midway point of the second. Darren Raddysh picked up his second of the postseason with a powerplay wrister over the shoulder of Ken Appleby at 9:57.
Erie controlled much of the pace in the latter half of the second, but the Generals held off their adversaries to take a 4-2 lead to the intermission with the shot clock knotted at 18.
With a two goal lead, the Generals locked things down in the third period, thwarting the Otters through the neutral zone.
Biding their time and waiting for a break, the Generals would make the most of one with just over five minutes remaining as Bradley Latour beat Daniel Dekoning in alone for his third of the playoffs.
Off the ensuing faceoff, Ken Appleby drew the praise of the Gens Army with a breakaway save off Connor McDavid to hold him scoreless on the night for just the second time in the postseason.
Aidan Wallace would take a feed from Cole Cassels to hit the empty net and secure the 13th OHL title in Oshawa Generals franchise history.
"We've been through it all together this season," said Appleby, who made 30 saves in the victory. "This group of guys continues to amaze me. We stuck to the plan in this series. The guys in front of me and the fans in this building have been outstanding all season."
With the 6-2 win, the Generals punch their ticket to the 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup in Quebec City, QC that gets underway on Friday May 22 when the WHL champion Kelowna Rockets take on the host Quebec Remparts. The Generals will play their first game of the round-robin against the Rimouski Oceanic on Saturday May 23.
The Generals have won four Memorial Cups in franchise history including victories in 1939, 1940, 1944, and 1990.
McDavid, the top prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft was named OHL Playoff MVP earning the Wayne Gretzky '99' Award leading the OHL Playoffs in scoring with 21 goals, 28 assists and 49 points in 20 games, the most points in a postseason since Justin Papineau's OHL record of 51 in 1999.
The OHL introduced the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award in 1999 to honour the Most Valuable Player in the OHL Playoffs as selected by the media. Gretzky, a native of Brantford, graduated from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to become the most prolific scorer in the history of the NHL. The league created the award in tribute of 'The Great One' shortly after he announced his retirement from the NHL in 1999.
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