NEWS

(pictured - the 2014-15 OJHL Award winners were honoured prior to game one of the Championship Series - pictured left to right:  John McDonald, Sam Hu, Stefano Durante, Justin Kapelmaster, Eric Williams, Gary Moroney, Steve Hladin, Scott McCrory, Marty Savoy, Cameron Morrison, Gabriel Valenzuela, Will Reilly, James Richmond, Rob Campbell - photo credit:  Brian Watts/OJHL Images)

Before the 2015 OJHL Championship got kicked-off, the league held its annual year-end Awards Ceremony to honour the very best the league had to offer this season.  Accepting their awards at centre ice were Rob Campbell (Oakville-Executive), John McDonald (Trenton-Volunteer), James Richmond (Aurora-Coach), Sam Hu (Newmarket-Scholastic), Will Reilly (North York-Prospect), Gabriel Valenzuela (North York-Improved), Stefano Durante (Cobourg-Goaltender GAA), Justin Kapelmaster (Trenton-Goaltender), Cameron Morrison (Aurora-Rookie), Eric Williams (Aurora-Defenceman) and Steve Hladin (Georgetown-Scorer, Gentlemanly & MVP).  Unable to attend were Drew Laskoski (Newmarket-Trainer) & Sean Kohler (Oakville-Humanitarian).

When the ceremony ended, it was the visiting Kingston Voyageurs that seemingly carried their momentum from a thrilling North-West Conference Championship victory over Trenton.  The Vees wasted little time in turning around a broken play deep in their end for a 3-on-1 rush the other way.  Playoff leading scorer Alex Tonge was stopped by playoff leading netminder Mathew Robson, but the puck would find its way into the back of the net off a defenders skate for a 1-0 lead.  Twenty-five seconds later, defenceman Matt Cairns turned over the puck and after Adam Moodie was stopped, Ryan Watson banged home the rebound for a quick 2-0 lead.  Before the period was out, Cole Bolton converted another odd-man rush and the first period ended with the Vees up 3-0 on the home side, with a 10-9 shot advantage in the game.

Kingston turned up the heat even more in the second period, outshooting the Patriots 17-8.  Just before the midway point of the period, Adam Brady broke free and cut wide around Top Defenceman runner-up Niko Kovachis, finding a streaking Alex Stothart in the slot, who would fire one high over Robson.  Down 4-0, Pats coach Jason Fortier made the goaltending change, replacing Robson with rookie backstop Emanuel Vella.  The move failed to spur on his club as just over four minutes later Colin Tonge fired home yet another rebound goal off a Matt Hoover shot and it was 5-0 Vees entering the second intermission.

The Patriots mounted a bit of a surge in the third, finally breaking Daniel Urbani's shutout bid late in the frame, but it wasn't enough as the two teams traded goals for a 6-1 final.  Alex Tonge buried his second of the game and 18th of the post-season for Kingston, while Mitch Emerson scored the lone Toronto goal off a face-off win with a quick shot past Urbani from the top of the circle.

Final shots in the game were 33-26 in favour of Kingston with Alex Tonge the star of the game, adding to his league-leading point total with another three point effort to give him 33 points in 18 playoff contests.