OHL Playoffs Begin With Local Flair

Wallaceburg’s Seth Griffith and Blenheim’s Kyle Hope started their 2012 OHL playoff runs Friday night with differing results, but they weren’t the only players in the OHL postseason with a Chatham-Kent connection.

Last season’s leading scorer from the Chatham Maroons, Patrick Watling, and his Guelph Storm jumped out to a one game lead over the Plymouth Whalers after defeating the Whalers 4-2 on the road. Watling didn’t hit the scoresheet in the game, finishing with only a two minute tripping penalty to his name.

Sam Studnicka, who was a rookie for the Chatham Maroons this season suited up for the Windsor Spitfires in game one of their playoff series against Seth Griffith and the London Knights. The Knights would get the best of the Spits in the game however, winning 3-0.

Griffith assisted on the first goal of the game by Vladislav Namestnikov, which would end up being the game winning goal.

Kyle Hope finished -1 in a 6-2 game one playoff loss to the Kitchener Rangers in their series.

The Erie Otters, who featured Thamesville’s Dane Fox, as well as the Soo Greyhounds who feature Alex Morgan who started the season with the Chatham Maroons, did not qualify for the playoffs.