OHL Prospect Report: Windsor Spitfires vs. Barrie Colts

Photo courtesy of the Ontario Hockey League's official website

By Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell)

Score

Colts – 5 / Spitfires – 1

Spotted scouts

I can confirm scouts from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes, and Buffalo Sabres were in attendance.

Barrie Colts

Notable scratches:  Eric Locke (upper-body injury)

C – Mark Scheifele, Jets – Scheifele was the best player on the ice, in my opinion. He created so many chances for himself and his teammates that I lost count. He was dishing tape-to-tape passes all night long and he even potted a goal of his own. Scheifele was very consistent from shift-to-shift and was a force all throughout the game. He did, however, lose his cool at times as he didn’t like it when the Spitfires tried to push him around. Heck, Scheifele was even involved in a line brawl. It was great to see him stand up for himself. If he didn’t/doesn’t stand up for himself, he’ll be pushed around all year long.

Stat line – 1 goal, 3 assists, +2, 2PIMs

D – Brandon Devlin, 2012 – In my opinion Devlin played one of, if not the best game he’s played all season tonight. He was making smart, simple decisions with the puck and was very efficient. He was solid in his own zone, and he wasn’t afraid to mix it up in the corners. Devlin looked good on the powerplay, and earned every minutes of ice time he saw. Though he didn’t tally a point, he was very solid all throughout the game. His performance tonight should certainly catch the eyes of the scouts in attendance.

Stat line – 2 PIMs, even

G – Mathias Niederberger, 2012 – This was Niederberger’s best game as a member of the Colts since he came over from Europe in the import draft. He was not peppered with shots, but he was there when called upon and he made four or five absolutely jaw dropping saves. He was the reason this game wasn’t much closer than the score showed. If he didn’t make the big stops he did, the end result might have been much different. Props to him on playing a fantastic game.

Stat line – Stopped 23 of 24, picked up the win

Windsor Spitfires

Notable scratches:  Kenny Ryan (with the Toronto Marlies, Spitfires still own his rights)

G – Jack Campbell, Stars – Campbell was supposed to get the night off, but that certainly didn’t happen. After John Cullen, who started this game, allowed 3 goals less than five minutes into the game a goaltending change was made. Jack Campbell was solid in relief of Cullen, and he showed why he is as highly regarded around the league as he is. Like Niederberger, he wasn’t peppered with shots, but he was good when called upon.

Stat line – Stopped 23 of 25, no decision

D – Nick Ebert, 2012 – Ebert impressed me a lot tonight. He wasn’t consistent from shift-to-shift, but he showed flashes of brilliance and you could really see why he expected to go top-ten in the upcoming draft. One play he made that really blew my mind was when he made a no look behind the back pass that was tape-to-tape. Though the pass didn’t lead to a goal, it led to a quality scoring chance for the Spitfires. The fact that Ebert is even capable of making a play like that is extraordinary. He made several other outstanding plays in the offensive zone. With that said, he’s not exactly a slouch in his own zone, hence why he was even in a 5-1 loss. Ebert is a heck of a player to watch and I look forward to seeing him again.

Stat line – even

LW/C – Brady Vail, 2012 – Vail was arguably the best player on the ice for Spitfires. He did an excellent job of using his speed to create chances for himself and his teammates. Vail’s vision is exceptional, and he really understands the game. He’s pretty good at getting under people’s skin as he had a few Colts taking shots at him throughout the game. He looked very good quarterbacking the Spitfires powerplay, too. Overall I was very impressed with his performance and I can see why some people I talk to around the Ontario Hockey League are so high on him. Like Ebert, he was even in a 5-1 loss which is amazing.

Stat line – even

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