Victor Fernandes unveils his predictions for the OHL playoffs:

Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Belleville def. No. 8 Mississauga, 4-1
No. 2 Barrie def. No. 7 Kingston, 4-0
No. 6 Niagara def. No. 3 Oshawa, 4-2
No. 4 Brampton def. No. 5 Sudbury, 4-2
Semifinals
No. 1 Belleville def. No. 6 Niagara, 4-2
No. 2 Barrie def. No. 4 Brampton, 4-1
Finals
No. 1 Belleville def. No. 2 Barrie, 4-3

Western Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 London def. No. 8 Saginaw, 4-0
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 7 Sarnia, 4-1
No. 3 Owen Sound def. No. 6 Sault Ste. Marie, 4-1
No. 5 Guelph def. No. 4 Kitchener, 4-3
Semifinals
No. 1 London def. No. 5 Guelph, 4-1
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 3 Owen Sound, 4-2
Finals
No. 2 Plymouth def. No. 1 London, 4-3

League finals
No. 1W Plymouth def. No. 1E Belleville, 4-2

- Victor Fernandes

Toronto – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs is the 2011-12 recipient of the Max Kaminsky Trophy awarded to the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman of the Year.

Hamilton led all OHL defencemen in scoring with 72 points in just 50 games and tied for third in the league with a plus-minus rating of plus-37. He scored 17 goals and finished tied for third overall in the league with 55 assists which included a league-high 30 assists recorded on the power play. Third in voting for this award last season, Hamilton becomes the first winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy in IceDogs’ team history.

“This year has been a ton of fun and it is a huge honour to win this award,” said Hamilton. “I spent the last couple of years watching the best defencemen in the league and then trying to get myself to that point and it is exciting to be here now and receive this award. A lot of past winners have gone on to NHL careers and hopefully I can follow suit.”

An 18-year-old from Toronto, ON, Hamilton was selected by the IceDogs 27th overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection. This season he was recognized as OHL Defenseman of the Month four of the six times the award was presented including October, November, February, and March.

Hamilton was selected by the Boston Bruins with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and represented the OHL on Canada’s National Junior Team at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship earning a bronze medal. Last season he earned the Bobby Smith Trophy for combining high standards of play and academic excellence before being named the CHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year.

“We couldn’t be prouder of Dougie,” said IceDogs’ General Manager and Head Coach Marty Williamson. “The on ice stuff, it is easy to see how good he is, but he has leadership abilities off the ice and is a great role model not just for younger players on our team but in the community, we just can’t say enough good things about what he brings to the team.”

The Max Kaminsky Trophy is awarded each year to the Most Outstanding Defenseman as selected by OHL General Managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for their own nominee. Players received five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Hamilton received an impressive 80 of a maximum 95 points in the voting process ahead of Scott Harrington of the London Knights who finished in second place with 36 voting points, and Cody Ceci of the Ottawa 67’s who finished in third place with 28 voting points.

Other notable winners of the Max Kaminsky Trophy include Al MacInnis (Kitchener 1982-83), Chris Pronger (Peterborough 1992-93), Brian Campbell (Ottawa 1998-99), James Wisniewski (Plymouth 2003-04), Marc Staal (Sudbury 2006-07), Drew Doughty (Guelph 2007-08), and Ryan Ellis (Windsor Spitfires 2008-09 and 2010-11). Ron Meighan (1981-82), and Bryan Fogarty (1988-89) both received the honour as members of the Niagara Falls Thunder.

The award is named in recognition of Max Kaminsky, who enjoyed a 10-year professional playing career that included four years in the NHL with Ottawa, Boston, and Montreal. After he retired from playing, Kaminsky enjoyed a 15-year coaching career that was capped by winning the Memorial Cup with the St. Catherine’s Teepees in 1960.

Hamilton will be formally presented with the Max Kaminsky Trophy at the OHL Awards Ceremony which takes place on Tuesday June 5, 2012, at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. He will also be the OHL’s nominee for CHL Defenseman of the Year.

- From OHL news release

The winner of the Matt Leyden Trophy as the OHL’s Coach of the Year will be announced Tuesday at 11 a.m. The finalists are Brampton’s Stan Butler, Ottawa’s Chris Byrne, Saginaw’s Greg Gilbert, Barrie’s Dale Hawerchuk, Kitchener’s Steve Spott and Guelph’s Scott Walker.

Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced that forward Andrew Agozzino of the Niagara IceDogs is the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy winner awarded to the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year for the 2011-12 season.

Agozzino tied for fifth in league scoring with a career-high 88 points in 67 games scoring 40 goals and 48 assists leading the IceDogs to their first Central Division title and best overall record in team history with a record of 47-18-0-3 for 97 points. Agozzino becomes the second member of the IceDogs’ to win the award following his former teammate Michael Swift who earned it in the club’s first season in Niagara back in 2007-08.

“It’s a great feeling to win this award and it’s something I was looking forward to at the start of my overage year,” said Agozzino. “Having the opportunity to be an overager on the same team I started with is something special and I would like to thank the entire IceDogs organization for the opportunities they have given me.”

A 21-year-old native of Kleinburg, ON, Agozzino played all five of his OHL seasons with the IceDogs after being the franchise’s first ever draft pick selected 15th overall in the 2007 Priority Selection. This season the three-year captain led the IceDogs in both goals and points for the third time in five years finishing his career with a franchise record 159 goals and 147 assists for 306 points in a franchise record 318 regular season games played. In 2010, Agozzino represented the IceDogs at the OHL All-Star Classic in Kingston, ON, where he was named Eastern Conference Player of the Game scoring an All-Star Classic record four goals.

“We couldn’t be more happy or proud of Andrew winning the Overage Player of the Year Award,” said IceDogs owner Bill Burke. “Andrew is everything you could ask for in a leader, hockey player and a person and is extremely deserving of this award. He has meant everything to this organization in our five years here and will be impossible to replace.”

The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top overage player of the year as selected by OHL General Managers. Teams were not permitted to vote for players from their own hockey club. Players received five points for a first place vote, three points for a second place vote and one point for a third place vote.

Agozzino finished the voting process with 53 points just slightly ahead of Owen Sound Attack forward Mike Halmo who finished with 52 points. Defenceman Beau Schmitz of the Plymouth Whalers finished in third with 28 voting points.

Former winners of the trophy include Bill Bowler (Windsor, 1994-95), and Dan Tessier (Ottawa 99-00), along with current NHL stars Chad LaRose (Plymouth 2002-03), and Ryan Callahan (Guelph, 2005-06). Top scorer Jason Akeson of the Kitchener Rangers captured the award last season.

The Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy was donated by the trainers of the Ontario Hockey League, in memory of the late Leo Lalonde, former Chief Scout of OHL Central Scouting. Leo Lalonde was also formerly the Chief Scout for the Belleville Bulls as well as a scout for the Peterborough Petes.

Agozzino will be formally presented with the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy at the 2011-12 OHL Awards Ceremony scheduled for June 5 at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

- From OHL news release

Victor Fernandes unveils his predictions for the 2011-12 OHL season:

REGULAR SEASON

Eastern Conference

East Division

1. Oshawa

2. Ottawa

3. Peterborough

4. Kingston

5. Belleville

Central Division

1. Niagara

2. Mississauga

3. Sudbury

4. Brampton

5. Barrie

Western Conference

Midwest Division

1. London

2. Kitchener

3. Erie

4. Owen Sound

5. Guelph

West Division

1. Plymouth

2. Saginaw

3. Sarnia

4. Windsor

5. Sault Ste. Marie

PLAYOFFS

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 8 Kingston, 4-0

No. 2 Oshawa def. No. 7 Sudbury, 4-2

No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 6 Brampton, 4-1

No. 4 Ottawa def. No. 5 Peterborough, 4-1

Semifinals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 4 Ottawa, 4-0

No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 2 Oshawa, 4-2

Finals

No. 1 Niagara def. No. 3 Mississauga, 4-2

Western Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 8 Owen Sound, 4-2

No. 2 London def. No. 7 Erie, 4-2

No. 6 Windsor def. No. 3 Saginaw, 4-3

No. 5 Sarnia def. No. 4 Kitchener, 4-2

Semifinals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 6 Windsor, 4-2

No. 2 London def. No. 5 Sarnia, 4-3

Finals

No. 1 Plymouth def. No. 2 London, 4-2

League finals

No. 1E Niagara def. No. 1W Plymouth, 4-2

What: Erie Otters (15-14-1-1) at Owen Sound Attack (19-9-0-2)

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre – Owen Sound, Ontario

On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (21 goals, 25 assists, 46 points), RW Shawn Szydlowski (17-13-30), RW Anthony Luciani (11-16-27), G Ramis Sadikov (15-10-1-1 record, 2.75 goals-against average, .916 save percentage, 2 shutouts), C Phil Varone (11-11-22)

Owen Sound – LW Andrew Fritsch (14-15-29), RW Bobby Mignardi (10-14-24), RW Liam Heelis (7-17-24), D Geoffrey Schemitsch (1-11-12, plus-12), G Jordan Binnington (9-6-0-2, 3.01, .889, 1 SO)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters have won three straight and five of their last six games to move one game above .500 on the road (8-7-0-1). … They have four hat tricks in the last six games (Szydlowski 2, McKegg, Varone). … Szydlowski has three of his four career hat tricks in the past nine games. His goal total ranks among the OHL’s top 25. … Varone has an eight-game point streak (seven goals, 15 points), the second-longest streak of his career. He had points in 11 consecutive games with London from Jan. 13-Feb. 8, 2008. … McKegg has points in the past six games (seven goals, 15 points). He has moved into a tie for fifth in the OHL scoring race. … Sadikov has made 21 straight starts, three shy of equaling Josh Disher’s record of 23 set from Sept. 28-Nov. 27, 2003. … … Luciani has points in three straight games and nine of his past 10 games (seven goals, 20 points). He has eight goals and 22 points in 12 games since returning from a broken wrist. … The Otters stand second in the league on the power play (22.9 percent).

Owen Sound – The Attack are expected to play without LW Garrett Wilson (25-19-44, 11 power-play goals), C Joey Hishon (17-25-42) and D Jesse Blacker (7-20-27, plus-9) because they head to Toronto today for Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp, according to the team’s website. … The Attack also have three injured players – G Scott Stajcer, D Curtis Crombeen and 2010 first-round pick Jarrod Maidens – and suspended Fs Mike Halmo and Cameron Brace out of the lineup, the team announced. … The Attack have lost six of their past 10 games to fall into a tie with Kitchener for the Midwest lead.

Up next: at Guelph (Sunday, 2 p.m.), vs. Brampton (Friday, 7 p.m.)

– Victor Fernandes

What: Erie Otters (14-14-1-1) at London Knights (13-13-2-1)

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: John Labatt Centre – London, Ontario

On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (21 goals, 22 assists, 43 points), RW Shawn Szydlowski (14-12-26), RW Anthony Luciani (9-14-23), G Ramis Sadikov (14-10-1-1 record, 2.70 goals-against average, .916 save percentage, 2 shutouts), C Phil Varone (10-10-20)

London – RW Jared Knight (12-16-28), RW Vladislav Namestnikov (9-17-26), G Michael Houser (12-9-2-1, 2.92, .914, 1 SO), C Daniel Erlich (7-18-25), D Michael D’Orazio (4-17-21)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters’ five-game winning streak – their longest in two years – ended Saturday in a 3-2 shootout loss to Sarnia. … The Otters begin a three-game road trip through the Midwest Division by trying to snap a 24-game winless skid in London. Their last win at Labatt Centre was on Dec. 27, 2002 – their first visit to the rink. They lost in London 5-3 on Oct. 14… If the Otters win, they will have a winning record for the first time since a season-opening win at Brampton. … The Otters are one point ahead of London in the Midwest Division standings, although the Knights have a game in hand. … Varone takes a seven-game point streak (six goals, 13 points), the second-longest streak of his career, into his first game in London since being traded Oct. 26. He had points in 11 consecutive games with the Knights from Jan. 13-Feb. 8, 2008. … McKegg has points in the past five games (seven goals, 12 points). He has goals in six of his past eight games. … Sadikov has made 20 straight starts, three shy of equaling Josh Disher’s record of 23 set from Sept. 28-Nov. 27, 2003. … The Otters could reach the .500 mark on the road (6-7-1-0). They have won two straight and four of five since a 10-3 loss in Oshawa Nov. 19.

London – The struggling Knights have lost three straight and eight of their last 11 games. … The Knights, one of the OHL’s most potent offenses for many years, rank near the bottom with 93 goals. … They also have the league’s worst power play (15.2 percent) and rank near the bottom on the penalty (79.2). … They have nine losses in 18 home games. They lost only four home games last season. … Houser, a native of the Pittsburgh suburb of Wexford, ranks among the top 12 in goals-against average and save percentage. … They have lost two of three meetings with the Otters this season.

Up next: at Owen Sound (Saturday, 7:30 p.m.), at Guelph (Sunday, 2 p.m.)

– Victor Fernandes

Shawn Szydlowski put the Erie Otters in position. David Shields finished it off.

Shields scored with 3.5 seconds left in overtime to seal a 5-4 win against Guelph in front of 2,444 at Tullio Arena on Sunday. Szydlowski forced overtime with 1:45 left in regulation on his third goal of the game, which capped his second hat trick of the season and fourth of his Ontario Hockey League career.

The Otters have (13-14-1-0) have a four-game winning streak for the first time since the middle of last season. They also have recorded hat tricks in three straight games for the first time in franchise history.

The Otters wasted little time in getting their offense in gear against the Storm.

Szydlowski gathered a loose puck at center ice and fired a wrist shot past goaltender Brandon Foote for a 1-0 lead 1:14 into the opening period. But after that, these Midwest Division rivals settled into a defensive struggle. They combined for 11 more shots in the period, with the Storm holding a 7-5 edge.

The Otters began the second period as they did in the first – with a quick goal. A hooking penalty to Storm center Michael Latta led to David Broll’s fourth goal of the season 1:42 into the period.

Phil Varone assisted on the goal – his ninth point in a season-high, five-game point streak. Greg McKegg also earned an assist for his team-leading 39^th point. The Storm sliced Erie’s lead in half at 2-1 less than three minutes later, as Cody McNaughton scored through a goal-mouth scramble during a delayed penalty.

Then the Storm capitalized on a 4-on-3 power play, as Peter Holland fired a slap shot past a screened Ramis Sadikov 7:31 into the period to tie the score at 2. Guelph took their first lead of the game at 3-2 on Tyler Carroll’s power-play goal with 7:49 left in the period – a rebound of a shot that glanced off the post. But the Otters responded on the power play, with Szydlowski scoring his second goal 1:23 later.

Szydlowski responded after Guelph’s Taylor Beck scored on the power play with 4:41 left in the third period. He completed his hat trick off assists from Shields and Brett Cook to force overtime.

Then Shields stole the spotlight in overtime to cap a franchise-record ninth win in November.

Latta had a goal and three assists for the Storm (10-12-2-1), which have lost five straight games.

* News and notes: The Otters finished November with a 9-3 record. … The Otters won in overtime for the first time in nearly a year – a 5-4 win against Guelph on Nov. 27, 2009. They won in overtime at home for the first time since Nick Palmieri’s goal in a 4-3 win against Belleville on Nov. 22, 2007, which snapped a franchise-record, 16-game losing streak. … Guelph’s No. 1 line of Latta, Beck and Holland combined for three goals and seven goals. They had a goal and two points in the first two meetings with the Otters. … The Storm (10-11-3-1) have lost five straight and eight of their last 11 games.

- Victor Fernandes

What: Belleville Bulls (7-15-0-2) at Erie Otters (10-14-1-0)

When: Today, 7 p.m.

Where: Tullio Arena

On the air: WFNN-AM/1330, www.ottershockey.com (live stream)

Players to watch

Erie – C Greg McKegg (14 goals, 17 assists, 31 points), RW Shawn Szydlowski (11-11-22), RW Anthony Luciani (7-8-15), G Ramis Sadikov (10-10-1-0 record, 2.90 goals-against average, .912 save percentage, 1 shutout), D Derek Holden (2-11-13)

Belleville – RW Richard Panik (13-15-28), C Andy Bathgate (9-11-20), RW Luke Judson (10-9-19), G Tyson Teichmann (4-11-0-1, 4.10, .887), RW Austen Brassard (5-8-13)

Fast facts

Erie – The Otters begin a three-game home stand with their traditional Thanksgiving Night matchup against the Bulls. … The Otters, which have played on Thanksgiving every year since moving to Erie from Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 1996, face the Bulls for a holiday-best 10^th time (3-5-1-0), including the past six years. … Sadikov has made 15 consecutive starts (7-6-0-0 with one no-decision, 2.61, .914). … Luciani (pictured at left)  has points in five of six games, including four multi-point outings, since returning from a five-week layoff with a broken right wrist (four goals, 10 points). … The Otters have nearly identical records at home (5-7-0-0) and on the road (5-7-1-0). However, they have a plus-4 goal differential at home (39-35) and a minus-13 differential on the road (41-54). … McKegg, who ranks among the OHL’s top 20 in scoring, had three-game goal and point streaks snapped in Saturday’s win at Barrie. … Szydlowski has four goals in the past three games after totaling one in the previous seven games. … LW Brett Appio (leg) hopes to play tonight. … D Brady Austin (shoulder) has missed the past four games. … Rookie D Adam Pelech (undisclosed injury) remains day to day. … The Otters hold their annual Teddy Bear Toss tonight. Fans bringing a new or gently used stuffed animal will receive a free ticket to Saturday’s or Sunday’s game. Fans can toss the stuffed animals onto the ice after Erie’s first goal.

Belleville – The rebuilding Bulls have lost seven of their past 10 games. … They rank near the bottom of the league in goals for (61), goals against (96), power play (14.5 percent) and penalty kill (78.4). … Panik has 25 goals and 51 points in 51 games since being acquired from Windsor last season. He ranks among the top 20 in scoring this season. … Rookie D Brendan Gaunce (3-8-11, minus-11), assistant coach Jake Grimes and equipment manager Matt Sands will represent Team Ontario at next month’s World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with Grimes serving as head coach. Goaltending prospect Daniel Altshuller, a third-round pick in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection, also is on a team that includes Otters rookies Chris Marchese (3-4-7) and Pelech. … Brassard, Teichmann and LW Michael Curtis (3-4-7) join Otters LW David Broll (3-9-12) on NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary 2011 draft rankings.

Up next: vs. Kitchener (Saturday, 7 p.m.), vs. Guelph (Sunday, 4:30 p.m.)

- Victor Fernandes

The Erie Otters clinched the eighth seed in the OHL’s Western Conference and will face Windsor, defending league and Memorial Cup champion, in the opening round of the playoffs.

The best-of-seven series begins Thursday at 7:05 p.m. at WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario. The Spitfires also will host Game 3 on March 23 at 7:05 p.m. The Otters will have Game 2 Sunday at 4:30 p.m. and Game 4 on March 25 at 7 p.m. at Tullio Arena.

The rest of the series, if necessary, includes Game 5 at Windsor (March 27 at 7:05 p.m.), Game 6 in Erie (March 29 at 7 p.m.) and Game 7 at Windsor (March 30 at 7:05 p.m.) The Otters lost three of four meetings with the Spitfires in the regular season.

The Otters began Sunday tied with Saginaw for seventh in the West with 73 points, one point behind Guelph. But Saginaw beat Plymouth 4-1 Sunday in their finale to move past the Otters and Guelph into sixth. The Spirit will face No. 3 Kitchener in the first round. The seventh-seeded Storm will face No. 3 London. No. 4 Plymouth and No. 5 Sault Ste. Marie meet in the other Western series.

In the East, the series are No. 1 Barrie vs. No. 8 Sudbury, No. 2 Ottawa vs. No. 7 Niagara, No. 3 Mississauga St. Michael’s vs. No. 6 Peterborough and No. 4 Kingston vs. No. 5 Brampton.

Western Conference quarterfinal schedule

No. 1 Windsor vs. No. 8 Erie

Game 1 – Thursday at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.

Game 2 – March 21 at Erie, 4:30 p.m.

Game 3 – March 23 at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 – March 25 at Erie, 7 p.m.

Game 5 – March 27 at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 6 – March 29 at Erie, 7 p.m.*

Game 7 – March 30 at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.*

* If necessary