Bulldogs advance to OHL final; Ice eliminated by Oil Kings

OHL website

The Hamilton Bulldogs are rolling into the Ontario Hockey League final while one of the Canadian Hockey League's top-ranked teams has had their season come to an end.

The Bulldogs completed a sweep of the North Bay Battalion Friday night, winning the OHL's Eastern Conference and earning a spot in the OHL final. The Bulldogs became just the third team in OHL history to start the playoffs with a perfect 12-0 record.

12-0
60 GOALS FOR
21 GOALS AGAINST
3 SHUTOUTS
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY, THE HAMILTON BULLDOGS ARE YOUR EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS!🎉🎉#DawgMentality | #BeTheHammer pic.twitter.com/2XEIHAcgeB

— Xyz - Hamilton Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) May 28, 2022

It's the second time the team has won the Eastern Conference since moving to Hamilton in 2015. The Bulldogs won the OHL title in 2018 and lost in the Memorial Cup semifinal to the Regina Pats.

The Bulldogs will face the winner of the Western Conference final which is tied 2-2 between the Windsor Spitfires and Flint Firebirds.

The OHL champion will play the Saint John Sea Dogs in the Memorial Cup opener on June 20.

While the Bulldogs were ranked first in the final CHL Top 10 of the season, the Western Hockey League's Winnipeg Ice were ranked second. The Ice's season is now over after falling in five games to the Edmonton Oil Kings, who were ranked third in that final CHL Top 10.

The Oil Kings scored three times in a 55-second span in the first period en route to a 7-1 win over the Ice on Friday night, claiming the WHL's Eastern Conference. It's the fourth time the club will play in the WHL final in its modern history. The team won the Memorial Cup in 2014.

Edmonton will play the winner of the Western Conference final which currently has the Kamloops Blazers leading the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-2.

Some other notes...

• Former Sea Dogs forward Joshua Roy scored in overtime Thursday night to give the Sherbrooke Phoenix a 4-3 win over the Charlottetown Islanders, tying the President Cup semifinal series at 1-1. The series resumes Sunday in Sherbrooke.
• The QMJHL's other semifinal is tied 1-1 thanks to a 1-0 Shawinigan Cataractes overtime victory over the Quebec Remparts Thursday. The series resumes Sunday in Shawinigan.
• In the AHL's Calder Cup playoffs, former Sea Dogs captain Spencer Smallman and the Chicago Wolves have advanced to the Western Conference final following a 3-1 series win over the Milwaukee Admirals. Smallman had an assist in the game, giving him two helpers in seven playoff contests this year. The Wolves will play the winner of the Stockton-Colorado series.
• The Maritime Hockey League champion Summerside Western Capitals had their season come to an end Friday, falling in the quarterfinals of the Centennial Cup national championship. The Capitals featured former Sea Dogs Josh MacDonald and Sam Dow.