Gagnier scores SO winner in 150th OHL game as Oshawa Generals extend win streak to five

After a 7-2 thrashing by the Windsor Spitfires 11 days ago – the Oshawa Generals’ tenth loss in 11 games – the club and its first-year coach Derek Laxdal found themselves in a very uncomfortable position.

Oshawa hadn’t strung two wins together since the first week of the season and only the abysmal Niagara Ice Dogs stood between Oshawa and rock bottom in the Eastern Conference.

Whether it was something Laxdal said after that game or something just clicked, the Generals have been on a roll since, with Sunday night’s 4-3 shootout win over Barrie – on the annual Teddy Bear Toss night – marking their fifth consecutive victory.

Now at 11-13-3, the Generals are finally in a playoff position, seven points clear of Niagara, four points ahead of Sudbury and just one point back of Hamilton.

The streak started on December 2 with a 6-5 win over Sarnia (on the Sting’s Teddy Bear Toss night), followed by a 4-3 victory over Hamilton on December 4 and their third straight road win December 6, 5-3 over London, with Brett Harrison’s hattrick snapping the Knight’s eight-game winning streak.

Gagnier scored the shootout winner against Barrie on Teddy Bear Toss night on the occasion of his 150^th OHL game.

Harrison has been the spark for the club during the win streak with 11 points in those five games, including six goals. Cam Butler and Ryan Gagnier have chipped in seven points each, Calum Ritchie six and rookie Beckett Sennecke had four goals.

Oshawa’s next action is Friday night in Ottawa.