Oshawa Generals drop 3-2 decision to league-leading Hamilton

Oshawa lost their third game in a row Thursday, falling 3-2 to the league-leading Hamilton Bulldogs on a night when the Bulldogs earned a franchise-high 44th win, the most by any team in the storied past of major junior hockey in the city of Hamilton.

Logan Morrison collected three primary assists and Anaheim Ducks prospect Mason McTavish scored what stood up to be the game winner with 4:59 remaining in the third period.

Zachary Paputsakis stood tall in the crease for the Generals before an injury forced him out of the game after the McTavish goal. Rookie Carter Bickle finished up.

Ryan Stepien and Matthew Buckley scored the Oshawa goals while Nathan Staios had the other Hamilton marker.

Hamilton outshot Oshawa 41-12 and went 3-for-8 on the power play.

Oshawa, which has just four wins in its last 20 games, have been free-falling in the Eastern Conference and now sport a 27-29-6 record. The club is just two precarious points up on Ottawa and only five ahead of Peterborough – who hold down the final playoff spot – with just six games left in the regular season.

It doesn’t get any easier for the Generals, who return to action Sunday against Kingston, a club that has beaten Oshawa six straight times.