THE CANADIAN PRESS
Tyler Seguin showed why he’s considered a top-10 pick in next summer’s NHL draft.
Seguin scored a hat trick and added an assist to lead the Plymouth Whalers past the London Knights 7-2 Saturday night in Ontario Hockey League action.
Seguin, ranked in the top 10 by numerous NHL scouting services, has 11 points in his first four games this season, second only to Windsor Spitfires star Taylor Hall — widely considered the top pick in 2010 — who has 12 in five games.
Seguin scored three straight goals in the second period and added an assist in the third to put the game out of reach for a Knights squad that is missing defenceman Michael Del Zotto, still with the New York Rangers, and forward Nazem Kadri, still with Toronto.
"(London) was shadowing him all night and taking cheap shots, but he played really well and played smart hockey," Plymouth head coach Mike Vellucci said of Seguin, Plymouth’s first-round pick in the 2008 OHL draft.
"This is a good win for us, though, because we have six of our guys out and we’re really shorthanded right now. London had two guys out, but they’re two of their top guys."
Elsewhere in the OHL, it was: Kingston 4 Peterborough 3; Sudbury 7 Belleville 1; Erie 6 Saginaw 4; Windsor 6 Owen Sound 3; and Mississauga 9 Sarnia 3.
At Plymouth, Mich., Joe Gaynor, AJ Jenks, Myles McCauley and Garrett Meurs — the Whalers’ top pick in last May’s OHL draft — also scored for Plymouth (3-1-0). Meurs poked the puck away from a London defenceman and beat London goalie Michael Hutchinson high for his first OHL goal.
Justin Taylor and Jared Knight replied for the Knights (2-1-0).
Matt Hackett made 23 saves for the Whalers, while Hutchinson stopped 22 shots.
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Frontenacs 4 Petes 3
At Peterborough, Ont., Jaroslav Kruzik scored with 6:17 remaining as Kingston edged the Petes.
Derek Froats, Corey Durocher and Ethan Werek added goals for the Frontenacs (2-2-0).
Zack Kassian, Adam Sedlak and Brett Theberge scored for Peterborough (3-2-0).
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Wolves 7 Bulls 1
At Belleville, Ont., Eric O’Dell had a goal and two assists in Sudbury’s win over the Bulls.
Kain Allicock, Kyle Tarini, John McFarland, Daniel Lombardi, Marcus Foligno and Jared Staal had the other goals for the Wolves (2-2-0).
Matthew Tipoff had the lone goal for Belleville (1-2-0).
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Otters 6 Spirit 4
At Saginaw, Mich., Anthony Luciani scored two goals for Erie in a wild 6-4 win over the Spirit.
David Boll, Greg McKegg, Matthew Paton and Andrew Yogan also scored for the Otters (2-2-1), who handed Saginaw its first loss of the season.
Anthony Camara scored his first two career goals as part of a three-point night, while Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist and Ivan Telegin also scored for Saginaw (3-1-0).
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Spitfires 6 Attack 3
At Owen Sound, Ont., Greg Nemisz scored twice as Windsor downed the Attack.
Taylor Hall, Eric Wellwood, Adam Henrique and Justin Shugg had singles for Windsor (3-1-1).
Bobby Mignardi, Garrett Wilson and Geoffrey Schemitsch replied for Owen Sound (1-3-1).
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Majors 9 Sting 3
At Sarnia, Ont., William Wallen scored twice as Mississauga-St. Michael’s hammered the Sting.
Casey Cizikas, Blake Parlett, Corey Bureau, Joseph Cramarossa, Jordan Mayer, Brendan McCann and Devante Smith-Pelly also scored for the Majors (2-1-0).
Ben O’Quinn, Kale Kerbashian and Brent Sullivan countered for the Sting (1-2-1).
