For the second time in franchise history the Hamilton Bulldogs will play in the Ontario Hockey League championship final.
The Bulldogs blanked the North Bay Battalion 6-0 Friday night to complete their third consecutive playoff series sweep.
The victory vaults Hamilton into the OHL final four years after the club capture its first J. Ross Robertson Cup as league champions.
Jan Mysak had a hat trick in the win, scoring a goal in each period.
The Montreal Canadiens prospect opened the scoring for the Dogs 2:53 into the hockey game and nearly five minutes later teammate Arber Xhekaj doubled the visitor’s lead to 2-0.
Just 1:41 into the second period, Mysak added his second goal of the night before Avery Hayes made it 4-0 when he made good on a penalty shot with just over eight minutes to go in the middle frame.
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Mysak completed his hat trick when he scored with just under three minutes left in regulation time before George Diaco rounded out the scoring with 25 seconds to go.
The Bulldogs join the 1988 Windsor Spitfires and 2019 Ottawa 67’s in going 12-0 to start the OHL playoffs.
The Spits won the OHL title in 1988 and went on to become a Memorial Cup finalist while the 67’s lost to the Guelph Storm in the OHL championship.
Hamilton will now await the winner of the Western Conference Final between Windsor and the Flint Firebirds.
The Bulldogs have won 22 straight games dating back to the regular season and are a remarkable 51-4 in 2022.
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