Regardless of what happens in the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, Mackenzie Entwistle likely won’t forget the final two regular-season games of 2018-19.
In truth, they were probably the final two regular-season games of his junior career, which made what he was able to accomplish all the more special.
Entwistle was reassigned to the top line alongside Nick Suzuku and Isaac Ratcliffe for the final three games, including the one that preceded my Q&A session with him last week. He was held without a point in that win over the London Knights, but went on to have an absolutely red-hot weekend.
In Friday’s 5-2 win at home over the Erie Otters, Entwistle recorded two goals and two assists. Both helpers were primary in nature – the first set up a Ratcliffe tally, and the other led to Suzuki’s empty netter late in the third to seal the victory.
As it turned out, that was just a warm up for the back end of Guelph’s home and home series with Erie. In Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Otters down in Pennsylvania, Entwistle recorded his first-career OHL hat trick. Here’s a look at all three goals:
Saving his best for last 🌪@NHLBlackhawks prospect @5twisty5 records his first career #OHL 🎩🎩🎩 reaching the 3️⃣0️⃣🚨 mark in final regular season game leading @Storm_City to 4️⃣0️⃣ wins. pic.twitter.com/GZRkzzbBzd
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) March 17, 2019
He also added another primary assist, this time on a shorthanded goal scored by Zach Roberts.
These offensive outbursts brought him to an even point-per-game average for the season, with the majority of his points coming with the Storm.
- Hamilton Bulldogs: 29 GP, 12 G, 15 A, 93 SOG
- Guelph Storm: 27 GP, 15 G, 15 G, 86 SOG/
According to Prospect Stats, 49 of those 57 points were primary in nature, which lends evidence not only to his shooting ability but also his play-making skills. Those 57 points also mark a drastic improvement over his previous single-season high of 38 posted last season in Hamilton.
As you may remember, Entwistle elevated his game during the 2018 postseason, where he helped the Bulldogs to a league title by recording 10 goals and seven assists in 21 games. If he can replicate those numbers and remain even close to this hot this time around, he could finish his junior career as a repeat champ.
Obviously playing with Ratcliffe and Suzuki helps, and the Storm are indeed primed for a deep run.
“We’ve got a pretty good team here, and obviously we’ve got a chance to go far in the playoffs,” Entwistle recently told CTV Kitchener. “Our ultimate goal is to win a championship.”
CTV must be reading Second City Hockey, because the Anze Kopitar comparison was raised once again in that interview.
“A guy like Kopitar, being a big power forward – I kind of look up to him. I take little things that he does in his game that makes him successful and try to implement them into my game,” Entwistle said. “He uses his size for puck protection and driving to the net. Those are a couple little things that I try to take from his game.”
As far as progression in Entwistle’s game, growth was clearly evident both on and off the ice, putting up bigger numbers while going through the pains of transitioning from one team to another.
Guelph ended up finishing fourth in the Western Conference, setting up a first-round series with the Kitchener Rangers. These two teams are the closes geographic rivals in junior hockey, and it should be a beauty.
Up next:
Game 1: Friday, March 22 – Kitchener at Guelph – 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: Sunday, March 24 – Kitchener at Guelph – 2 p.m.
Game 3: Tuesday, March 26 – Guelph at Kitchener – 7 p.m.
Game 4: Thursday, March 28 – Guelph at Kitchener – 7 p.m.
Game 5: Friday, March 29 – Kitchener at Guelph – 7 p.m.*
Game 6: Sunday, March 31 – Guelph at Kitchener – 6 p.m.*
Game 7: Tuesday, April 2 – Kitchener at Guelph – 7 p.m.*
*if necessary