Three New York Rangers prospects were in action Wednesday night, producing a mix of advancement, momentum, and an early ending to a junior season.
Greentree Helps Windsor Advance
Liam Greentree made sure Windsor punched its ticket to the OHL’s second round, driving an 11–3 rout of Guelph to complete a four‑game sweep. The Spitfires captain, named the game’s second star, posted a 1‑2‑3 line with a +3 rating.
After Guelph opened the scoring on a penalty shot, Greentree tied the game with his fourth goal of the playoffs. As the broadcast noted, he’s the last player you want alone in front of the net — and he proved it with a slick backhand at 14:09 of the first.
Cap delivers a beauty 🫡
Liam Greentree’s fourth goal of the series has the @SpitsHockey all tied up in game four.#WSRvsGUE | #OHLPlayoffs | #NYR pic.twitter.com/c18MDxU2VD
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 2, 2026
Guelph briefly regained the lead, but Greentree picked up a secondary assist on Windsor’s 2–2 goal at 19:25. When the Spitfires blew the game open with three goals in 1:36 to take a 5–2 lead, Greentree added a primary assist on the sixth goal at 5:34 of the second.
He nearly capped the night with a Gordie Howe hat trick, but the Storm player declined to drop the gloves.
Windsor closed out both the game and the series with the 11–3 win. Greentree led the Spitfires in scoring during the sweep, finishing with 4‑3‑7, including a power‑play goal, two power‑play assists, and a shorthanded goal.
The Spitfires now await a Western Conference semifinal matchup with Nathan Aspinall, Jacob Battaglia, and the Flint Firebirds. The schedule will be set once the final first‑round series concludes.
Food for thought: Battaglia, Aspinall, and Greentree have combined for a staggering 15‑20‑35 through four playoff games.
Passmore and Barrie Take Commanding Lead
Evan Passmore recorded his first point of the postseason as the Barrie Colts outlasted Niagara 9–6 to take a 3–1 series lead. Passmore earned a secondary assist on Barrie’s third goal just 2:39 into the game.
He was active throughout, finishing with five shots, a +3 rating, and a fighting major at 14:25 of the first. Barrie built an 8–1 lead before Niagara rallied late to make the score respectable.
Game 5 is Saturday night in Barrie.
Gonchar and Sudbury Swept Out
Artem Gonchar’s first North American junior season ended Wednesday as Sudbury fell 2–1 to Brantford, completing a four‑game sweep. The Wolves kept the series closer than expected, but the Bulldogs ultimately proved too strong.
If Chris Drury were watching closely, Gonchar would already be on a flight to Hartford. The biggest positive from Sudbury’s short playoff run was the 18‑year‑old’s improved play.
Gonchar earned a primary assist on Sudbury’s lone goal and finished the postseason with 0‑4‑4. More importantly, after posting a ‑23 during the regular season, he finished the series even — a significant step forward against the OHL’s top team.
And if you want one last reason why Gonchar is important to the Rangers future then here it is. Gonchar was 15-36-51 for the season while the other five defensive prospects combined were 11-32-43.
Hartford has eight games left. Giving Gonchar five of them on an ATO could jump‑start his offseason development. His defensive game still needs major work, but testing his offensive instincts against AHL competition would be a meaningful next step.
The Wolf Pack are barely alive in the playoff race, so there’s little downside. A season that began in Sudbury and ends in Hartford would be a promising sign for a rebuilding pipeline.
