PETERBOROUGH, Ont. — J.R. Avon scored the game-winning goal on a short-handed opportunity at the 16:49 mark of the first period as the Peterborough Petes clinched a playoff spot with a 5-1 victory over the Niagara IceDogs Saturday in the OHL.

Avon was among five different Peterborough (27-33-6) skaters to score in the win.

Tucker Robertson also scored a short-handed goal late in the third period to give the Petes a 5-1 advantage.

Brice Cooke scored the IceDogs' (22-39-4) lone goal.

Joseph Costanzo made 41 saves in the losing effort for Niagara.

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FRONTENACS 7 STEELHEADS 5

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Alec Belanger notched a hat trick and Lucas Edmonds had four points as Kingston (39-20-5) outgunned Mississauga (36-23-8) in a wild affair. The Steelheads led 5-3 with seven minutes to play in the third period, but the Frontenacs responded with four straight to come back and ice the game.

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FIREBIRDS 4 OTTERS 1

FLINT, Mich. — Tag Bertuzzi had a goal and an assist to help Flint (39-20-5) down Erie (26-34-4). Sahil Panwar scored a short-handed goal early in the third period for the Firebirds in the win.

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SPITFIRES 5 SPIRIT 3

SAGINAW, Mich. — Oliver Peer scored the game-winner with less than three minutes to play in the third period to give Windsor (44-16-6) its 13th win in a row. Saginaw (23-42-1) came back from a 3-0 victory and managed to tie the game up early in the third, but couldn't get anything more afterwards.

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GREYHOUNDS 5 WOLVES 1

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Jack Thompson scored twice and assisted on another goal as Soo (37-21-7) dumped Sudbury (23-36-7). The Wolves managed to jump out to an early lead on a Kocha Delic goal, but the Greyhounds quickly responded and never looked back afterwards.

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BATTALION 6 COLTS 1

BARRIE, Ont. — Matvey Petrov and Mitchell Russell each scored two goals as North Bay (41-18-6) routed Barrie (33-24-7). Battalion goalie Dom DiVincentiis made 26 saves to pick up the win.

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RANGERS 4 ATTACK 1

OWEN SOUND, Ont. — Jackson Parsons stopped 37 of the 38 shots he faced to help Kitchener (29-30-5) ease past Owen Sound (32-26-8). Parsons was beat early in the game, on a Nicholas Porco goal at the 3:51 mark of the first period, but settled in afterwards and shut the door on the Attack.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2022.