Canadiens Prospect Owen Beck Peaking In OHL Championship

It’s been a busy year for Montreal Canadiens prospect Owen Beck.

Not only was he drafted in the second round of the 2022 Entry Draft, but he also went on to earn a surprising entry-level contract at the Canadiens training camp, was part of a blockbuster trade in the OHL, and even made his NHL debut.

Oh, and he also earned a gold medal with Canada at the World Junior Championship when an injury to Colton Dach forced a call-up.

Given his hectic schedule, it was rather easy to overlook a downtick in production following his trade to the Peterborough Petes. A quick look at their play down the final stretch of the regular season was ample evidence to suggest the team lacked chemistry once the deadline acquisitions joined the lineup.

Heading into the playoffs, very few pundits predicted the Petes would compete with some of the best clubs in the country, but the team that lacked any semblance of cohesion in March decided to flip the script.

Not only did they sweep the Sudbury Wolves in the first round, but they also went on to eliminate the Ottawa 67’s, which was one of the most astonishing playoff outcomes in the Canadian Hockey League.

Keep in mind, the 67’s were the top team in the OHL, finishing the season with 107 points, 33 more than the Petes. It’s also worth noting the 67’s had beaten the Petes with relative ease in two of the three final games of the regular season.

But while the 67’s clearly had an advantage in talent, the Petes channelled their inner Seattle Kraken, playing a suffocating style of forecheck that simply did not give their opponents an opportunity to gain momentum.

They had to modify their approach in the third round, as the North Bay Battalion matched them in both intensity and effort, but the Petes’ resilience shone through, allowing them to advance to the OHL Championship following a hard-fought seven-game series.

OHL Championship, Game Three, London Knights vs. Peterborough Petes

There’s no doubt the London Knights were considered the favourites heading into their matchup with Peterborough. They have more talent on their roster, and with all due respect to their opponents, the Knights breezed into the OHL Championship.

The Petes, on the other hand, faced three very different teams that presented different challenges, all of which they overcame by modifying their approach to the game.

They have rarely been the most talented player in a series, but they have outworked all their opponents, which is a significant reason why they currently own a 2-1 series lead over the Knights.

But it takes more than hard work to win a series, and that’s where players like Beck come into play.

He’s currently playing the best hockey of his season, perhaps even in his entire career. And he’s doing it at a time when his team needs him the most.

The Knights got off to a great start in Game Three, scoring just 31 seconds into the game. Canadiens prospect Logan Mailloux earned a secondary assist on the play.

The Knights would go on to double their lead a few minutes later, which spelled disaster for the Petes. As resilient as they have been in these playoffs, they cannot afford to allow teams like the Knights to control the flow of the game.

Peterborough needed a spark, and Beck was quick to oblige.

You’ll note that Mailloux lost his one-on-one battle with defenceman Samuel Mayer, which is not an uncommon sight. Mailloux is much stronger and faster than most of his opponents but struggles with positioning when he’s forced to react quickly.

Beck took advantage of the chaos by simply throwing the puck toward the net. And as the adage goes, good things happened.

Beck throws a puck on net to cut the score to 2-1.

Mayer got his stick on the puck, but the PBP is saying it's Beck's goal. pic.twitter.com/uMUccdyWDC

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) May 15, 2023

Beck, who has played a particularly intense brand of physical hockey in the Championship, wasn’t done there.

The late-period goal energized the Petes, who came out flying in the second period, and thanks to a perfect breakout pass by Beck, J.R. Avon scored his seventh goal of the playoffs.

Despite being outshot significantly, the Petes would go on to win the defence-optional game 6-5 in overtime.

The Knights are probably still considered the favourites to win the series, but it genuinely does seem like the Petes have tapped into something special during their impressive playoff run.

An absolutely PERFECT pass by #Habs prospect Owen Beck springs Avon on the breakaway, he makes no mistake.

Tie game. pic.twitter.com/Ly3AF2K2jm

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) May 16, 2023

On The Docket

Game Four of the OHL final takes place on Wednesday, in Peterborough. The puck drop is scheduled for 7 PM ET.

But in the meantime, Canadiens prospect Jared Davidson and the Seattle Thunderbirds will face the Winnipeg Ice in the third game of the WHL Championship on Tuesday night. The series is currently tied at one game apiece. The puck drop will take place at 10 PM ET and will air on TSN.