Rangers prospects Greentree, Aspinall, Battaglia face off in OHL playoffs
The New York Rangers scouting department need not juggle their schedules to watch each of their prospects taking part in the second round of the OHL playoffs this spring. That’s because all three still playing are taking part in the same series between Flint and Windsor.
Liam Greentree picked up and assist and led Windsor with four shots on goal in the opener of the best-of-7 series Friday, a 4-2 victory over a Flint team, that includes Rangers prospects Nathan Aspinall and Jacob Battaglia.
Greentree earned the primary helper on Jack Nesbitt’s empty-netter with under a minute to play that sealed the Game 1 win for Windsor. Nesbitt, a 2025 first-round pick (No. 12 overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers, also scored the go-ahead goal four minutes earlier on the power play, after Flint tied the game 2-2.
Acquired in the Artemi Panarin trade with the Los Angeles Kings, Greentree is tied for the Windsor lead with four goals and eight points in five postseason games. The hulking 20-year-old forward led Windsor with 38 goals and 74 points during the regular season.
Battaglia’s had a terrific postseason for Flint, and was named OHL Player of the Week during the first week of the playoffs. But he set Flint back right from get-go Friday, taking a double-minor penalty for high-sticking just 1:04 into Game 1. Windsor scored during the first power play at 2:59. And though the Spitfires failed to capitalize on the second power play, they did score at even strength at 6:19 to grab a 2-0 lead.
Early in the third period, Battaglia fought Windsor’s Cole Davis, leading to a Flint power play, when Davis was assessed an instigator minor to go along with the fighting major. Flint didn’t score on that power play, but did tie the game later at 12:39 of the third period.
The Rangers acquired Battaglia from the Calgary Flames in the Brennan Othmann trade on March 6. He leads all OHL skaters with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in five playoff games. Not far behind him is Aspinall, who has 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the postseason for Flint. Neither forward landed on the score sheet against Windsor.
Aspinall, who finished second in the OHL with 94 points (33 goals, 61 assists) in 65 games this season, had three shots on goal and was minus-1 in the Game 1 defeat. Battaglia racked up nine penalty minutes, recorded two shots on goal, and won six of 14 face-offs.
Each of these prospects already signed his entry-level contract and is expected to turn pro with the Rangers next season. Game 2 of the OHL playoff series between Flint and Windsor takes place Sunday.
Two other key Rangers prospects, forward Malcolm Spence and defenseman EJ Emery, hoped to face one another in the NCAA National Championship Game on Saturday. But top-ranked Michigan (Spence) and No. 2 North Dakota (Emery) each lost in the Frozen Four on Thursday.
