Ilya Protas secured a milestone in his Ontario Hockey League debut, Thursday.
The Washington Capitals’ 2024 third-round pick scored his first OHL goal during the Windsor Spitfires’ dominant 5-0 victory over the Soo Greyhounds.
Protas scored 11:50 into the first period to give the Spitfires a 3-0 lead.
The big Belorussian, wearing number 37 in white, was sprung down the left wing, where he ripped a wrist shot and beat Greyhounds goaltender Landon Miller low far side.
Protas finished second on the team with four shots on the night. He also ended the outing with a plus-minus of plus-one, four PIMs for roughing, and finished 5 for 9 in the faceoff circle.
The six-foot-five, 200-pound forward skated on Windsor’s second line in his debut, sharing the ice with AJ Spellacy and Cole Davis.
Protas, who spent over two weeks in Washington for his first NHL Rookie Camp and Training Camp, played one preseason game for the team, suiting up with his older brother, Aliaksei Protas. Shortly after, he was a part of 20 cuts from the Capitals’ roster on September 29.
Before landing in Washington, Little Pro participated in Windsor’s Training Camp and preseason, where he scored a hat trick in his first appearance for the club.
The Spitfires picked Protas third overall in the CHL Import Draft on July 3 after he played last season for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers. He signed an OHL development deal weeks later.
