Ilya Protas is off to a blazing hot start in the OHL this season. The big Belorussian tallied twice and added an assist for the Windsor Spitfires in their 4-1 win over the Guelph Storm on Friday night.
The two goals give the Washington Capitals prospect eight goals on the season total. He’s also, incredibly, on a six-game, goal-scoring streak to begin his OHL career.
Protas first struck 9:19 into Friday’s first period and doubled up with another goal 6:39 into the second period.
He was named OHL Performer of the Night for his First Star of the Game performance.
Protas now has 12 total points (8g, 4a) in his first six games with the Spitfires. His eight goals are tied for the third most in the league and he has played in at least two fewer games than the players in front of him. His point-per-game rate (2.00) also ranks tied for third in the league.
The six-foot-five, 200-pound forward has been playing center on Windsor’s top line for the past few games after starting out as a wing on the team’s second line. Ilya’s older brother, Aliaksei, also played both wing and center during his junior career with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders.
Tonight’s Spitfires STARTERS!#WindsorSpitfires | @qdoba pic.twitter.com/hb5ysgz6zg
— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) October 18, 2024
Unlike Ilya, Aliaksei did not get to eight goals in his first, post-draft season until he was 14 games into his second campaign with the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders. However, the elder Protas did end up leading that Raiders team in scoring at the end of the 2019-20 season and did not get to play with a junior player the caliber of Windsor’s Liam Greentree.
The Spitfires picked the younger 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.
Last night Ilya Protas was the recipient of the Spitfire Helmet! 🪖
Protas had 2 goals and 1 assist and was named OHL Player of the Night!#WindsorSpitfires pic.twitter.com/qny9LyO6Ds
— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) October 19, 2024
