Ilya Protas continued his dominant rookie season in the OHL, Saturday night.
The 18-year-old winger scored a hat trick and posted five points in the Windsor Spitfires’ 8-6 win over the Flint Firebirds.
The big Belorussian came into the game just nine days removed from tallying his first career OHL hat trick and five points (4g, 1a) against the Guelph Storm. This second five-point performance (3g, 2a) in five games gives Protas a staggering 66 points (29g, 37a) in 38 games.
Protas kicked his big night off with the primary assist on Anthony Cristoforo’s goal to put the Spitfires up 3-0 with 11:20 remaining in the first period. He scored the first of three goals 8:27 later, finishing off a great feed from Ethan Belchetz.
Little Pro scored his second of the night 16:48 into the third period. Protas poked a loose puck around a Firebirds defender and beat goaltender Noah Bender with a pretty move on a breakaway.
Protas wrapped up his hat trick by finding an empty net with 1:22 left in regulation.
Windsor’s top line, comprised of Protas, Belchetz, and Liam Greentree, combined for 9 points (4g, 5a). Protas was named the game’s First Star and the OHL Performer of the Night.
Protas has points in all but six of the 37 games he has played for Windsor this season. He has been red-hot of late, recording 21 points (10g, 11a) in eight games since returning from the OHL’s holiday break.
The 2024 third-round draft pick is third in the OHL in scoring with his 66 points. His 29 goals also rank fourth in the league. Protas is on pace for 113 points (50g, 63a) assuming he plays the remainder of Windsor’s 27 regular season games.
If he does reach the 113-point mark in his age-18 season, Protas will outperform OHL marks at the same age from current NHL names like Dylan Strome (111), Matthew Tkachuk (107), Taylor Hall (106), John Tavares (104), Connor McMichael (102), Alex DeBrincat (101), Travis Konecny (101), Nick Suzuki (100), Andre Burakovsky (87), Jason Robertson (87), and Vincent Trocheck (85).
