Tavares sets his eyes on the record

Press Release

Toronto, ON – The number is two. London Knights’ star John Tavares is in striking distance of the all-time Ontario Hockey League’s goal scoring title needing just two goals to capture one of the OHL’s most distinguished records.

Tavares had two goals Thursday night in a 7-1 home win over the Kitchener Rangers and one goal Friday night in a 5-3 win in Kitchener over the Rangers.

Tavares has scored 212 goals during his four-year OHL career to date and is two goals shy of setting a new OHL career record for goal scoring. Peter Lee of the Ottawa 67’s set the current record when he scored 213 goals from 1971-1976.

The Knights have three games left in the 2008-09 regular season schedule, including Sunday's road game against the Windsor Spitfires

Tavares, who has scored 29 goals in 22 games since joining the Knights in January, moved past Stan Drulia into second place on the all-time goal scoring list with his 199th goal against the Rangers on February 15th. He also scored his 200th career goal in that game.

Tavares scored his 50th goal of the season last Friday to give the Knights a 2-1 overtime win over the Erie Otters. He added two more on Sunday against the Kingston Frontenacs and leads the OHL scoring race with 100 points this season despite missing time away at Christmas to help Canada win the gold medal at the World Juniors in Ottawa where he was named tournament MVP.

The OHL Information Guide and Record Book incorrectly listed Lee’s scoring totals as 215 for several years but league statistician Herb Morell researched the final league official statistics from each season that Lee participated in to confirm that Lee’s actual total goals scored was 213. League records have been updated to reflect this correction.


Career scoring statistics of the OHL’s all-time best goal scorers

Peter Lee GP G A PTS PIM
1971-72 Ottawa 67’s 12 1 0 1 0
1972-73 Ottawa 67’s 63 25 51 76 110
1973-74 Ottawa 67’s 69 38 42 80 40
1974-75 Ottawa 67’s 70 68 58 126 82
1975-76 Ottawa 67’s 66 81 80 161 59
OHL Totals 280 213 231 444 291

John Tavares GP G A PTS PIM
2005-06 Oshawa Generals 65 45 32 77 72
2006-07 Oshawa Generals 67 72 62 134 60
2007-08 Oshawa Generals 59 40 78 118 69
2008-09 Oshawa Generals 32 26 28 54 32
London Knights 22 29 17 46 22
OHL Totals 245 212 217 429 255


OHL record for most goals in a career

213 – Peter lee, Ottawa (1971-72 through 1975-76)
212 – John Tavares, Oshawa/London (2005-06 through 2008-09)
198 – Stan Drulia, Niagara Falls/Hamilton/Belleville (1984-85 through 1988-89)
194 – Dale McCourt, Sudbury/Hamilton (1972-73 through 1976-77)

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)