As the Stanley Cup playoffs surge on, we always watch for pressure performers.

Over in the OHL post-season, Oshawa Generals right winger Beckett Sennecke showed what he was made of in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final against Barrie, trampling the Colts with a hat trick and an assist in a 7-1 blowout on Barrie ice.

But it wasn't just the scoring that put Sennecke in the spotlight. The Anaheim Ducks prospect began the game by throwing a massive hit on defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson – one of the toughest players in the OHL – setting the table for his first goal of the night just seconds later.

"That was certainly a leadership shift," said Oshawa coach Brad Malone. "It set the tone for the rest of the bench: Beckett was going tonight, and everyone should hop on and follow along."

Sennecke also crunched Dallas Stars prospect Tristan Bertucci in the second period, and his combination of physicality and scoring led to a number of chirp sessions throughout the game with his opponents – which was just fine with Sennecke, as he enjoys a game filled with passion.

"Yeah, for sure," he said. "We played Barrie last year in the first round so there's a bit of a history. A lot of those games got chippy, and that's a part of the game I enjoy taking part in."

Taken third overall by the Ducks in the 2024 NHL draft, Sennecke truly planted a flag in the playoffs last year with 22 points in 16 games for the Generals. He has followed that up this post-season with 20 points in 11 games as Oshawa carries a 2-0 series lead back home with them. Needless to say, he's a fan of playoff hockey.

"The games mean so much to the fans, the coaches and all us players, and it's why we play hockey," Sennecke said. "Everyone elevates themselves."

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Sennecke was infamously snubbed by Canada's world junior squad, and the fact that team couldn't score only magnified the unforced error on management's part. With his 6-foot-4, 195-pound frame and an enviable combination of speed and skill, Sennecke can beat goalies with a shot or in tight with a deke – and he did both in Game 2 versus Barrie, where he was named first star for his efforts.

"I just thought he seemed connected with his speed and his tenacity," Malone said. "He left the D-zone and anticipated breaks a lot better than some other nights. You can tell when Beckett is going, and that forecheck and hit certainly set the tone and let everybody know he was here to play tonight."

Sennecke has been more than a handful for opponents in the OHL playoffs, and with his potential, it wouldn't be surprising to see him thrive in the NHL with Anaheim in the coming years. But in the meantime, he'll continue to use his wrecking-ball style to help Oshawa seek the championship.

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