King City’s Alex Pietrangelo answers questions after the Barrie Colts’ 4-3 overtime loss April 27. The Colts currently trail the Windsor Spitfires 3-0 in the OHL Final. Photo by Jon Yaneff The situation is certainly three-fold for Alex Pietrangelo.

The King City native is playing the game that he loves, close to home with the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts. He also gets to compete in his first Rogers OHL championship, against the Windsor Spitfires, with the opportunity to advance to the Memorial Cup in Brandon, Manitoba. What is even more remarkable is he’s given the chance to do all this with former minor hockey teammates.

Pietrangelo, along with current blue-line partner Nick Crawford, of Caledon, and goaltender Peter Di Salvo, won the 2003 peewee triple-A all-Ontario championships while with the Vaughan Kings. Pietrangelo, now 20, also won the 2005 all-Ontario bantam championship with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Barrie’s current captain, Stefan Della Rovere.

“Della was a big part in me coming here by telling me how great it was and kind of forced the issue,” said the 20-year-old Pietrangelo, who was also teammates Della Rovere with Team Canada at the last two World Junior Championships, which brought home gold and silver medals.

The Canadian silver medalists at the last world juniors also included top draft prospect, Taylor Hall, of the Spitfires, who finished first in the OHL’s western Conference.

“(Alex) is someone that is good at all facets of the game,” explained Hall, who was tied for the OHL lead with 106 points (40 goals, 66 assists) with the Plymouth Whalers’ Tyler Seguin (48 goals, 58 assists). “He moves the puck well and is a very good shutdown D, while providing offence.”

After the 2010 World Junior Championships, Pietrangelo was returned to the OHL by his NHL club, the St. Louis Blues, who drafted him fourth overall in 2008. Before he had a chance to play back with the Niagara Ice Dogs, who he played three seasons with, Pietrangelo was traded to the OHL leading Colts (57-9-0- 2, in OHL Eastern Conference).

“All the guys I grew up playing with, it’s kind of funny that we all got to the same spot,” said Pietrangelo, who has two goals and 11 assists during the playoffs in 16 games. “I don’t know if it’s destiny of just luck, but it’s certainly interesting that we all ended up here.”

While with the Colts, Pietrangelo is roommates with Della Rovere, Crawford and fellow blue-liner Dalton Prout, which as ‘Petro’ describes it, “certainly there’s a lot more fun going through this process with each other.”

Della Rovere has played his entire four-year OHL career with the Colts. Di Salvo has played his last three seasons with the Colts, while his first in 2006-07 was with the Sarnia Sting. Crawford was also traded to the Colts this season after 215 games and over three seasons with the Saginaw Spirit.

“It’s great playing with Alex,” said Crawford, who finished second voting for OHL defenceman of the year behind Jacob Muzzin, of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. “He talks really well on the ice by letting you know where he is and he’s always there to support you.”

Colts head coach Marty Williamson boasts an offensive and defensive pair which combined for 99 points in 93 games, although because of Pietrangelo beginning the season with the Blues, 70 of those points belong to Crawford, who led the league in that category.

“I think they are two of the best defencemen in the league and they bring a lot to us both on the power play and the penalty kill and we wouldn’t be here without guys like them,” said Williamson, whose team is currently trailing the best-ofseven final series with Windsor, three games to none, after 4-3 (OT), 5-4 and 5-2 victories.

Game 4 of the series was Tuesday in Windsor, thought results were not known as of press time. Game 5 is scheduled for Barrie Thursday at 7:35 p.m. If necessary Game 6 will be in Windsor Saturday (May 8) at 7:05 p.m., while Game 7 would be in Barrie Monday at 7:35 p.m.

Alex Pietrangelo

Age: 20 Hometown: King City

Position: Defence for

Barrie Colts

Playoffs: 2 g, 11 a, 13

pts, 16 gms

Season: 9 g, 20 a, 29

pts, 25 gms