London Knights (1) vs. Saginaw Spirit (5) Playoff Preview

 

Regular Season Series Results (London wins 4-0)

September 23^rd – Saginaw 0 @ London 8

December 2^nd – Saginaw 0 @ London 6

January 14^th – London 5 @ Saginaw 4

January 28^th – London 6 @ Saginaw 3

Playoff Tracker: The Road Here

• The London Knights defeated the eighth seeded Windsor Spitfires in a four-game sweep. 
• The Saginaw Spirit defeated the fourth seeded Sarnia Sting in an up-and-down six-game series.

Through the majority of the regular season, the London Knights’ squad was the elite team of the Ontario Hockey League.  As with most junior aged players, London experienced a stretch of hockey that had them struggling to score goals and while the Knights were dissecting their problems, another team – ahem, Saginaw, was rolling along quite nicely. In the final weeks of regular season play, the Saginaw Spirit were one of the Ontario Hockey League’s hottest teams finishing with six wins and two loses in the month of March forcing their way into the fifth seed in the Western Conference standings.  Saginaw’s season was rejuvenated when ownership decided to clean house back in December firing General Manager and Head Coach Todd Watson and replacing him with the experienced Greg Gilbert.  The change resulted in the Saginaw Spirit going 22-16 with their new bench boss after starting the season a dismal 11-17-2. 

The Battle of Playoff Statistics

• Goals For:                   Knights (17)               vs.       Spirit (25)      
• Goals Against:            Knights (7)                 vs.       Spirit (17)
• Penalty Minutes:        Knights (74)               vs.       Spirit (81)
• Power Play:                Knights (30.5%; 4^th) vs.       Spirit (19.2%; 6^th)
• Penalty Kill:               Knights (85.7%; 5^th)  vs.       Spirit (82.8%; 10^th)
• Top Playoff Scorer:    Griffith (6 points)       vs.       Saad (12^th)

The London Knights swept the season series with four wins outscoring the Spirit 25-7 in those contests including two shutouts at the John Labatt Centre in London.  Despite their regular season dominance over the Saginaw Spirit, London is well aware of the dangers this team can present on the ice especially after Chicago Blackhawks’ prospect Brandon Saad, more or less, single-handedly knocked off the Sarnia Sting in six games in the opening series.  Saad, playing with overage forwards Michael Fine and Joshua Shalla (Nashville Predators prospect), combined for 11 of Saginaw’s 24 goals in the Sarnia series.  Brandon Saad’s dominance was downright filthy as he bullied his way around the ice untouched and was also a key contributor on the defensive side of the puck. 

It is no secret that London’s main priority will be to shut down the Saad line and with a much larger and more experienced defense core than Sarnia, the Knights should have more success containing Saad – but it will not be easy. Scott Harrington (Pittsburgh Penguins), Jared Tinordi (Montreal Canadiens) and Finnish sensation Olli Määttä will be leaned on heavily by the defense coaching staff to limit Saginaw’s top line.  Last week, Mark Hunter and his coaching staff were spotted scouting the Saginaw- Sarnia series as they waited for their next opponents and it should come as no surprise that the Knights will emphasize physicality in hopes of wearing down the opposition.

Saginaw will travel 300 kilometers directly east to the JLC Friday night and they will be looking to score their first goal in London’s this season, a task that has proved difficult for many teams this season. If Saginaw is able to penetrate London’s zone their offensive attack needs to solve Knights’ goaltender Michael Houser.  The overage netminder has been one of the OHL’s most consistent and valuable players this season eluding confidence in the crease.  Houser enters the Western Conference semi-final series ranked second in goals against (1.52) and first in save percentage (.947).  The Pennsylvanian will need to remain sharp to halt the red hot Spirit attack. 

Two hundred feet at the opposite end of the rink sits OHL sophomore puck-stopper Jake Paterson ready to challenge the offensive assault of the London Knights.  In Paterson’s first OHL playoff series, the freshman was nothing short of clutch coming up with timely highlight-reel saves against Sarnia’s potent forwards.  Overshadowed by teammate Brandon Saad’s opening series performance, Paterson was equally as valuable in their success over Sarnia.  Paterson was able to shutdown the likes of Ryan Spooner, Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk and built confidence doing so along the way.  The Saginaw Spirit will require another stellar performance from the native of Mississauga to advance passed the Western Conference number one seeded team.

Keys to Success:

London Knights (1)

Offensively, the underrated Seth Griffith and draft-eligible defenseman Olli Määttä led the way scoring six and five points, respectively, versus the Windsor Spitfires roster in their opening series.  London features a deep offensive attack with four lines capable of sniping goals.  Coach Mark Hunter has the luxury of calling on a number of individuals and can roll with the hottest player as Greg McKegg (Maple Leafs), Vladislav Namestnikov (Lightning), Austin Watson (Predators) and Jared Knight (Bruins) offer plenty of experience.  Rookies Max Domi, Bo Horvat, Josh Anderson and have shown that they belong in this league and can contribute offensively as well.  The Rupert twins (Ryan and Matt), Chris Tierney, and Andreas Athanasiou round out the offensive options for London as these four look to impress NHL scouts as they look to impress scouts for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Max Domi (9P), Seth Griffith (8P) and Vladislav Namestnikov (7P) have been a nightmare for the Saginaw Spirit this season leading the way in scoring.

Defensively, London should look to implement a strong forecheck and physical game against the Saginaw Spirit in an attempt to deplete a relatively shallow roster.  Saginaw tends to lean on only two forward lines and a handful of defenseman leaving Hunter with an opportunity to exploit this tendency.

Saginaw Spirit (5)

The success of the Spirit lies with the effectiveness of the SFS (Shalla-Fine-Saad) line.  Saginaw will need other forwards to step-up and contribute offensively to match the depth of London’s offensive attack. Vincent Trocheck (Florida Panthers) will need to step up his game a notch to provide scoring chances as Saginaw will need more than one line clicking to defeat the London Knights.  Likewise, Greg Gilbert will be seeking production from youngsters Justin Kea and Eric Locke to provide secondary scoring as the SFS line can only carry this team so far.  Garret Ross will be called upon to ramp up his agitating game and provide grit to the forward group.  With Saginaw’s Ross and London’s Rupert twins, it would not be farfetched to see these three players exchanging “friendly” hockey banter throughout the series. Saginaw is a much different team in April than they were earlier in the season when these teams faced off but the lack of scoring in games against the Knights has to be a bit concerning.  Joshua Shalla leads the team in the season series with three goals and five points.

Key Matchups:

Michael Houser vs. Jake Paterson

Saginaw will need Paterson to be better than “good” and Houser cannot falter now especially against Saginaw – a team entering the series playing their best hockey. 

Brandon Saad vs. London Defense

Can Mark Hunter and his staff find a way to contain, or even slow down, this big powerful winger? Saad has had limited success (2 assists in 3 games) when facing the London Knights this season and it will be interesting to see if he can continue his recent OHL dominance.

Rookie Sensation vs. Saginaw Defense

In four games this season, rookie Max Domi has recorded 7 goals and 9 points versus the Saginaw Spirit in his first season leading all London Knights’ skaters. 

Saginaw Spirit vs. JLC

Being shut out twice and recording two losses at the John Labatt Centre this season does not provide much confidence for Saginaw entering game one.  Can the Saginaw Spirit earn their first win versus the Western Conference’s top seeded team? 

Head-to-Head Regular Season Player Statistics

London Knights

Max Domi:                             7G-2A-9P

Seth Griffith:                          5G-3A-8P

Vladislav Namestnikov:         0G-7A-7P

Ryan Rupert:                          3G-3A-6P

Jared Knight:                          1G-5A-6P

Greg McKegg:                        1G-4A-5P

Saginaw Spirit

Josh Shalla:                            3G-2A-5P

Michael Fine:                         1G-1A-2p

Brandon Saad:                        0G-2A-2P

Vincent Trocheck:                  0G-2A-2P

Eric Locke:                             1G-0A-1P

Western Conference Semi-Final Series Schedule

Game One:    @ London                   Friday, April 6 @ 7:00 pm

Game Two:     @ Saginaw                  Sunday, April 8 @ 7:11 pm

Game Three:   @ London                   Monday, April 9 @ 7:00 pm

Game Four:     @ Saginaw                  Wednesday, April 11 @ 7:11 pm

Game Five:     @ London                   Friday, April 13 @ 7:30 pm

Game Six:       @ Saginaw                  Saturday, April 14 @ 7:11 pm

Game Seven:  @ London                   Monday, April 16 @ 7:00 pm

ITO Hot-Stove: Who is the best NHL prospect in the Ontario Hockey League?

We're only a few months away from the 2012 NHL draft, and most of the talk these days is about who the best draft eligible players are. The hot-stove like to change things up once in a while so what we will look at is who the best NHL prospect currently playing in the OHL is.

Joining me in today's hot-stove is Alex O'Brien, Anthony Nicholson, Brandon Sudeyko and Phil Phillips.

Todd Cordell

There are a lot great players in the OHL but, in my opinion, Brandon Saad of the Chicago Blackhawks is the best NHL owned player in the Ontario Hockey League. He plays on an average offensive team in Saginaw, and a team that is arguably the worst defensive team in the league. Despite Saginaw’s goal differential being -13 on the season, Saad is +28. That’s quite remarkable. Saad isn’t just getting it done in that category, though; he’s posting arguably the best offensive numbers in the league. In 39 games this season he has 30 goals, and 38 assists (68 points). When you watch him and look at the numbers he has put up despite the team he plays for, it’s hard to argue that he’s not the best player in the OHL.

Alex O'Brien

Though he isn't technically drafted, the Sudbury Wolves/Colorado Avalanche centre Michael Sgarbossa tops my list for the best player in the OHL. He was signed right after the draft, so he was basically drafted in my eyes. One could argue Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Strome, Tyler Toffoli, etc., but Sgarbossa is leading the OHL in points working basically with nothing around him. Hamilton and Strome have one of the best teams to compliment them. Sgarbossa is the Wolves' offence - he breaks the puck out from his own zone, plays well in all three zones, has a high level of compete and hands of pure silk. His shot has some sweet zip on it, and when he wants to dominate a game, nobody can really shut him down. Though he's a tad undersized, his shifty skating and hockey IQ allow him to be in the right place at the right time to make a play happen. If Sgarbossa had elite wingers, there isn't a doubt in my mind that he would be more recognized as a top OHLer. No offence to Kuchin or Leivo, but in my eyes both are a product of Sgarbossa's talent. If one watches the Wolves #1 PP unit at work, you'll notice Sgarbossa at the right dot most times, looking to crank a one timer with his LH shot. That's the Wolves' go to move on the PP. Sgarbossa really is the Wolves' entire offence.

Anthony Nicholson

There are so many good OHL players who have been drafted to the National Hockey League; selecting one to call the best is next to impossible. The first player that came to mind, however, is Ottawa Senators draft pick Shane Prince. The Ottawa 67's forward is fresh off a league best 21 game point streak that lasted nearly two months, Shane sits in 5th in league scoring with 82 points, 40 of them goals. His 1.58 Points per game is the highest in the Ontario Hockey League, and had he not missed 7 games this season, the argument could be made that he would be the league's leading scorer.

Brandon Sudeyko

Do I go for my typical Visentin love, as he is the best goaltender in the OHL at the moment, or do I go for a really hot player right now in Ivan Telegin? Tough decision...Do I surprise and shock the world? I don't think I can anymore.

My vote has to be Jarred Tinordi of the London Knights. What do you know? I did shock the world.

Last year, given the hype surrounding the Montreal Canadiens draft pick coming into the OHL, I wouldn't call it a flop... but his season was definitely just under average. This season, now with the C on his chest, a member of Team USA at the recent WJHC, and the current +/- leader in the OHL...Tinordi has transformed his game and excelled to the level in which we expected. He has learned to compensate for his shortcomings, use his size to his advantage, not only physically, but for excelling in the defensive zone. Jarred isn't the flashiest defenseman like Dougie Hamilton. His 2 goals and 16 points are evident that players will get rebounds off of his booming shot. He is overlooked because no one likes to talk about shutdown defenseman in the OHL.  But he deserves his props, and Montreal has a good one in Tinordi.

Phil Phillips

My vote goes to Kitchener Rangers defenseman Ryan Murphy. Mr. Murphy was drafted 12th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Ryan signed a three-year, entry level contract with Carolina, and began the 2011-2012 season in the NHL. He is a very gifted offensive defenseman who has great vision. Few D-Man in the OHL are as dangerous on the PP as he is. Murphy is a wonderful skater; he's very elusive, is a great passer and has a great shot.

The Rangers selected Murphy 3rd overall in 2009. As a 16 year old he put up 39 points in 62 games and was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. He followed up his stellar rookie campaign by helping the Rangers proceed to the third round of the OHL Playoffs with 17 points in 20 games, leading the Rangers defense in scoring. Murphy broke out his sophomore season, leading the OHL in defensemen goal scoring with 26 goals. He added to that, 53 assists for 79 points in 63 games, good enough for second in defensemen scoring in the league. Murphy was named to the OHL First Team All-Star team for the 2010-11 season. He played for team Canada at the World Under 18 Championships in 2011. At the Under-18s, he was very impressive and was named defensemen of the tournament, scoring 13 points and leading the tournament in defensemen scoring, as well as leading Canada to a 4th place finish as their leading scorer.

Earlier this season Murphy suffered a severe concussion and as a consequence, he was placed in "complete shutdown mode" by the Rangers. Since then he was cut and missed a chance to play for Team Canada at the WJC he has returned to form, looks great and is producing at a better then a point per game clip. Enjoy him because he's a real treat to watch. I believe that Ryan Murphy will lead Team Canada back to Gold at next years World Jr Tournament. I could be wrong; he could be playing on a rebuilding Carolina team.

ITO Hot-Stove: who is the best goaltender in the OHL?

Considering we at InTheORadio.com have been debating who the best teams in the league are as of late, I figured it was time to examine who the best goaltender is. Joining me in this week's hot-stove is Matt Leacy, Brandon Sudeyko, Thayne Hallyburton and Alex Quevillon.


Without further ado I'd like to introduce you all to this week's debate question: who is the best goaltender in the OHL?

Todd Cordell

I'm going to go with $cott 'Money' Wedgewood of the Plymouth Whalers. He's one of, if not the most well-rounded goaltender in the OHL and his skill level is off the charts. His movement is fantastic, he's a very good puck-handler and has an outstanding glove-hand. He's always extremely aware of what's going on and can read plays like a book. It always appears as though he's one step ahead of the oppositions offensive players and for that reason I think he's the best. When you factor in the numbers Wedgewood has put up during his career in the OHL I think you can certainly make the case that he's the best.

Matt Leacy

The OHL's best goalie is without a doubt John Gibson of the Kitchener Rangers.

The guy's stats speak for themselves. He's HUGE for the Rangers. He leads the OHL in GAA, save percentage, wins and saves amongst rookie goaltenders,  and you can't count how many times he has saved the Rangers from a loss. Case and point this past week against Owen Sound when the Rangers were outshot 44-32, and they were able to win 5-4. 

Add to that the league's second best goalie in Franky Palazesse and you get the OHL's best goaltending tandem, something that will certainly carry the Rangers deep into the OHL playoffs this spring I am certain.

Plus, Gibby is considered Kryptonite for a certain team that, ironically, wears green.

Brandon Sudeyko

Statistically speaking how do you not go with Subban. He is a stud. and some Belleville players admit that he is the reason they had such a great start to the season. I don't think he is the best goaltender in the OHL though.

Mark Visentin... I'm sorry did you expect me to say Jack Campbell. HA!

Why would I go against my boy Vizzer now? He is still a top level goalie, and don't give me that 'he isn't elite' garbage. How about we try to deflate some stats from these goalies playing on super teams. Take a look at the recent string of games where he has notched 3 straight shutouts, or never lost a game in January. Technically speaking he is the best goaltender in the OHL. His mental state is far superior to everyone else's in the league right now. All the tools are there, and show me one instance where he had two back to back stinkers in net. you can't. it hasn't happened. This kid takes a lot of flack from everyone for you know what, but all he has done is say, 'ok, I will shut you up' and he has. Hands down best goalie in the OHL.

Thayne Hallyburton

I know most people are going to go with Vizzer, especially after the month that he just had. I decided to attack this as a body of work. Michael Houser has played nearly all of the games that the London Knights had been in pre-trade deadline. Since the acquisition of Tyson Teichmann, the work load has lessoned just a little but he has the London Knights atop the CHL. His numbers speak for themselves but what makes him the best goalie, in this scribes opinions, is what he does for his team. He gives them confidence to take risks because they know he is there to back them up. What is even more impressive is that he is a leader in the locker room. He isn't the quintessential, aloof and quirky personality that a lot of goalies have. Look for Houser to be the reason London will represent the O at the Memorial Cup.

Alex Quevillon

It would be easy for me to say our very own Petr Mrazek and pump his tires with references to the World Juniors.  I love the way Mrazek plays but Ottawa has been involved in far too many 6-5 games with him in net and while he is impressive down low, he lets in far too many goals from far out, to be considered the best in the OHL.  It would also be easy to give the honors to one of Canada's goaltenders, but Visentin's been pulled too many times, early in games this season and it's hard to say Wedgewood is the league's best when he shares duties with Matt Mahalak.

JP Anderson had been impressive in his time with Mississauga, although backstopping a team that consistently played a defensive system.  If he can go back to the Memorial Cup for a second year in a row with Sarnia, I may change my vote to him.  But for now, I'm going to have to say Michael Houser.  34 wins?  Few goalies are going to get that many wins all year, let alone in 44 games.  If you can find another goalie that can play in 94 percent of his games and win consistently, I'll listen.  Bobkov gets honorable mention because he has started in the same number of games with a much weaker defense in front of him.

ITO Hot-Stove: who will represent the East and West in the OHL finals?

Before we begin here, I'd like to thank Brandon Sudeyko and company for filling in for me for last week's ITO hot-stove and doing a great job. As you can tell, I'm back on the saddle here and ready to roll. Joining me today in this week's hot-stove is Matt Leacy, Brandon Sudeyko, Susan Tromanhauser and Trevor Miller.

Without further ado I'd like to introduce you all to this week's debate question: who will represent the East and West in the OHL finals and why?

Todd Cordell

In the East, I'm going to go out on a limb and go with the Barrie Colts. They have one of the most explosive forward groups in the Ontario Hockey League led by Mark Scheifele, Tanner Pearson and company. At the deadline the Colts added some grit up front with Anthony Camara, and upgraded their defense corps as well by bringing in Ryan O'Connor. 17 year old goaltender Alex Fotinos has been brought up to the big club due to the Clint Windsor trade and he's been playing some fantastic hockey. He's currently side-lined with concussion like symptoms, but he should be back relatively soon. In my opinion if the Colts can stay healthy and get solid goaltending from Mathias Niederberger and Alex Fotinos, they can compete with anyone in the East.

Now out west I'm going to go with the Sarnia Sting. I know they're struggling a little bit right now but I believe if and when they get healthy they can make a serious run at it. I love what they did at the deadline in bringing in Adrian Robertson, Ryan Spooner, JP Anderson and company and in my opinion each and every one of those acquisitions will payoff come playoff time. When Nail Yakupov, and possibly Alex Galchenyuk return, the Sting will be a force to be reckoned with. I think they'll show why in the post-season.

Matt Leacy

Talk about a hard question to answer. A lot of teams with great depth and skill in the league this year. There really is no clear cut favorite. That being said, I believe Niagara will win the East, and Plymouth will win the West.

Plymouth has tremendous skill, starting in net with Scott Wedgewood, and lots of players who can score including Richard Rakell and Stefan Noeson. Of course, London, Kitchener and Sarnia will give them a good run for their money, but my money's on the Whalers to take it this year.

Niagara again has strong goaltending from Mark Visinten, and guys like Ryan Strome plus the Hamilton brothers really make them a strong team and a force in the Eastern Conference. Just like in the west, there are very good teams such as Ottawa and Oshawa, but I don't think anyone has the same type of depth as the Ice Dogs.

Brandon Sudeyko

Pick the OHL Finals... but those are about 20 games away and several rounds. But the Trade deadline has passed and I would have to go into the archives to see if my personal pics have changed. They clearly have. When all is said and done, the Western Conference will go through Plymouth and Sarnia. I don’t know why I still give Sarnia credit, especially when they are looking like the same fire wagon team from last season... just more offensive power than the previous incarnation. But there is something about Sarnia. I will call it the mystique factor as I don’t think anyone has seen what this team is capable of. Brett Thompson is your veteran scorer. Sarault is a beast this year. Captain Charlitti is having an outstanding year on the back end. And the team will go deep enough to get both Gally and Yaki back. There is also a guy by the name of Spooner on that team too. There set back is JP Anderson but all you have to do is outscore your opponent by 1. But back to Plymouth, who has been the most complete team in the OHL all season. There is strength on the team, as exhibited by Tom Wilson and Jamie Devane. Skill with J.T. Miller, Stefan Noesen and Rickard Rakell. Their D is probably the 2^nd best 6 pack in the league, and their goaltenders... well you know that story.

The East is probably filled with Niagara and Ottawa, but I have a feeling that Goaltending will hurt Niagara, while Ottawa will get stymied again by a hot goaltender and their shooters will hit nothing but iron. Call me Crazy but I am going to call Brampton in the OHL Finals... Their D can lock down the best shooters. Their forwards can play great defensive hockey and by all accounts... every team hates to play against them. ‘They just sit back and wait, I f*!#ing hate playing them. I’m glad it is over,’ said one eastern conference player after a game. The system acts to their strength, they have no problem with patience and contrary to belief... they can score too. OHL Finals... Brampton / Sarnia...

Susan Tromanhauser

I posed this question to the media room in St. Catharines. All were in agreement Niagara should be there representing the East. The key word is should. Niagara has by far the strongest team on paper but paper doesn't win championships.

The West was more difficult to decide. The media types could not agree between London and Plymouth. What they did agree upon was they hoped it was Plymouth as the Wedgewood versus Visentin goaltender dual will make a great story.

Trevor Miller

My pick to come out of the East is Ottawa. I picked them as my favourite early on in the year and I’m sticking with it. Their offense is spread nicely over the roster. Tyler Toffoli is having another banner year taking over the league lead in scoring recently. With Sean Monahan riding shotgun, the pair remind me a little of the Brampton days with Cody Hodgson and Matt Duchene. Add in Shane Prince and newly acquired John McFarland and it’s clear that this team should have no trouble scoring. The likes of Cody Ceci and Marc Zanetti will help the 67’s keep the puck out of their own net, as will the presence of Petr Mrazek in goal.

The easy thing to do for the Western Conference is to pick the London Knights, and it makes sense to do so. Since Dale Hunter moved on to coach the Washington Capitals, the Knights haven’t missed a beat, pacing the west with a league best 71 points.  Greg McKegg and Austin Watson have been huge additions to a London team that was already chock-full of talent. Max Domi has had a rough month of January, recording only two assists thus far, but will most definitely bounce back as the playoff picture becomes clearer. Michael Houser has also been a huge factor in goal for the Knights winning 33 of his 42 starts, five of which are shut-outs.

Questions Asked Around the OHL

This time of the year in the OHL is always filled with Questions. Should Team X have traded for more? Maybe Team Y should have chose rebuild instead of go for it? Is there an issue in the dressing room? If these players were not injured what would be different. At the 40+ game mark in the OHL, it is time more than ever, to make every 2 point game count. More importantly make the 4 point (divisional game) count in your favour or lose ground fast.

This season, like every other season, you begin to see trends that show who these teams really are. Lets take a look at some of these trends.

The Knights are Bullies

            The London Knights have always been able to pull off the move of the year at the trade deadline and this years was no different, getting opposing GM’s to pull the trigger on deals that sent Greg McKegg and Austin Watson to the Black Gold and Green. Now make no mistake about it. Erie and Peterborough had to make deals, and I can continually beat this horse to death, but again the chosen target is London. Both players had lists of preferred destinations they wanted to go to. Both had London on the list, and GM Mark Hunter knew this. Hunter used this knowledge to twist the arm of his OHL GM Brothers and get what the Knights need to hopefully fend off all the other players in the Western Conference.

Bulls with no Horns

            The Belleville Bulls, unless they are completely going for the championship, are always enigmatic. They go up, they go down. They go up, they go down. In the month of November the Bulls had Two 6 game winning streaks. They did not always play a full 60 minute game as they had help from one Malcolm Subban and John Chartrand helping them through the games... Malcolm Subban has been hurt since the league started back up after the holiday break but I am not placing the blame on him. John Chartrand and call up, now full time, goaltender Charlie Graham has done everything in their power to help their teammates right this ship. Alas, the Bulls only seem interested in playing 20 minutes of a game and hoping their goalie can keep them in the game.

These Wolves have Bite

            A team I was hoping would turn it around are the Sudbury Wolves. This roster has too much talent to have bottomed out early and work their way up the Central division ladder. Fortunately for them, their winning ways and the teams ahead of them sliding down the ladder has brought them up to 3^rd in the division. Currently sitting 4^th in the Conference, their acquisitions of Michael Kantor, Derek Schoenmakers and their top line (Sgarbossa, Leivo and Kuchin) returning to their dominant ways will make this team a player as they still need to play catch up to Niagara and Brampton.

Lucky son of a Pete

            The Peterborough Petes like the Wolves, are benefitting from the recent slide of the Eastern Conference. With Belleville, Oshawa and Kingston in their division, a just over 500 record gives the Petes a second seed in the East Division. They did start hot, and that has helped Peterborough stay with the competition in the conference. The Petes have done a good job of beating up on teams outside their division as only 6 of their wins have come from Divisional opponents. The Petes are 6 for 16 this year against the East Division and with 11 games to go, that is not only 22 points up for grabs, but 44 points in total as they can end a divisional opponents playoff hopes. If this year has proven anything for Peterborough it is that their W’s will come from the Central division, 6 of 11 this year.

Spirit’s are High

            The Saginaw Spirit have basically been in a tail spin since the puck drop opened their 2011/12 season. The Return of Brandon Saad gave them a respectable surge but that fizzled out once the Power forward was injured. Slowly but surely the Saginaw Spirit have fought and clawed for points and finally worked themselves into the playoff race. By no means am I suggesting they will climb the Western Conference ladder. 25 points currently separate 1^st and 8^th in the West (14 pts separate 1^st and 9^th in the East), which is a big hill to climb but do not be surprised if this new Spirit team climb as high as 5^th in the West. The horses are there and after making changes in the dressing room, this may be what the Spirit have needed all along.

More Questions will be asked, and many are left to be answered. Are these the real Niagara IceDogs? Will Oshawa shoot up the division and conference? The Soo paid a lot for Jack Campbell, was the deal a bust? and a whole lot more.

January 14th OHL Game Previews

by Dwayne Williams

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Kingston @ Sarnia
Kingston travels up the highway after beating the #1 team in the OHL.  The Fronts led the game 2-0 until late in the 3^rd period. London pulled their goalie – but the Fronts warded them off and then popped another goal to finish the game off 4-1.  Bobkov was huge against his old team stopping 49 of 50 shots directed his way.  Kyler Nixon with a 2 point night received third star honours.
Sarnia is coming off a huge home ice win against the Mississauga Majors 7-1 (JP Anderson’s previous team). Sarnia played with their foot on the pedal all night – 5 players with multipoint efforts.  Domenic Alberga with the hat-trick (last goals for him were on Dec 30 and Dec 9).   The return matchup in Kingston happens on January 29.  This is game #3 of a 5 game home stand for the Sting.
My prediction Sting 6 – Fronts 1

Guelph @ Peterborough
Guelph was thoroughly defeated by the visiting Windsor Spitfires last night 5-0.  The Storm offered the visitors 9 powerplay chances and the Spits were successful on 3 of those situations. 
Peterborough finds itself in the middle of the Eastern conference race whereas Guelph is struggling to stay in a playoff position.  Their records in the past 10 games are almost complete opposites – Guelph is 3-6-1-0 and Peterborough is 6-3-1-0.    
My prediction Guelph 2 – Peterborough 4

Mississauga @ Plymouth
Missy comes off a defeat at the hands of the Sarnia Sting (7-1) – see above for some comments on that match.   Plymouth returns home after dismantling the Kitchener Rangers last night 6-1.  Their balanced, potent offence came from many players and all of their goals were scored at even strength.  (Plymouth only had 1 powerplay all game).  Plymouth now has earned a tie with the London Knights for the #1 spot in the Western Conference.  Missisauga finds themselves clinging to an 8^th place tie with the re-energized Oshawa Generals.            
My prediction Whalers 5 – Majors 0

London @ Saginaw
London was surprised at home by the visiting Kingston Fronts (see comments above).  They travel across the border to Saginaw Michigan to take on the slumping Spirit squad.  Saginaw returns from Sault Ste Marie after dropping a close contest 5-4. Four Sting players registered 2 points in that game.
Look for Houser to get the start in the nets for the visitors as the Knights try to bounce back on the road.
My prediction London 5 – Saginaw 1

Niagara @ Barrie
Niagara travels to Barrie to complete their 3-in-3 weekend.  Barrie played Thursday night but not Friday. Thursday night’s game in Niagara was a fabulous goaltending performance by the Colts’ Alex Fotinos – he was peppered with 24 shots in the 3^rd period (48 in the game) and only surrendered two goals.  He was awarded with the first star of the game in a losing 2-1 effort.  The Dogs are still getting used to each other and the line juggling by Coach Williamson to find the right combinations.
Last night the Dogs were in Sudbury to compete against Sgarbossa and the newly polished-up Wolves lineup.  Niagara prevailed 5-2 on strong play by Dougie and Freddie Hamilton (3 pts each). Ritchie continues to be good on the puck as well as Kuhnhackl.  Beukeboom was his hard into the boards in the first period and did not return. 
Strome was mauled in front of the Sudbury net and had his nose broken – he returned to the game but did not play in the 3^rd period.  Dougie Hamilton was penalized for a head shot and will probably receive some attention from the league office – but should be able to play in this match.  Dougie also hit Scheifele hard during Thursday’s match and he left the game favouring his arm and did not return.  Without Scheifele the Colts will have a difficult time mustering up enough offence to keep up with the strong Icedogs.  Festarini with the strong game last night should be watching Visentin in the pipes tonight.  The depth of both rosters will be tested tonight.
My prediction Icedogs 5 – Colts 2

Sudbury @ Belleville
Sudbury comes off a home ice loss to the Niagara Icedogs (see above). They had a good first period but uneven play down the stretch allowed the visitors to capitalize on their mistakes and take the win away from the Wolves.  Sgarbossa  and Dodero with the goals.  Sudbury and Belleville are in the very tight Eastern Conference standings. Sudbury with the same point total as the host Bulls – Belleville with one more regulation win. Both teams are 2 points away from 4^th place and 3 points ahead of 9^th place. Sudbury has been more successful in the past 10 games – but Belleville is coming off a strong win @ Brampton Thursday night. Since Nov 1 the Bulls have gone back and forth with wins and losses. 6 wins – 2 losses – 6 wins – 4 losses – 2 wins – 5 losses and now a win.
My prediction Belleville 3 – Sudbury 2 OT

Erie @ Owen Sound
In the rematch – back to back – doubleheader – daily double – etc etc etc ... the two teams tangle again. Last night it was 3-1 for the home team Owen Sound Attack.  Erie had the first period lead on a goal from newly acquired Fox – but the Attack dug down and went ahead midway through the second period.  Both teams had 6 powerplays but only Owen Sound would take advantage.  In today’s game, look for the Otters to come out strong to start – and if their powerplay can capitalize they will stand a better chance to prevail.  
My prediction Otters 3 – Attack 2

ITO Hot-Stove: which recently traded OHL player will make the biggest impact on his new team?

During the holidays I decided to take a couple weeks off from the hot-stove, but with the holidays over and everyone going back to work and to school, I decided to jump back on the horse and start producing hot-stoves again. Anyways, this is the fifth edition of ITO Hot-Stove since I've joined. Joining me today in this piece is Dwayne Williams, Brandon Sudeyko, Thayne Hallyburton and Phil Phillips.

Without further ado I'd like to introduce you all to this week's debate question: which recently traded OHL player will make the biggest impact on his new team?

Todd Cordell

Ryan Spooner

With Nail Yakupov out for approximately a month, and several other top players on the Sarnia Sting out with injuries Ryan Spooner will need to step up, and in my opinion he will.

I think Spooner will hold the Sting in the top four of the Western Conference until some key players return from injury, and go on an absolute offensive tear when some of the top guys return and he gets some help.

All in all I think he'll play a key role in righting the ship for the Sting until they can get some bodies back and play a big part in whatever playoff success the Sting have. Some other players who were moved will have big impacts as well, no doubt, but none as big as Spooner will have in Sarnia. Thus, in my opinion, making him the player that will have the biggest impact on his new team.

Dwayne Williams

John McFarland

I thought that Spooner would have the biggest impact on his team - and has 3 goals and 1 assist in 3 games team - but the Sting have been hit with the injury bug to go along with their aggressive trading activities. They are only 1 win  and 2 losses so far with him in the lineup. (Yakupov long term and Hottot took a shot in the leg today - left and didn't return)

 

My vote: Seems like John MacFarland has put an extra jump into the step of the 67's (like they needed an extra push to get going). He has played 2 games for them - kept off the scoresheet in the first game, and then 1 goal and 1 assist in the 4-0 thumping delivered to the Majors. Offensively I think that Ottawa and Niagara are now the elite teams that the rest of the East will be looking up at for the second half.

Brandon Sudeyko

Jamie Oleksiak

Believe it or not I have to go with Jamie Oleksiak. Not necessarily based on his play, but based on the fact that he is the ‘big’ acquisition for the IceDogs and if they do not make the OHL Finals… this can be a huge disappointment. Then again a new opportunity in a city that will cheer his name may be what the Dallas Stars pick needs. Either way, I believe Jamie will have the biggest impact either negatively or positively… if Niagara can not do it this year… maybe they should have picked Brock Beukeboom’s former Soo Roommate instead of the Big O….

Thayne Hallyburton

Brett Ritchie

 

The Niagara Ice Dogs did not get the superstar that they wanted. Rumours floated around town that they were close to getting Gregg McKegg and that they were in on Ryan Spooner. What they ended up doing was getting Brett Ritchie in one of the deals that they completed this past week when fellow-contender Sarnia Sting, decided they wanted JP Anderson and needed the right draft picks to acquire him. Marty Williamson mad a very smart move here in acquiring the big forward.

 

Ritchie will step right onto the second line in Niagara and bring size and grit to a lineup that might only lack that, making their top 6 extremely scary. Ritchie will be the big body in front of the net on the PP, making what is already the scariest PP in the league even more scary and will provide the secondary scoring that a championship caliber team needs. This move is more of a tinkering move than a huge acquisition and history teaches us that they are usually the most productive of moves. Brett Ritchie will be one of the main story lines if the Niagara Ice Dogs make the trek East in late may for the Memorial Cup.

Phil Phillips

Ryan Spooner

I think the trading of Ryan Spooner to the Sarnia Sting from the Kingston Frontances for Ryan Kujawinski involves the player(s) that will have the biggest impact on their new teams both, short and long term.

The impact that Spooner will have on the Sting has been felt immediately (3GP 3G 1A).  With highly ranked Nail Yakupov joining, Sarnia's another promising young 2012 prospect Alexander Galchenyuk, on the IR. Spooner comes to a 1st place club, where attendance is up 15%, the Sting are hoping for a long playoff run.  Having never made it by the 2nd Rd since the franchise moved to Sarnia, the hope was that Spooner would give the Sting a nice depth scoring option, but now with Yakupov joining Galchenyuk on the IR, his role will increase.  Spooner a 2^nd round pick of the Boston Bruins was an invite to Team Canada’s Selection Camp this past December but could not participate after being diagnosed with mononucleosis. Ryan also is looking for more playoff succsesse, never making it by the 1st Rd in his OHL Career with both the Peterborough Petes & Kingston. Sting GM called Spooner "one of the elite players in all of junior hockey".  In order to acquire him they had to pay a very high price. That being said they feel that Spooner is another piece that will help them contend for an OHL Championship this season.”

That high price they paid was rookie centreman Ryan Kujawinski. The 6'2" 195lbs, 16 year old was Sarnia’s 1st Rd selection in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection, 4th overall, giving the Fronts a 1st rounder from 2011 draft after trading Max Domi to the Knights of London.

“This is part of the rebuilding process,” said General Manager Doug Gilmour. Kujawinski brings an imposing size, he's a good skater for his size and loves to shoot the puck, and in the words of Gilmour has "a ton of potential". Ryan recently competed for Team Ontario at the U17’s in two games with Kingston he has already matched his goal total he had with the Sting in 29 games.  In Kingston he will get more ice and be a big part of this team moving forward.

ITO Hot-Stove: Who is the best team in the Ontario Hockey League?

This is the third edition of ITO Hot-Stove. Joining me today in this piece is Shawn O'Reilly, Susan Tromanhauser, Brandon Sudeyko, and Thayne Hallyburton.

Without further ado I'd like to introduce you all to today's debate question: Who is the best team in the Ontario Hockey League?

Todd Cordell

Sarnia Sting

For me this is a toss up between the Plymouth Whalers and Sarnia Sting, but I'll go with the Sting. Though the Sting have been absolutely belted with injuries, they remain a top team in the Western Conference and are just four points behind the Plymouth Whalers.

Coyotes prospect Connor Murphy has missed all but two games this season. He just recently came back and will make a huge impact on the team, no doubt. Nail Yakupov has missed a handful of games with back injuries, and Alex Galchenyuk, who was projected to go top five in the 2012 NHL entry draft, has missed the whole season to this point and is not expected back until late in the season or in the playoffs.

Though Yakupov has missed eight games and Murphy and Galchenyuk have played a combined two games, the Sting are fourth in the Western Conference. Now that they're starting to get healthy they'll show what kind of team they can be, and that team is one that should represent the Ontario Hockey League in the Memorial Cup come May.

Shawn O'Reilly

London Knights

Hate to state the obvious here but looking at points it is hard to argue otherwise. With 49 points they are leading the Western Conference by four over Plymouth, and have a game in hand. London has gone 8-2-0-0 in the past ten games, a record only matched by Plymouth. The Knights have scored the most goals in the OHL with 136, and have allowed the fewest, 81 (tied with Kitchener). Their special teams are average, 9^th in PP% and 11^th in PK%, but it has been good enough for them to keep winning. They have a top 3 goal scorer in Seth Griffin, one of the top rookies in Max Domi and a solid goalie in Michael Houser. Add all of this together and you have the top ranked team in the country as of last week and the best team in the OHL right now.

Susan Tromanhauser

Plymouth Whalers

While my Niagara bias still shows in I believe the Ice Dogs should have the best team in the OHL, they just can’t seem to get the consistency needed. The London Knights have such a jump in the standings, as well as tenacity of a young team, they will still come out top at the end of the regular season. But it is the Plymouth Whalers who are the best team in the league and will be heading to Shawinigan in May.

The team of veterans is well coached by Mike Vellucci. The team is made up of primarily returning players who know exactly what Vellucci wants and needs to win games. They have two top goal tenders in Matt Mahalak and Scott Wedgewood and as Neate Sager from Yahoo’s “Buzzing the Net” points out, they have 8 players with 25 points or more. While Niagara is missing four key players to Team Canada at the up-coming World Juniors, the Whalers will be missing five of their top players to a variety of world junior teams.

 I can sum up the Whalers in one word – experience.

Brandon Sudeyko

Belleville Bulls

Now you can call me crazy (studio audience yells 'you're crazy') but I have the team completely out of left field here. The Belleville Bulls. Player relationships aside, this team just outworks everyone on the ice. And it isn't like they don't have any pieces on their team. They have credible forwards, defenceman and 2 legit goaltenders. Malcolm Subban, yes still young, is going to tear the OHL apart. His hype will be reached unlike Jack Campbell's hype. Their backup Hollywood Chartrand is not as talented a Subban, but when in net. Definitely giving it 150% all the time. And that goes for the D and forwards as well. Offensive talent does not get any better than Zharkov and Gaunce. throw in the OA's of Judson and Payerl. The forwards are not the flashiest or will put up league leading numbers but their hard work and skill set mesh so well that they are able to do what many thought they could not. Their D this year is under appreciated (like the entire team). I mean who would have thought Simon Gronvaldt would be leading the team with a +17. Not to mention Steve (Minus) Silas, needs a new nickname. Most talented team, No. Best defensive team, no. Greatest goaltending in the league... maybe. But it all boils down to those 22 skaters being 1 team who out work every other team on the ice. That is why they are my selection for 'best team in the OHL'... I can not wait for the Twitter Hate @intheoradio.

Thayne Hallyburton

Plymouth Whalers

 

Hockey, as in life, all starts with Money...and $cott 'money' Wedgewood is the captain of this ship. He is the best goaltender in the OHL and has been underrated for years at the position. Add to him, Matt Mahalak who is easily the best backup in the league...Plymouth's last line of defense looks impenetrable. 

 

From there, you move up front, and the likes of Jamie Devane, Garret Meurs, J.T. Miller, Mitchell Heard, Stefan Noesen....this is a team with a ton of scoring depth, which you need come playoff time. If they add one big scorer at the deadline, they will be very tough to beat come playoff time by any team. Mitchell Dempsey is a good enough bargaining chip to get anyone they please. Rumours say they are after Jared Knight from the London Knights.

 

Overall, this is the best team in the O and will be the best team in the O come playoff time. London is too young to make a run this year....Plymouth is ready. They are the best and most complete team. If Sarnia weren't so injured, maybe they would give them a run for the money.

Whalers (2), Bulls (1), Sting (1), Knights (1).

ITO Hot-Stove: Will the London Knights finish 1st in the OHL this season?

This is the second edition of ITO Hot-Stove. Joining me today in this piece is Matt Leacy, Thayne Hallyburton and Susan Tromanhauser.

Without further ado I'd like to introduce you all to today's debate question: The London Knights currently sit atop the OHL standings. Will they finish in that position?

Todd Cordell

No.

Though the London Knights have played exceptional hockey to this point, I don't expect them to finish atop the league standings. They're a very young team and right now some of their players are playing over their heads, so to speak.I think the London Knights will be an elite team down the road, but right now I just don't think they're there. I expect the Sarnia Sting, once they get a few bodies back, and Plymouth Whalers will pass them at some point this season.

Thayne Hallyburton

No.

The London Knights have every intangible that it takes to win. Speed, skill, size, toughness, goal-tending, attention to detail. But their key guys are a little young. The trade deadline will say a lot for what this team will be.There is talk of them dealing Jarred Knight, then there is talk of them bringing in Ryan Spooner. In any case I don't think this team is ready to be considered a top flight team in this league, I would expect Plymouth and Niagara and even Sarnia to go past them in the rankings and standing by seasons-end. 2013 and especially 2014 will be their years...this team has the making of a back-to-back memorial cup threat.

Susan Tromanhauser

Yes.

The London Knights are well in front at this point of the season. They have proven to be a tough, gritty team with strong players that can put the puck in the net. Dale Hunter has always been able to amass great talent for the Knights and while he may have moved on to the big leagues as head coach of the Washington Capitals, the team remains in tact. But will coaching adjustments behind the bench have a negative effect on team performance? I don’t think so for the remainder of this season. With the well developed systems in place and a great succession plan in the coaching staff, the Knights will hang on to first place. However, they will be feeling the heat of the Plymouth Whalers who are not so far behind and may very well be the best team in the league.

Except for pruning some dead wood and creating the brackets for the play-offs, does the regular season standings have that much impact on who finally hoists the  Robertson Cup? I think not, the play-offs is a whole new season where we will see many surprises! Last Christmas, who would have predicted the Owen Sound Attack would be representing the OHL at the Memorial Cup?

Matt Leacy

No.

As a born and raised citizen of Rangers Nation, it's very hard to say
anything good about the London Knights. So maybe I'm a little biased
on the subject, but regardless here goes.

I think the Knights have quite a few upsides. Stellar goaltending,
players who can score, and strong defenseman. If there's anything I
can pick on, it's the fact that they seem to take off nights. What I
mean by that is they can occasionally see a team that they should
easily beat, then fall to them. Case and point, the only time the
Knights and Rangers have met this season (at the time of this writing
anyway), the Rangers took a 4-1 lead before the midway point of the
second. The Knights, all credit to them, came back to force a shootout
but lost by a final score of 5-4.

Now with the loss of Dale Hunter to the Capitals, the question becomes
can Mark Hunter successfully take over? Or will the team ignore his
coaching, lack respect for him, and slowly but surely crumble? Guess
we'll find out as the season progresses (my fingers aren't crossed I
swear).

Knights-Attack Rivalry Heats Up

The rivalry continued to heat up Saturday night between the Owen Sound Attack and the London Knights. The back and forth scoring game ended with an empty net goal and the Knights defeating the Attack 5-3.

With three previous losses so far to the Knights this season, the reigning OHL champions were looking for redemption. The Attack team and fans are still feeling the loss of hockey phenom Artur Gavrus who is still out with concussion symptoms because of a collision with fellow rookie star Max Domi two weeks ago.

It did not take long for the fighting to begin as Attack fan favourite Daniel Zweep dropped the gloves early in the game against Kyle Flemington. The game was book- ended with another Zweep fight, this time against Jarrod Tinordi. With just over a minute to go in regulation time the score keeper had his hands full as the refs dished out the consequences. Tinordi received an instigator and misconduct; Tyler Ferry, Dane Fox, and Jared Knight each received a misconduct. Zweep was given a head check and a game misconduct and team mate Mike Halmo a misconduct. When the OHL offices open Monday morning, commissioner David Branch will be checking out the video tape.

The action in between the Zweep fights was once again a close game between the two rivals but also once again resulted with the Knights on top. London Knight forward Andreas Athanasiou has certainly figured out the Attack systems. While scoring a hat trick Saturday he was able to rack up his eleventh goal of the season…..seven of them have been against the Attack.

While Attack goaltender Scott Stajcer performed admirably stopping 30+ shots, he was disappointed at the loss stating “The guys came out hard, a lot of guys battled. We need the whole team on the same page. It was an emotional loss to London again, we’ve had three of them already, this being the fourth. Everyone in (the dressing room) hates them and wants to win every time.”

When asked how the Attack will prepare for their next Knight match up, Stajcer says “we’ve got to come out hard….everyone has to be ready, can’t say the whole team was ready (tonight). We have to push through and battle harder.”

It should be another sell out crowd at the Bayshore when the Knights return to Owen Sound on January 21^st.

ITO Three Stars & Power Rankings: Week 10

Welcome back for another edition of the ITO Power Rankings, as well as our Three Stars for the week of November 21^st-27^th. As the end of November nears, we are starting to get a good idea of which teams are real contenders this season, which teams are pretenders, and which teams never were. The next six weeks is absolutely critical to teams around the league, as decisions need to be made between now and the January 10^th Trade deadline.

ITO 3 Stars

1. Malcolm Subban (Belleville Bulls) – Often overlooked by his big brother’s success in the N.H.L., Malcolm is quickly becoming known on his own merits. Already the leading Goaltender in the Ontario Hockey League on GAA, Subban has been a large part in the success of the Belleville Bulls this season. Malcolm played in all three of his team’s games over the last week, allowing just two goals while posting a shutout over Guelph. Malcolm would stop 87 of 89 shots he faced, for save percentage of .978. Clearly the best player in the league this week, ‘The Subban Wall’ is this week’s ITO First Star.

2. Brendan Gaunce (Belleville Bulls) – While Subban was stopping nearly everything he saw, someone was still needed in Belleville to put pucks in the other net, and that’s where Brendan came in this week. Riding a super-hot stick, Gaunce would strike for five goals in his three games, as well as adding an assist. Starting with a two goal performance on Thursday night in Erie, Brendan would follow up the next night, scoring another pair of goals in a whitewashing of Guelph. To round out the weekend, Gaunce would score a goal and an assist in a win over Oshawa. By scoring five times, and registering six points, along with a +5 rating, Brendan Gaunce is the ITO Second Star for Week 10.

3. Tobias Rieder (Kitchener Rangers) – Not to be outdone, Tobias Rieder was equally as important to the Kitchener Rangers this week, scoring five times and adding an assist of his own. Tuesday night, Tobias would start the week right, scoring a hat trick in a big win over Guelph. Friday night, Rieder would add another marker, as the Rangers would send Erie to defeat. Tobias would wrap up his weekend by adding another goal, as well as an assist, in yet another big victory, this time over Sarnia. For this, as well as his +3 rating this week, Tobias earns his spot as the ITO Third Star for November 21^st-27^th.

ITO Power Rankings

1. London Knights – (Last Week: 1) By winning two of their three games this past week, the London Knights retain the top spot in the ITO Power Rankings, which they have held since the beginning of the season. The lead is beginning to diminish, however, as many teams have set their sights on the league leaders. After a loss on home ice to Barrie, the Knights would rebound with victories in Erie and Brampton. London hosts Saginaw on Friday night, then travel to Owen Sound for a contest the following evening.

2. Kitchener Rangers – (Last Week: 4) With wins in all three contests this week, the Rangers vault into the number 2 spot in the OHL Power Rankings. 9-1 in their last ten, and points in 13 of their last 14 games, Kitchener has become one of the most feared teams in the league. The Rangers would outscore their opposition 17-5 in three victories this week, knocking off Guelph, Erie, and Sarnia along the way. Kitchener plays three games in three nights this week, starting Thursday night in Brampton. After returning home to face Mississauga, the Rangers will finish their week in Erie on Saturday night.

3. Plymouth Whalers – (Last Week: 2) The Whalers find themselves down one spot this week, after losing two of three. A win over Saginaw on Wednesday kept the Whalers’ streak intact, but losses to Peterborough and Guelph over the weekend caused the team to slide. Plymouth has a pair of home games this week to try and steady things, hosting Sault Ste. Marie on Friday and Guelph on Saturday.

4. Belleville Bulls – (Last Week: 8) A big jump into the top five for the Belleville Bulls this week, as they win three straight games, improving to 9-2 in their last 11 games. The Bulls started the week with a strong 3-1 victory in Erie, then blanked Guelph the next night. Belleville would return home for a Sunday afternoon matinee, defeating Oshawa handily. Looking ahead, the Bulls host Kingston on Wednesday night, beginning a home and home series that wraps up on Friday night. Belleville returns home the next night to take on Windsor to end the week.

5. Sarnia Sting – (Last Week: 3) Playing without star forward Nail Yakupov for much of the week, the Sting suffered, losing all three contests. After losing in a shootout to Barrie on Thursday, Sarnia would be dropped in back to back contests over the weekend, first to Niagara, and then in Kitchener. The Sting hit the road for a pair of games, starting in Peterborough on Thursday, and playing the following night in Oshawa. Sarnia comes home for a Sunday afternoon contest against Sault Ste. Marie to finish the weekend.

6. Ottawa 67’s – (Last Week: 7) Ottawa continues to impress, sitting atop the East Division, and climb one spot this week, despite earning a split from their two games. The 67’s opened the weekend on Friday, losing on home ice to Oshawa, but would come back in the third period on Sunday to defeat Kingston in a shootout. Ottawa has a three game weekend in front of them, starting at home to Windsor on Friday night, and playing games in Peterborough on Saturday, and in Mississauga Sunday.

7. Niagara IceDogs – (Last Week: 13) With three straight wins this week, the IceDogs leap back into the top ten in the OHL Power Rankings. Once considered a contender, Niagara is fighting to erase a slow start. Big wins over Brampton, Windsor, and Sarnia this week vault the IceDogs up the ranks, and Niagara will look to continue the rise with three games this weekend. The IceDogs host Erie on Thursday and Barrie on Saturday, before playing Sunday afternoon in Brampton.

8. Brampton Battalion – (Last Week: 6) Right in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference, the Battalion continue to keep pace with the top teams in the OHL. Brampton could only muster one win in three games this past week, causing a small drop in the Power Rankings. After a win Wednesday in Mississauga, the Battalion would lose back to back games to Niagara and London. If Brampton is to get back on pace, they start Thursday, when they host Kitchener. A game in Sudbury on Friday is followed by a Sunday afternoon contest at home to Niagara, finishing three games in four days.

9. Peterborough Petes – (Last Week: 5) After a good start to the week, Peterborough would struggle, and find themselves down four spots this week in the OHL Power Rankings. The Petes would earn two points in Plymouth on Friday night, but would be on the wrong end of scores in Saginaw and Windsor, stalling the teams’ momentum. A big week lies ahead for Peterborough, as they play host to Sarnia on Thursday and Ottawa on Saturday, before traveling to Oshawa to wrap up the weekend Sunday evening.

10. Barrie Colts – (Last Week: 10) No change for Barrie, though the Colts did win two out of three games this week, both against top opposition. After winning in Sarnia on Thursday, the Colts went into London on Friday and earned two points again. A tough loss on home ice to Sudbury on Saturday prevents Barrie from gaining ground this week. The Colts hit the road for three games this week, starting in Owen Sound Wednesday. Barrie also takes on Erie on Friday, and plays in Niagara Saturday.

11. Sudbury Wolves – (Last Week: 15) After falling four spots last week, the Wolves make that ground back this week, after winning both games they played. The victories over Owen Sound and Barrie help Sudbury move up the Rankings, but for the Wolves to continue upwards, they will need a good week coming up. Sudbury hosts Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday evening, and will have Brampton in town for a contest on Friday.

12. Owen Sound Attack – (Last Week: 12) Still at number 12 this week, the Owen Sound Attack were able to earn three points from a pair of games over the last seven days. After the Attack lost a shootout contest in Sudbury Friday night, Owen Sound retaliated by winning a night later, knocking off Sault Ste. Marie. This week, the Attack hosts Barrie on Wednesday night, then plays in Guelph on Friday. Owen Sound finishes the weekend back at home on Saturday night, when London comes to visit.

13. Guelph Storm – (Last Week: 9) The Guelph Storm are one of many teams that have seemed to settle into the middle of the pack in their conference. They would win two and lose two over a four game week, but slide four spots landing at number 13. Guelph would start the week with a lopsided loss in Kitchener on Tuesday, and would be whitewashed by Belleville on Friday night. The Storm replied over the weekend, picking up victories over Plymouth and Mississauga to salvage an even record for the week. No rest for Guelph this week, as they play three games in three days over the weekend, starting with a visit from Owen Sound on Friday. The Storm then take to the road for weekend stops in Plymouth and Saginaw.

14. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – (Last Week: 11) After an impressive start, the Greyhounds have begun to falter as of late, and dropped both decisions this past week in the process. While the Hounds would pick up a point from a shootout loss to Saginaw on Friday, a loss the next night to Owen Sound would continue the Soo’s downward trend. The Greyhounds hit the road for four games in the next seven days, starting Tuesday when they play in Sudbury. With three more games over the weekend, starting Friday in Plymouth, and making stops in Saginaw and Sarnia, this could be a make-it or break-it week for Sault Ste. Marie.

15. Windsor Spitfires – (Last Week: 16) The Spits continue their slow trend upwards, climbing another spot this week, after earning a split in a pair of contests. A loss to Niagara on Friday night would start Windsor’s week on the wrong foot, but the Spitfires rebounded to take down Peterborough on Sunday afternoon. Windsor is another team that plays three times from Friday to Sunday this week ahead, playing contests on the road in Ottawa, Belleville, and Kingston.

16. Mississauga St. Michaels Majors – (Last Week: 14) It has been a long steady fall for a team that was one game away from winning the Memorial Cup on home ice this past May. The Majors got off to a terrific start to the season, but have since won just five times in their last twenty contests. Mississauga would fail to earn a point over the last week, dropping all three of their games. A midweek loss to Brampton was followed with defeats at the hands of Kingston and Guelph, and the Majors are in full free-fall. If that weren’t enough, the Majors will have their hands full this week, with two contests, both against top teams in the OHL. Mississauga plays in Kitchener on Friday night, before returning home to tangle with Ottawa on Sunday.

17. Oshawa Generals – (Last Week: 17) Contenders no more, the Generals are now vying in hopes of simply making the playoffs this season. A sluggish start would cost Chris DiPiero his job behind the bench, and Gary Agnew has fared little better, as Oshawa continues to sputter. They would split their games this week, starting Friday with a big road win in Ottawa. The Generals would fail to string together consecutive wins, dropping a game in Belleville Sunday afternoon. Oshawa has a pair of home games this week to try and right the ship, starting Friday night when Sarnia comes to town. The Generals also host Peterborough on Sunday evening.

18. Saginaw Spirit – (Last Week: 18) Saginaw remains planted at number 18 this week, as they continue to play inconsistent hockey. The Spirit would win two of three games this week, improving on a record that needs work. After a loss in Plymouth, Saginaw would get a shootout win over Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, and picked up another win a night later against Peterborough. The Spirit will look to keep winning this week, starting with a game in London on Friday night. After that, Saginaw returns home for the weekend, with games against Sault Ste. Marie and Guelph.

19. Kingston Frontenacs – (Last Week: 19) While playing better as of late, the Frontenacs have dug themselves quite a hole, a hole that may be too much to get out of in Kingston. The Fronts would earn three out of four possible points last week, defeating Mississauga on Friday, but losing in a shootout to Ottawa on Sunday. Three games await Kingston this week, starting Wednesday in Belleville. Belleville returns the visit to Kingston on Friday night, and the Frontenacs wrap up the week hosting Windsor on Sunday afternoon.

20. Erie Otters – (Last Week: 20) There is an OHL team that plays in Pennsylvania, but they haven’t given us much to talk about this season, and have become a league afterthought by November. Now with just three wins in their first 25 games, the Otters are already relegated to playing for pride, and maybe some of them who might be dealt off to contenders before the January trade deadline. The losing streak would hit ten games after three more losses this past week, as Belleville, Kitchener, and London would all take turns earning victories over Erie. The Otters play three games in three nights from Thursday through Saturday of the week ahead. After playing in Niagara, Erie comes back home for games with Barrie and Kitchener.

The ITO Three Stars and Power Rankings can be found every Tuesday here at In The O… The Radio Show. Be sure to check back next week to see where your favourite team ranks, but if you can’t wait for your OHL fix, find me on Twitter, @N24Nicholson.

Thoughts from the Editor - Week ending November 27th

After a slow September and October(4 Goals and 10 Assists) Sudbury’s Michael Sgarbossa has exploded for 12 Goals and 6 assists in the month of November. Sgarbossa now sits 7^th and 16^th in League leader for goals and overall points respectively.

After putting up 12 goals and 29 points by the end of October, the amount of forward depth has dropped Zach Hall down the depth chart and he has only put up 4 pts in November (2 goals 2 assists)

Belleville has won 9 of their 12 games this month (12^th game is on November 30^th) and Malcolm Subban is 8-1 this month with a 1.42GAA and a 9.52SV%

In 12 games this month the Plymouth Whalers went 9-3 and have taken over the top spot in the West division. Rickard Rakell lead the way offensively, (9 Goals and 10 Assists) while the Duo of Mahalak and Wedgewood had a combined GAA of under 2.15 and a SV% of .932

After starting out 7-0 the Majors have come back down to earth with 2 wins in the month of November. 2-6-1-1 in their last 10 games.

The London knights are still leading the league in scoring with 114 goals for  and are tied for second in the league with total goals against (69). Belleville leads the league with 66 goals against

The Oshawa Generals now lead the Eastern Conference in goals against with 111 allowed in 29 games (3.82 goals per game) while the Erie Otters have scored the least amount of goals (59) and allowed the most (129) in the league. The Otters are also a perfect 0-10 in their past 10 games.

Kitchener Rangers forward Tobias Reider hit the 20 goal plateau for the second straight season, to put his sophomore season in comparison to a former Kitchener Ranger. Jeff Skinner had 20 goals in his sophomore season at the end of November too, Skinner finished with 51

There are 3 teams with less than 400 Penalty minutes as a team as of November 27, 2011. Erie Otters (352), Kitchener Rangers (364) and Sarnia Sting (375). That averages out to just over 14.08, 14.56 and 14.42 PIM per game respectively.

If the playoffs started today, Belleville, Brampton and Peterborough would be seeded 2, 3 and 4 in the Eastern Conference. How many people would have ranked those teams that high as passed a third of the season? In the West, Saginaw and Erie would be out of the playoffs.

The Guelph Storm, Soo Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires have more road wins then they do at home.

Knights Sweep Attack.......Barely

It was an emotional game in Owen Sound Saturday night as the Attack and London Knights faced off for the first game of a home and home series. It was a roller coaster game and the Knights took advantage of several Owen Sound mistakes to lead 5-0 until a Matt Petgrave goal for the Attack in the second period. Unfortunately the goal was soon followed up with a controversial collision between two rookies.

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A mid-ice hit by Knight’s phenon Max Domi left Belarus native Artur Gavrus lying motionless on the ice for several minutes until he was removed by ambulance. Attack member Petgrave said “it seemed like a clean hit, bad luck on Gavrus’ part. He was trying to take the puck out and got his head up at the last second.”

The second period continued in an ugly fashion as emotions were high and led to several fights. Many Attack fans were infuriated no call was made on the Gavrus-Domi collision although Petgrave admits “it was a clean hit at the end of the day.” Domi reported to the local Owen Sound paper, "You obviously don't want to see anything like that. It definitely wasn't my intent."

The third period resulted in cooler heads and the Attack managed to make a game of it, however, the Knights clinched it with an empty net goal for a 7-5 final.

The Attack headed to London Sunday for the second-half of the week-end match up. Petgrave was hoping to take the emotions with the team not for “retaliation(but to) try to get them clean.” And try they did. Outstanding goaltending on the part of Scott Stajcer stopped 47 out of the 49 shots. Ultimately the Attack lost 3-2 in overtime.

While the CHL top ranked team the London Knights swept the home-home series, the Owen Sound Attack didn’t make it easy for them.

· Max Domi’s father, ex-Leaf tough guy Tie Domi was in attendance Saturday night.

· The police were in attendance as well to escort the Knights out of the arena

· Arthur Gavrus underwent an MRI which found no spinal injuries. He has a severe concussion and is currently under 48 hour watch.

· Gavrus’ spot to represent Belarus in an up-coming tournament over the Christmas break may now be at risk.