Toronto Star Referrer

Can Ottawa, the league’s front-runner, keep it going?

A series-by-series look at the first round of the OHL playoffs starting Thursday:

KEN CAMPBELL SPECIAL TO THE STAR

EASTERN CONFERENCE Ottawa 67’s (1) vs. Oshawa Generals (8)

Season series: Ottawa won 7-0-1 The 67’s have been the class of the OHL all season. They are wellstructured under coach Dave Cameron, and getting Anaheim prospect Pavel Mintyukov at the trade deadline made the league’s best defensive team even better. The Generals lost two of their final three games of the season to the nonplayoff Kingston Frontenacs by a combined score of 16-4. Prediction: Ottawa in four

North Bay Battalion (2) vs. Mississauga Steelheads (7)

Season series: North Bay, 4-2-0 The Battalion ended the regular season with an 11-game win streak and outscored opponents 48-15. They own the league’s best penaltykilling unit and were the only team aside from the 67’s to allow fewer than 200 goals (185). After a promising start, the Steelheads ran into goaltending trouble and sold off much of their veteran talent at the deadline for futures.

Prediction: North Bay in five

Barrie Colts (3) vs. Hamilton Bulldogs (6)

Season series: Tied 2-2-0

The Bulldogs were sellers at the deadline, but still have eight holdovers from the team that came one victory short of winning the Memorial Cup last year. NHL draft hopeful Nick Lardis (52 points in 34 games) and Sahil Panwar (46 points in 33 games) have been major contributors since coming to the Bulldogs from Peterborough. Hamilton does have trouble scoring, though. The Bulldogs are tied for last in goals (226) among playoff teams. Prediction: Barrie in six

Peterborough Petes (4) vs. Sudbury Wolves (5)

Season series: Sudbury won 3-1-0 The Petes loaded up, getting Montreal prospect Owen Beck and Avery Hayes at the deadline to go along with New York Rangers firstrounder Brennan Othmann, acquired in November. But the Petes have gone 14-16-1 since the deadline. The Wolves are playing with more structure under their new coach, former Florida Panthers assistant Derek MacKenzie, but were the most penalized team in the OHL. Prediction: Sudbury in seven

WESTERN CONFERENCE Windsor Spitfires (1) vs. Kitchener Rangers (8)

Season series: Windsor won 4-0-0 The Spitfires didn’t miss a beat after taking Hamilton to seven games in the OHL final last season. Led by league leading scorer, New York Islanders prospect Matthew Maggio, the Spitfires can overwhelm teams offensively as evidenced by their league-leading 320 goals. This season has been something of a disaster for a Kitchener team that was projected to be much better. Prediction: Windsor in five

London Knights (2) vs. Owen Sound Attack (7)

Season series: Tied 3-3-0

As you would imagine with any Dale Hunter-coached team, the Knights gave up the fewest goals in the Western Conference and they kill you by committee offensively. They did not have a single 30-goal scorer in their lineup, but finished fourth in the conference in goals. The Attack have a much harder time scoring, but have a true gamebreaker in 2023 draft-eligible Colby Barlow, who scored 46 goals. Prediction: Owen Sound in seven

Sarnia Sting (3) vs. Guelph Storm (6)

Season series: Sarnia won 2-0-2 Three of four regular-season games between the Sting and Storm went to a shootout, with Sarnia beating Guelph 9-1 in the only regulation game. Led by scoring leader and Maple Leafs prospect Ty Voit, who had 105 points, the Sting finished second in goals. Sarnia has won just one playoff series since 2008, but assembled a powerful group that includes in-season additions Sasha Pastujov, Luca Del Bel Belluz, Christian Kyrou and Ethan Del Mastro.

Prediction: Sarnia in five

Saginaw Spirit (4) vs. Flint Firebirds (5)

Season series: Saginaw won 5-3-0 The Spirit didn’t really expect to be here this season, largely because they traded Mintyukov to Ottawa for nine draft picks. The Firebirds also dealt away a star when they moved Othmann to Peterborough in November. Michael Misa, Saginaw’s exceptional-status player, scored an impressive 56 points in 45 games as a rookie. On the Flint side, Detroit prospect Amadeus Lombardi was one of only three players to score 100 points.

Prediction: Flint in six

SPORTS

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2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-30T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://thestarepaper.pressreader.com/article/282196540213577

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