George ‘so fired up’ for playoff opener
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Natalie Shaver (OHLImages)
Of all the accomplishments you’ll find in Carter George’s abundant resume, one thing is missing.
The Soo Greyhounds netminder has never won an OHL playoff game.
While a member of the Owen Sound Attack, the Thunder Bay native absorbed four-game sweeps in both the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.
“That was tough,” said George, who was on a Western Conference, eighth-place team a season ago, one that lost four straight in the first round to the OHL and Memorial Cup-champion London Knights.
During the 2023-24 campaign, the seventh-place Attack dropped four in a row to the Saginaw Spirit, who lost in the conference final, but rebounded to win the Memorial Cup.
“If you’re going to go out, go out against the best,” George chuckled. “Obviously, those games were tough. But I gained so much experience by just playing in a playoff atmosphere, against juggernaut teams. The past two years have definitely helped me going into this year.”
So, how hungry is the Hounds goalie heading into this year’s conference quarterfinals, which begin on Friday (7 p.m.) in London?
“I’m pretty anxious,” said the 19-year-old (2006 birth year), acquired by the Soo just prior to the OHL trade deadline on Jan. 9. “I’ve been waiting for the playoffs ever since I got traded here, I won’t lie. This is what I’ve been waiting for most. I am so fired up for Friday night.”
The best-of-seven series continues on Sunday (6 p.m.) in London, before the scene shifts to GFL Memorial Gardens for Game 3, a week from Tuesday (8:07 p.m.) and Game 4, on Apr. 1 (7:07 p.m.).
After closing the regular season with a 5-3 loss to visiting Windsor on Sunday, Monday was a mandatory day off for the Greyhounds.
The club will practice the rest of the week before departing for London on Thursday.
“Now that the time has come, I’m really excited for it,” George said, while talking about how an 0-8 post-season record is just one of a number of motivating factors for him. “I think we have a very special group here and I think that’s very exciting for playoffs.”
And while he spoke of thoroughly enjoying regular season competition, the six-foot-two, 195-pounder, called the playoffs a “different animal.”
Despite the fact many consider him to arguably be the OHL’s best netminder, George has struggled against the Knights.
Typically, the Attack was overmatched in head-to-head games with London.
George’s career regular season record against the Knights is 1-7-3-4, with his only victory coming as a member of the Hounds on Jan. 21 at the Gardens.
That was also the night George scored the second goalie goal of his four-year career.
His playoff mark against the Knights is 0-4.
“They’ve been kicking my rear end for the last three years of my career, so I’d like to give them something back in this series,” said the signed Los Angeles Kings prospect. “For me, that record is definitely going to be motivating. I’m pretty fired up.”
By dropping four of their last five to close the regular season, the fifth-place Hounds (39-23-1-5) finished one point behind fourth-place London (40-23-4-1), losing home ice in the first round of the playoffs in the process.
It’s expected the Soo will count heavily on George for what the team hopes is a lengthy postseason run.
The veteran goalie says he doesn’t mind the pressure at all. In fact, he thinks it’s good for his game.
However, he disagrees when the subject of being counted on heavily is broached.
“I don’t know how heavily I have to be relied on because I think we have a really-good team,” said George, 13-8-0-3 since joining the Greyhounds with a 2.40 goals against average, a saves percentage of .913 and three shutouts. “And now that we have a full lineup, we’re pretty damn good.”
His goal is to simply make the saves he has to in order to help his teammates out. The focus is on giving the Hounds a chance to win each and every night he steps onto the ice.
If he can do that, George believes the Greyhounds will be successful.
He spoke of how the return of star defenceman Chase Reid, who missed more than six weeks with an upper-body injury, before returning for the final three games of the regular season, makes this team dangerous.
“I think we have a really-special group here and I think that’s very exciting for the playoffs,” he added. “I think we’re only going to get better and better in each game of the playoffs. And that’s super exciting.”
As much as he likes the Hounds chances, George is all too aware of what the Knights can do.
He spoke of how, around the OHL, there’s a saying that warns clubs to never count London out.
“They’ve got a good team and this is going to be a real battle of a series.”
Notes:
If a fifth game is needed in this series, it’s set for Apr. 3 (7 p.m.) at Canada Life Place. Game 6, if necessary, is scheduled for Apr. 5 (7:07 p.m.) in the Sault. And should the series go the distance, a seventh game would be played on Apr. 7 (7 p.m.) in London.
