OHL Rogers Championship PREVIEW; Greyhounds vs Bulldogs

For the first time in twenty-five years, the Soo Greyhounds have advanced to the Rogers OHL Championship Series.
It will be a “Battle of the Dogs” between the Greyhounds and Hamilton Bulldogs.

This series will feature a pair of clubs who not only won their division, but also their conference in the OHL regular season.  Separated by 23 points, both the Soo and Hamilton were among the final rankings in the CHL Top 10 – the Soo 1st, Hamilton 8th.

And while the Greyhounds’ have had two days since Jack Kopacka’s double overtime heroics in Game 7 against Kitchener on Monday Night – the Bulldogs sealed up their third round series against Kingston one week ago.

Here’s a look at some of the notable numbers, statistics and information heading into the series:

COMPLETE SERIES SCHEDULE
Game 1 – Thursday, May 3 @ SSM – 7:07 PM
Game 2 – Saturday, May 5 @ SSM – 7:07 PM
Game 3 – Monday, May 7 @ HAM – 7:00 PM
Game 4 – Wednesday, May 9 @ HAM – 7:00 PM
Game 5* – Friday, May 11 @ SSM – 7:07 PM
Game 6* – Sunday, May 13 @ HAM – 2:00 PM
Game 7* – Monday, May 14 @ SSM – 7:07 PM

HOW THEY GOT HERE
• SSM Defeated KIT (7 games) in Round 3;  Defeated OS (7 games) in Round 2;  Defeated SAG (4 games) in Round 1
• HAM Defeated KGN (5 games) in Round 3;  Defeated NIA (5 games) in Round 2;  Defeated OTT (5 games) in Round 1

PLAYOFF STATS COMPARISON BEFORE THIS SERIES

TOP 3 GREYHOUNDS PLAYOFF SCORERS
• Boris Katchouk;  15G-13A-28PTS;  4PPG, 2SHG, 2GWG
• Taylor Raddysh;  12G-15A-27PTS;  5PPG,  1GWG
• Morgan Frost;  7G-15A-22PTS;  3PPG, 1GWG

TOP 3 HAMILTON PLAYOFF SCORERS
• Robert Thomas;  8G-17A-25PTS;  1PPG, 1SHG, 1GWG
• Ryan Moore;  7G-14A-21PTS;  1PPG,  1GWG
• Nicholas Caamano;  6G-12A-18PTS;  2PPG;  3GWG

OHL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES HISTORY
Greyhounds
• 7th time in franchise history reaching the league final
• 1993 vs Peterborough (lost), 1992 vs North Bay (won), 1991 vs Oshawa (won), 1985 vs Peterborough (won), 1983 vs Oshawa (lost), 1981 vs Kitchener (lost)

Bulldogs
• 1st OHL Championship in Bulldogs history;  6th time in City of Hamilton franchise history
• 1978 vs Peterborough (lost), 1976 vs Sudbury (won), 1975 vs Toronto (lost), 1967 vs Toronto (lost), 1958 vs Toronto (lost)

WHAT THEY’E SAYING IN THE MEDIA
Sault Star
• State set for OHL dogfight
• Hounds will squeak out another one – RUICCI COLUMN
• Hounds opponents ready for challenge

Sootoday.com
• The past is the past, says Bulldogs coach

Hamilton Spectator
• Battle of the Best:  Bulldogs and Greyhounds battle in OHL final
• These Bulldogs want to be first champs since Fincups
• Flying under the radar, Hamilton Bulldogs fuelled by wins

2017-18 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
W 10-0, Feb. 16 @ SSM
Verbeek, Gettinger, Frost and Raddysh scored in first period as Hounds led 4-0 and outshot HAM 15-5 in the period;  Hounds would score 4 more times in second and twice in third in 10-0 shutout victory;  Hounds outshot HAm 35-17 while going 2-for-6 on PP;  Verbeek 3G, 1A and Frost 2G, 1A led the Hounds

L 2-5, Feb. 11 @ HAM
Tied 1-1 after first period (SSM goal by Katchouk;  Hamilton would score 4 goals in a span of 8:29 in the second period to break the game open into a 5-1 lead;  Verbeek had lone goal of third period (15:12) to round out scoring in defeat;  Hounds had only specialty team goal, going 1-for-4 on PP