KNIGHTS VS. OTTERS – WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW
The London Knights will faceoff against the Erie Otters in a best of seven series in the Western Conference Finals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) playoffs. London finished the regular season as the number three seed in the Western Conference with a record of 51-14-2-1 (105 points). Erie will matchup against London as the number one seed in the Western Conference, after finishing the season as the top club in the entire league with a record of 52-15-1-0 (105 points). By virtue of a tiebreaker that saw Erie finish with one more win than London, the Otters were able to secure the Hamilton Spectator Trophy, awarded to the team with the best record at the end of the OHL regular season.
In the second round of the OHL Playoffs, the Knights defeated the Kitchener Rangers in just four games in their second round matchup. Erie moved on to the Western Conference Finals by defeating the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in five games.
Erie will host London for Game One and Two at the Erie Insurance Arena on Wednesday, April 20th at 7:00pm, and Sunday, April 24th at 7:00pm. London will then host Erie on Tuesday, April 26th at 7:00pm for Game Three, and then right back at it on Wednesday, April 27th at 7:00pm for Game Four. The remaining games (if necessary) will take place in Erie on Friday, April 29th at 7:00pm, London on Sunday, May 1st at 2:00pm, and back to Erie for a possible Game Seven on Monday, May 2nd at 7:00pm.
The two teams have had a spirited regular season series as the clubs have split all six matchups evenly, each team winning and losing three of the six contests. In the first showdown of the season, Erie got the best of London, as the Otters took home a 3-1 victory. In the squad’s next game, Erie continued their winning ways, beating London by a score of 6-2. Otters’ captain, Dylan Strome, scored the game winner to quiet a sold out Budweiser Gardens crowd. The Knights would get their revenge in the next game as London took home the teams’ third contest of the season by a score of 4-1. London would then come back strong once again, putting up six while only surrendering one marker to Erie, as nine Knights recorded a point in this 6-1 victory.
In the final two games of the season, London and Erie played off for the top spot in the league. Needing to come away with three of a possible four points, the Knights got the job done in the first game of the back-to-back mini-series, defeating the Otters in an intense 4-3 victory. Needing to take home a regulation win in order to claim the Hamilton Spectator Trophy, the Otters did so, beating the Knights in the final regular season matchup, by a score of 4-2 to claim top spot in the OHL.
The two teams are so evenly matched, only a single goal separated the two in their season series, as London scored 19 total goals in their six games against Erie, while the Otters were able to net 18.
London headed into the playoffs leading the league in regular season scoring (319 goals for) while also giving up the fewest goals (182 goals against). Erie ranked third in league scoring (269 goals for), while they ranked second in defence (183 goals against) by the end of the regular season.
London comes into the third round of the playoffs averaging 4.4 goals per game (second in the league), while only giving up 2.60 goals a game (third in the league). Erie has averaged 4.67 goals per game in the playoffs (first in the league) and gave up 2.33 a contest (first in the league).
Matthew Tkachuk leads the Knights in goals in the playoffs, scoring 10 markers in 10 games played. Mitch Marner and Tkachuk are currently first and second in league playoff scoring, Marner with 24 points, and Tkachuk not far behind at 22. Dylan Strome, leading scorer of the Erie Otters in the playoffs, currently sits fifth with 18 points recorded.
In the regular season, Christian Dvorak led the Knights and finished second in league scoring with 121 points (52 goals, 69 assists). Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters finished as the team’s leading scorer with 111 points (37 goals, 74 assists), good for fourth highest in the league.
Leading the way in the crease, the Knights will feature starter Tyler Parsons who currently sits second in league Save Percentage through the playoffs with a 0.919% rate. For the Otters, Devin Williams, who currently leads the league in Goals Against Average during the playoffs at a 2.16 GAA rate, will tend the twine for top seeded Erie.
This series’ victor will be awarded the Wayne Gretzky trophy, given to the winner of the Western Conference Finals. In the East, the Barrie Colts and Niagara IceDogs will be facing off for the Bobby Orr Trophy, given to the Eastern Conference Finals champion. The winner of each conference final will faceoff for the ultimate prize in the OHL, the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a berth to the Mastercard Memorial Cup.
To secure tickets, please call the OMAC Mortgages London Knights Box Office at 519-681-0800 ext 1, stop by the Aluminum Associates London Knights Armoury, or go to http://bit.ly/1qjPKo9.
