OHL Eastern Conference Playoff Preview

The matchups are set! The 2016 OHL Playoffs get underway on Thursday.

Here’s a look at the four Eastern Conference first round matchups:

KINGSTON FRONTENACS (1) vs. OSHAWA GENERALS (8) – #KGNvsOSH

The Kingston Frontenacs were a thorn in the side of the contending Oshawa Generals a year ago, playing them tough to a tune of 6-2-0-0 through the regular season. Now that the tables have turned, the Generals look to return the courtesy against a Frontenacs club that won the East Division for the first time since 1995 this season.

The Generals look to follow the lead of the 2005 St. Michael’s Majors and 2002 London Knights, the only two eighth seeds to come out of the first round since the entrance of the two-conference format in 1998.

“Obviously a lot of things have to happen,” Generals head coach Bob Jones candidly told Durham Region’s Brian McNair. “We’re going to have to get some bounces, we’re going to have to play extremely structured. Specialty teams will be key, goaltending will be key. I don’t have an easy answer. A lot of things will have to go right.”

Oshawa will turn to overage veteran Jeremy Brodeur who started 16 of the club’s last 19 games down the stretch, helping the Generals outlast the Hamilton Bulldogs for the final spot in the Eastern Conference with wins in seven of their final ten contests.

The Frontenacs set franchise records in wins (46) and points (97) and improved upon the franchise goals against record they set last season, allowing an Eastern Conference-low 189.

Kingston comes at opponents with a wide array of scoring options, the most intriguing of which against Oshawa is New York Islanders first round pick Michael Dal Colle, a MasterCard Memorial Cup champion less than a year ago in Generals red and blue.

Dal Colle overcame a slow start to the season in Oshawa, skyrocketing upon his arrival in Kingston with 55 points (27-28–55) in 30 games with the Frontenacs.

With their well documented 18-year stretch of not advancing beyond the first round paired with the more recent 2014 memory of a 3-0 first round series lead slipping away, one would conclude that the Frontenacs likely won’t be looking past the Generals this week, eighth seed or not.

Season Series:
Kingston won season series 7-1-0-0
Oct. 7, 2015 – OSH 2 @ KGN 3 OT (GWG: McGlynn)
Oct. 18, 2015- KGN 1 @ OSH 0 OT (GWG: Watson) (KGN: Peressini 35 SV)
Nov. 1, 2015 – KGN 3 @ OSH 6 (OSH: Lofquist 2G, 1A)
Dec. 30, 2015 – KGN 4 @ OSH 1 (KGN: Helvig 40 SV)
Jan. 8, 2016 – OSH 2 @ KGN 5 (KGN: Dal Colle 2G, 3A)
Feb. 5, 2016 – OSH 4 @ KGN 5 (KGN: Watson 2G, 3A) (OSH: Cirelli 2G, 1A)
Mar. 9, 2016 – KGN 5 @ OSH 3 (KGN: Watson 2G, 2A)
Mar. 18, 2016 – OSH 0 @ KGN 7 (KGN: Lammikko 2G, 2A)

Playoff History:
This will be Oshawa and Kingston’s seventh meeting in the OHL Playoffs.
– 2011 OSH def. KGN 4-1 – 1st round / 2007 OSH def. KGN 4-1 – 1st round / 1998 KGN def. OSH 4-3 – 1st round / 1993 KGN def. OSH 4-2 – 2nd round / 1987 OSH def. KGN 4-2 – 2nd round / 1986 KGN def. OSH 8-4 pts. – 1st round.

Series Schedule:
Game 1, Fri, Mar 25 at Kingston – 7:00 p.m.
Game 2, Sat, Mar 26 at Kingston – 7:00 p.m.
Game 3, Tues, Mar 29 at Oshawa – 7:05 p.m.
Game 4, Thurs, Mar 31 at Oshawa – 7:05 p.m.
Game 5, Fri, Apr 1 at Kingston – 7:00 p.m.*
Game 6, Sun, Apr 3 at Oshawa – 6:05 p.m.*
Game 7, Tues, Apr 5 at Kingston – 7:00 p.m.*
*if necessary

—–

BARRIE COLTS (2) vs. MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS (7) – #BARvsMISS

Two Central Division franchises in considerably different stages of their development cross paths in the first round as an established, veteran-heavy Barrie Colts club squares off with the up-and-coming Mississauga Steelheads.

Despite the gap between the two sides in age and experience, the Central Division champion Colts aren’t taking their younger foes lightly. An impressive list of draft eligible talent in Alexander Nylander, Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian and Sean Day comes before a pair of high-end 2017 NHL Draft prospects in Nicolas Hague and Owen Tippett.

“They have a good, talented team,” veteran Colts captain Michael Webster told the Barrie Examiner’s Gene Pereira. “I know they’re younger, but they’re motivated and hopefully we can use our experience and get through them and keep the momentum rolling.”

The Colts, who feature 13 players 19-years-old or older in their lineup, are looking to lay hold of an opportunity with an established veteran group. Overagers Webster and Justin Scott were both members of the 2013 Colts team that lost the OHL Finals in the dying seconds of Game 7 against the London Knights.

“(Returning to the final has) really kept me motivated and obviously I want to share that motivation with the other guys and (emphasize) the opportunity they have in front of them,” Webster told Pereira. “To realize how quick it goes and you only get so many chances.”

While the Colts are looking to live up to the standard they’ve set throughout the regular season, the Steelheads are staying composed in preparation for the series.

“We have a quiet confidence about us and we’re comfortable playing when the game is close,” head coach and general manager James Boyd told Iain Colpitts of the Mississauga News. “We’ll give it our best shot. We’ve got a young team here that’s going to get some valuable experience and we’ll put our best foot forward and see what happens.”

Overage goaltender Jack Flinn and his league-leading seven shutouts could prove valuable to the trout, who go up against a high-powered Colts offence in a series that starts on Thursday.

Season Series:
Barrie won season series 5-1-0-0
Nov. 1, 2015 – BAR 6 @ MISS 0 (BAR: Nattinen 2G, 1A)
Dec. 6, 2015 – BAR 3 @ MISS 6 (MISS: M. McLeod 2G, 2A)
Jan. 7, 2016 – MISS 4 @ BAR 7 (BAR: Labanc 3G, 3A)
Jan. 24, 2016 – BAR 4 @ MISS 2 (BAR: Sadowy 2G, 1A)
Feb. 6, 2016 – MISS 3 @ BAR 6 (BAR: Mangiapane 3G)
Feb. 27, 2016 – MISS 0 @ BAR 8 (BAR: Nattinen 1G, 3A)

Playoff History:
This will be Barrie and Mississauga/Toronto’s sixth meeting in the OHL Playoffs.
– 2012 BAR def. MISS 4-2 – 1st round / 2010 BAR def. MISS 4-1 – Eastern Conference Finals / 2009 MISS def. BAR 4-1 – 1st round / 2006 BAR def. TOR 4-0 – 1st round / 2002 BAR def. TOR 4-0 – Eastern Conference Finals.

Series Schedule:
Game 1, Thurs, Mar 24 at Barrie – 7:30 p.m. (Postponed)

Game 1, Sat, Mar 26 at Barrie – 7:30 p.m.
Game 2, Mon, Mar 28 at Barrie – 7:30 p.m (Rescheduled)
Game 3, Tues, Mar 29 at Mississauga – 7:00 p.m.
Game 4, Thurs, Mar 31 at Mississauga – 7:00 p.m.
Game 5, Sat, Apr 2 at Barrie – 7:30 p.m.*
Game 6, Sun, Apr 3 at Mississauga – 2:00 p.m.*
Game 7, Tues, Apr 5 at Barrie – 7:30 p.m.*
*if necessary

—–

NORTH BAY BATTALION (3) vs. PETERBOROUGH PETES (6) – #NBvsPBO

An intriguing first round matchup between the North Bay Battalion and the Peterborough Petes sees the two franchises meet for just the second time in OHL playoff history, with game one going Friday in North Bay.

Having won five rounds over the past two years, the Battalion look to the playoff experience of veteran holdovers in goaltender Jake Smith, 50-goal man Mike Amadio, overage winger Mathew Santos and big rearguard Kyle Wood to set the pace against Peterborough.

The Battalion face some uncertainty numbers-wise entering the series, with Mike Baird stepping away from the team to take a break from hockey, the status of sophomore winger Daniil Vertiy (knee injury) remaining unknown and Zach Poirier serving the final game of a five game suspension on Friday. On the upside, big Calgary Flames prospect Riley Bruce is set to return to the North Bay blueline for the first time since March 6th.

The Battalion are looking to their supportive hometown crowd, often referred to as the “7th Man” to come out loud and proud for Game one.

“We have the best fans in the Ontario Hockey League,” Battalion head coach Stan Butler told battalionhockey.com. “They’ve time and time again saved us in games, and that’s the one advantage playing games here in North Bay, that we’ve got the best fans.”

The mighty maroon will enter hostile territory on Friday off a 33-28-2-5 finish to the regular season, featuring a pair of 40-goal scorers and six players with 20 or more in their lineup.

The emergence of sophomores Logan DeNoble and Adam Timleck gives the Petes an added layer of scoring depth beyond Greg Betzold, Hunter Garlent and Eric Cornel up front while Dominik Masin, Kyle Jenkins and Matt Spencer give Peterborough a puck-moving presence from the blueline.

After he was the most valuable player in their first round loss to the eventual MasterCard Memorial Cup champion Oshawa Generals last spring, goaltender Matthew Mancina will need to be steady again against an opportunistic North Bay club.

With new optimism in Peterborough after their second 30+ win season in the last 10 years, a strong start to the series could be just what the doctor ordered to stir up a buzz for games three and four in the Electric City.

Season Series:
Teams tied season series 2-2
Sept. 25, 2015 – PBO 4 @ NB 1 (PBO: Betzold 2G)
Nov. 5, 2015 – NB 5 @ PBO 3 (NB: Amadio 1G, 2A)
Feb. 21, 2016 – PBO 3 @ NB 9 (NB: Amadio, Santos 2G, 1A)
Mar. 10, 2016 – NB 3 @ PBO 4 (PBO: Garlent 1G, 1A)

Playoff History:
This will be North Bay/Brampton and Peterborough’s second meeting in the OHL Playoffs.
– 2009 BRAM def. PBO 4-0 – 1st round.  The North Bay Centennials defeated the Petes 4-1 in the league Semi-Finals in 1992, and 4-0 in the 1st round of the 1991 playoffs.

Series Schedule:
Game 1, Fri, Mar 25 at North Bay – 7:00 p.m.
Game 2, Sun, Mar 27 at North Bay – 2:00 p.m.
Game 3, Tues, Mar 29 at Peterborough – 7:05 p.m.
Game 4, Thurs, Mar 31 at Peterborough – 7:05 p.m.
Game 5, Fri, Apr 1 at North Bay – 7:00 p.m.*
Game 6, Sun, Apr 3 at Peterborough – 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7, Tues, Apr 5 at North Bay – 7:00 p.m.*
*if necessary

—–

NIAGARA ICEDOGS (4) vs. OTTAWA 67’s (5) – #NIAGvsOTT

The Niagara IceDogs and Ottawa 67’s have grown familiar with one another over the years. They’ll lock horns in the OHL Playoffs for the fourth time in the last eight years, following up a wild first round series in 2015.

The 67’s put up back-to-back eight goal performances to take a 2-0 series lead last spring before the IceDogs roared back to take the series in six games. If this year’s encounter is anything like the last one, fans in both buildings are in for a real battle.

“It’s going to be pretty even,” IceDogs head coach/GM Marty Williamson told Bernie Puchalski of the St. Catharines Standard. “We gave up 21 less goals, they scored 21 more, and our plus-minus is identical. They played us hard during the year and have good goaltending.”

Williamson’s group that features 10 NHL draft picks will look to compliment its elite skill with a “hard, physical, heavy game,” but Williamson also emphasized the importance of discipline so as not to give Ottawa’s eighth ranked powerplay an abundance of opportunities.

The 67’s certainly won’t be doing the IceDogs any favours in that department.

“They are the least-penalized team on our side,” Williamson added. “There’s 250 minutes difference, and that’s a big difference. We kill penalties very well, but that can’t be the difference in this series.”

The IceDogs are likely to get St. Louis Blues prospect Vince Dunn, who was a highlight of last year’s series win over Ottawa, back into the lineup for the first time since February 28th on Thursday. Dallas Stars prospect Aaron Haydon remains day-to-day.

Ottawa enters the postseason heating up at the right time with wins in six straight to end the season. With several players back from injury, the only Ottawa forward remaining on the sidelines is rookie Sasha Chmelevski.

“It’s a whole new season and we’re getting somewhat healthy,” 67’s head coach Jeff Brown told Puchalski. “We’re excited to see what we can accomplish in these playoffs.”

Ottawa is led offensively by 38-goal scorer Dante Salituro while a committee that includes forwards Jeremiah Addison, Artur Tyanulin, Nathan Todd, Travis Barron, Ben Fanjoy and rookie winger Austen Keating chips in on the scoresheet.

Blueliners Jacob Middleton and Stepan Falkovsky can expect to see big minutes on the blueline while athletic netminder Leo Lazarev, who has wins in each of his last four starts, looks to be the guy in goal.

The IceDogs and 67’s write the latest chapter in their OHL playoff saga as their first round clash gets underway on Thursday in St. Catharines.

Season Series:
Niagara won season series 3-1-0-0
Nov. 13, 2015 – OTT 6 @ NIAG 3 (OTT: Herbst 34 SV)
Jan. 2, 2016 – OTT 3 @ NIAG 4 (GWG: Lochead) (NIAG: Maletta 2G)
Jan. 15, 2016 – NIAG 4 @ OTT 1 (NIAG: Nedeljkovic 29 SV)
Feb. 22, 2016 – NIAG 4 @ OTT 1 (NIAG: Perlini 2G, 1A)

Playoff History:
This will be Niagara/Mississauga and Ottawa’s sixth meeting in the OHL Playoffs.
– 2015 NIAG def. OTT 4-2 – 1st round / 2012 NIAG def. OTT 4-1 – Eastern Conference Finals / 2010 OTT def. NIAG 4-1 – 1st round / 2009 NIAG def. OTT 4-3 – 1st round / 2003 OTT def. MISS 4-1 – 1st round.

Series Schedule:
Game 1, Thurs, Mar 24 at Niagara – 7:00 p.m.
Game 2, Sat, Mar 26 at Niagara – 7:00 p.m.
Game 3, Mon, Mar 28 at Ottawa – 3:00 p.m.
Game 4, Wed, Mar 30 at Ottawa – 7:00 p.m.
Game 5, Fri, Apr 1 at Niagara – 7:00 p.m.*
Game 6, Sat, Apr 2 at Ottawa – 7:00 p.m.*
Game 7, Tues, Apr 5 at Niagara – 7:00 p.m.*
*if necessary

VIEW 2016 OHL PLAYOFF BRACKETS