Petes and Fronts eye Russian rivalry

Wednesday October 23, 2014

By Josh Sweetland/OHL

With sights set on a return to the win column, the Ontario Hockey League rolled out its roster for the 2014 SUBWAY Super Series on Tuesday morning. Consecutive losses to a highly skilled Russian National Junior Team in 2013 marked the first time in the history of the event that Team OHL, which holds a 19-2-1 all-time record, came up empty.

With the memory of a fourth place finish at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Malmo, Sweden, last year still lingering, the fast approaching 2014 SUBWAY Super Series will be under the watchful eye of the brain trust at Hockey Canada.

“These games essentially finalize our evaluation process with our World Junior Selection Camp roster being named shortly following the event,” said Hockey Canada Head Scout Ryan Jankowski. He, along with General Managers Mike Kelly (Guelph Storm) and Dale DeGray (Owen Sound Attack) formed the selection committee that finalized the Team OHL roster.

“We’re looking for players who will elevate their game and be able to handle the high pace of international competition,” Jankowski continued. “From a Hockey Canada standpoint, these games are very important. Wins right now can breed further success and set the tone for our selection camp.”

“It’s never an easy process to put these rosters together,” said Owen Sound Attack General Manager Dale DeGray following Tuesday’s announcement. “After we took all of the scheduling coordination into account and had some long discussions about particular players, we feel like we’ve got a pretty well rounded group here.”

Mike Kelly, General Manager of the reigning OHL Champion Guelph Storm, echoed DeGray’s sentiments. “We strove for consistency in goal, mobility and vision on the blueline and skating and skill up front. There are some guys here who can excel in specific roles.”

The OHL segment of the series will feature game three of the nationwide six game set at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Thursday, November 13 and game four at the Rogers K-Rock Centre in Kingston on Monday, November 17.

Peterborough Petes winger Nick Ritchie and his imposing 6’3”, 229Ib. frame will represent the OHL in both games. The Anaheim Ducks first round pick sees a big opportunity ahead of him. “Making Team Canada is a high priority of mine and I know that the performances in these two games will go a long way in determining how things settle come December,” he said.

A fascinating feature of such an event is seeing two rivals set aside their differences and suit up alongside one another. For Ritchie, he’ll get to team up with Kingston Frontenacs defenceman Roland McKeown in both games. The two faced one another in a grueling seven game Eastern Conference quarterfinal series in the OHL Playoffs last March, one that Ritchie’s Petes overcame a 3-0 series deficit to clinch.

A second round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings, McKeown is excited about the heralded junior tournament being on home soil this year. “This is a real stepping stone to wearing the maple leaf,” said McKeown of the opportunity. “With the World Junior Championships in Toronto and Montreal this year, it would be really special to be a part of it and I’m leaving it all out on the ice.”

With Russia having won three of the last four meetings, Team OHL will lean on its strengths to counter the usual finesse and speed of the opposition. “OHL strengths are skating, skill and character,” said selection committee member and GM of the reigning OHL Champion Guelph Storm Mike Kelly. “The SUBWAY Super Series prepares our players to compete for gold, and we’re hungry for gold this year.”

Ritchie and McKeown are one of three players from their respective clubs who will compete before their home crowds in this year’s series.  Ritchie will be joined by Petes forward Hunter Garlent and defenceman Matthew Spencer in Peterborough, while McKeown will be joined by Frontenac forwards Lawson Crouse and Spencer Watson in Kingston.

See the complete Team OHL roster here.

For more information including how to purchase tickets visit subwaysuperseries.ca.