Ontario Hockey League playoff previews

Conference finals (best-of-seven series)

Western Conference

No. 1 Windsor Spitfires vs. No. 3 Kitchener Rangers

Season records: Windsor 50-12-1-5, Kitchener 42-19-4-3

Season series: Tied 2-2

Players to watch: Windsor – LW Taylor Hall (9 goals-7 assists-16 points, 5 power-play goals), D Ryan Ellis (2-14-16), C Adam Henrique (6-4-10), RW Dale Mitchell (6-4-10), RW Zack Kassian (2-8-10); Kitchener – C Jeff Skinner (12-8-20), LW Chris MacKinnon (4-16-20), LW Jeremy Morin (8-5-13, 5 PPG), RW Gabriel Landeskog (7-9-16), RW Jason Akeson (5-10-15)

Playoff recap: Windsor def. No. 8 Erie 4-0, def. No. 4 Plymouth 4-0; Kitchener def. No. 6 Saginaw 4-2, def. No. 2 London 4-3

Outlook: The Spitfires’ offense has been potent as usual. But defense and goaltending have been strong, as the Spitfires have allowed 16 goals in their eight wins. That makes them even more dangerous.

Prediction: Windsor in 6 games

Series schedule

Game 1 – Thursday at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.

Game 2 – Saturday at Kitchener, 7 p.m.

Game 3 – Sunday at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 – Tuesday at Kitchener, 7 p.m.

Game 5 – April 22 at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 6 – April 23 at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.*

Game 7 – April 25 at Windsor, 2:05 p.m.*

* If necessary

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Barrie Colts vs. No. 3 Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors

Season records: Barrie 57-9-0-2, Mississauga 42-20-4-2

Season series: Tied 3-3

Players to watch: Barrie – RW Bryan Cameron (8-5-13, 5 PPG), C Alexander Burmistrov (7-6-13, 2 PPG), D Alex Pietrangelo (2-9-11, plus-9 rating), C Luke Pither (5-8-13), RW Matt Kennedy (4-4-8); Mississauga – G Chris Carrozzi (5-1-1 record, 2.21 goals-against average, .925 save percentage, 1 shutout), LW Devante Smith-Pelly (6-6-12, 2 PPG), C Casey Cizikas (6-5-11), D Cameron Gaunce (0-10-10), LW Dustin Ekelman (4-2-6), LW Riley Brace (2-7-9)

Playoff recap: Barrie def. No. 8 Sudbury 4-0, def. No. 5 Brampton 4-0; Mississauga def. No. 6 Peterborough 4-0, def. No. 2 Ottawa 4-3

Outlook: The Colts survived a seven-game series against Ottawa despite not having RW Alex Hutchings at all because of a reported groin injury. With or without him, the Colts will win this series, too.

Prediction: Barrie in 6 games

Series schedule

Game 1 – Wednesday at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.

Game 2 – Friday at Mississauga, 7:30 p.m.

Game 3 – Saturday at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.

Game 4 – Monday at Mississauga, 7 p.m.

Game 5 – April 21 at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.*

Game 6 – April 23 at Mississauga, 7:30 p.m.*

Game 7 – April 24 at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.*

* If necessary

Vic’s picks

Semifinal record: 4-0

Postseason record: 12-0

Vic’s picks

Victor Fernandes previews the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and picks his champion:

Eastern Conference

No. 1 Washington vs. No. 8 Montreal

Outlook: Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are the league’s most skilled team. The Canadiens won’t push them much – if at all. But will all of the Capitals’ talent translate into their first Cup championship?

Prediction: Capitals in 4 games

No. 2 New Jersey vs. No. 7 Philadelphia

Outlook: The Flyers will attempt to physically beat up the Devils. But the Flyers won’t beat the Devils in this series. These Devils have strong goaltending and team defense. They also have Ilya Kovalchuk.

Prediction: New Jersey in 5 games

No. 3 Buffalo vs. No. 6 Boston

Outlook: Goaltending will decide the series. Buffalo’s Ryan Miller has been the best in the league this season. It appears the Bruins will rest their hopes on rookie Tuukka Rask. Guess who will win?

Prediction: Buffalo in 5 games

No. 4 Pittsburgh vs. No. 5 Ottawa

Outlook: The defending champion Penguins have endured their share of struggles and injuries. But given their skill, experience and two straight Cup Final appearances, it’s difficult to pick against them.

Prediction: Penguins in 4 games

Western Conference

No. 1 San Jose vs. No. 8 Colorado

Outlook: The Sharks are notorious playoff underachievers. So why not pick the Avalanche? The Sharks face all the pressure. They lost as the West’s No. 1 seed in the first round last year.

Prediction: Colorado in 6 games

No. 2 Chicago vs. No. 7 Nashville

Outlook: Given the wide-open West, the Blackhawks are in prime position to win their first Cup since 1961. They have speed, skill and the experience of their playoff run in the 2008-09 season.

Prediction: Chicago in 5 games

No. 3 Vancouver vs. No. 6 Los Angeles

Outlook: The Canucks have the right mix for playoff time – staunch goaltending and defense and an opportunistic offense. But the Kings, which end an eight-year playoff drought, have nothing to lose.

Prediction: Los Angeles in 6 games

No. 4 Phoenix vs. No. 5 Detroit

Outlook: The Coyotes have enjoyed arguably the finest season in their 14-year history. But playing the veteran-laden Red Wings, which have won four Cups in the past 13 years, isn’t a reward for their effort.

Prediction: Detroit in 5 games

Road to the Cup

Eastern Conference

Quarterfinals

No. 1 Washington def. No. 8 Montreal, 4-0

No. 2 New Jersey def. No. 7 Philadelphia, 4-1

No. 3 Buffalo def. No. 6 Boston, 4-1

No. 4 Pittsburgh def. No. 1 Ottawa, 4-0

Semifinals

No. 4 Pittsburgh def. No. 1 Washington, 4-2

No. 3 Buffalo def. No. 2 New Jersey, 4-3

Final

No. 3 Buffalo def. No. 4 Pittsburgh, 4-3

Western Conference

No. 8 Colorado def. No. 1 San Jose, 4-2

No. 2 Chicago def. No. 7 Nashville, 4-1

No. 6 Los Angeles def. No. 3 Vancouver, 4-2

No. 5 Detroit def. No. 4 Phoenix, 4-1

Semifinals

No. 2 Chicago def. No. 8 Colorado, 4-1

No. 5 Detroit def. No. 6 Los Angeles, 4-2

Final

No. 2 Chicago def. No. 5 Detroit, 4-2

Stanley Cup Final

No. 2W Chicago def No. 3E Buffalo, 4-2

The Windsor Star reports that goaltender Philipp Grubauer will start Game 1 of the Spitfires’ Western Conference quarterfinal series against the Erie Otters on Thursday. Check out the story by clicking the link.

The Erie Otters qualified for the OHL playoffs Wednesday night.

Perhaps they should consider giving the spot back.

The Otters failed to control their own postseason destiny for the second straight game, as they lost to Guelph 4-1 in front of 3,158 at Tullio Arena. Yet, the Otters (31-26-5-2) clinched a Western Conference berth because London beat Owen Sound 4-3 Wednesday.

The Otters remain seventh in the Western Conference, one point behind sixth-place Saginaw and two behind No. 5 Sault Ste. Marie. The Spirit have a game in hand. The Greyhounds have two games in hand.

The Otters’ outside chance at the No. 4 seed and home-ice advantage in the first round became slimmer with the loss. The Otters are five points behind fourth-place Plymouth with four games left. The Whalers have a game in hand.

The Otters took a 1-0 lead in the final minute of the first period on Anthony Luciani’s 33^rd goal of the season. He took linemate Andrew Yogan’s cross-ice pass and fired a slap shot past Storm goaltender Brandon Foote. But the Otters could have taken a commanding lead into the first intermission.

The Otters failed on four power-play opportunities, including a 5-on-3 for 39 seconds midway through the period. That burned the Otters early in the second, as Taylor Beck’s power-play goal – his 34^th of the season – tied the score at 1-1 just 1:16 into the period. Beck, pictured at right, scored again on the power play five minutes later to hand the Storm a 2-1 lead. Then the Storm took a 3-1 lead with 22 seconds left in the period. Sam Lofquist scored the goal, his fourth of the season, on an assist from defense mate Adam Comrie.

Foote took over from there, finishing with 27 saves, although he wasn’t tested in the third (five shots on goal). Guelph’s Mathew Sisca capped the scoring with an unassisted goal with 7:05 left in the game.

Beck and Sisca (goal, assist) and Michael Latta (two assists) had two points apiece for the Storm (30-29-3-1), which moved three points ahead of Owen Sound and have a game in hand in the battle for the West’s final playoff spot.

- Victor Fernandes

If the OHL playoffs began today, the Erie Otters would face Kitchener in the first round.

That’s not good for the Otters.

They have faced the Rangers seven times this season. The Otters have lost all seven, the latest being a 6-4 loss in front of 3,758 at Tullio Arena Sunday night. The Rangers (39-17-4-2), which have already clinched an OHL playoff spot, spoiled Erie’s chance of clinching a berth for the second straight season.

The Otters (31-25-5-2) remained tied for fifth with Sault Ste. Marie for fifth in the Western Conference, although the Greyhounds faced London Sunday night. Seventh-place Saginaw, a 4-3 winner against Guelph Sunday, moved within a point of the Otters in the standings.

Kitchener grabbed the early lead on John Moore’s 10^th goal of the season 3:48 into the opening period.

The Otters responded on Mike Cazzola’s deflection of Paul Cianfrini’s point shot – Cazzola’s 34^th goal of the season – with 5:11 left in the period. But the Rangers’ Julian Cimadamore turned a fortunate bounce off surprisingly lively end boards into the tiebreaking goal with 28.2 seconds left in the period.

The Rangers started the second period quickly, as Jeff Skinner scored an unassisted goal – his 39^th of the season just 16 seconds into the period. Otters winger Anthony Luciani responded with a hard-working unassisted goal of his own. He beat goaltender Brandon Maxwell, a former Otters’ draft pick, to a loose puck deep in the Rangers’ zone. Then Luciani banked a shot off Rangers rookie Ryan Murphy’s shin pad and into the open net to move the Otters within 4-2 at the 1:30 mark.

The Rangers regained a two-goal lead at 4-2 on Jeremy Morin’s 5-on-3 goal with 10:38 left in the period.

Yet, rookie David Broll, pictured at right, pushed a rebound created by a scramble in front of the net past Maxwell to move the Otters within 4-3 with 8:27 left in the second.

But the Rangers burned the Otters for an early goal in the third, too. And of course, Morin scored, which handed the Rangers a 5-3 lead at the 2:48 mark. Morin, pictured above, has 42 goals and 76 points this season – 12 goals and 17 points against the Otters in seven meetings. He has seven of those goals in Erie.

The Otters’ power play sliced Kitchener’s lead 5-4 at the 7:36 mark, as Greg McKegg scored his 36^th goal of the season – 16^th with the man advantage. But Skinner’s power-play goal, on assists from Morin and Murphy, sealed the Rangers’ win. Skinner has seven goals against the Otters this season. Skinner and Morin had two goals and an assist apiece to lead the Rangers. Zack Torquato (two assists) and Cazzola (goal, assist) paced the Otters.

* News and notes: The Otters scratched defenseman Derek Holden (sore back) for a second straight game. … Right wing Matthew Paton missed the game because of migraines.

- Victor Fernandes

The Erie Otters (31-24-5-2) can clinch a playoff spot Sunday with a home win against Kitchener and an Owen Sound loss in Brampton Sunday afternoon. The Otters also tied idle Sault Ste. Marie for fifth place in the Western Conference, although the Greyhounds have a game in hand.

- Victor Fernandes