Ontario Hockey League playoff previews
Conference quarterfinals (best-of-seven series)
Western Conference
No. 1 Windsor Spitfires vs. No. 8 Erie Otters
Season records: Windsor 50-12-1-5, Erie 33-28-5-2
Season series: Windsor won 3-1
Players to watch: Windsor – LW Taylor Hall (40 goals-66 assists-106 points, 14 power-play goals), C Adam Henrique (38-39-77, 13 PPG), RW Greg Nemisz (34-36-70, 13 PPG), D Ryan Ellis (12-49-61, plus-39 rating), D Cam Fowler (8-47-55, +38); Erie – C/RW Zack Torquato (31-62-93), C/LW Mike Cazzola (36-50-86), C/LW Greg McKegg (37-48-85, 16 PPG), RW Anthony Luciani (38-30-68), G Adam Courchaine (12-8-0-0, 2.90 goals-against average, .916 save percentage, 2 shutouts in 21 games with the Otters)
Outlook: Goaltending is Windsor’s potential weak link. But beyond the Torquato-Cazzola-McKegg line and (lately) Luciani, the Otters don’t have enough firepower to beat the defending champion Spitfires.
Prediction: Windsor in 5 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Thursday at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday at Erie, 4:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 – March 25 at Erie, 7 p.m.
Game 5 – March 27 at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 29 at Erie, 7 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Windsor, 7:05 p.m.*
* If necessary
No. 2 London Knights vs. No. 7 Guelph Storm
Season records: London 49-16-1-2, Guelph 35-29-3-1
Season series: London won 5-1
Players to watch: London – C Nazem Kadri (35-58-93), D Steven Tarasuk (19-48-67), LW Justin Taylor (33-29-62), C Daniel Erlich (16-43-59), RW Jared Knight (36-21-57); Guelph – RW Taylor Beck (39-54-93, 16 PPG), C Peter Holland (30-49-79), C Michael Latta (33-40-73), C Mathew Sisca (36-30-66), G Brandon Foote (20-8-1-0, 3.07, .913, 1 SO)
Outlook: The Knights traded C Phil McRae and lost C Phil Varone to shoulder surgery in January. But they still rolled to the Midwest Division title. Their surge won’t stop now, even against the hot Storm.
Prediction: London in 6 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Friday at London, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday at Guelph, 2 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday at London, 7 p.m.
Game 4 – March 25 at Guelph, 7 p.m.
Game 5 – March 26 at London, 7:30 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 28 at Guelph, 2 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at London, 7 p.m.*
* If necessary
No. 3 Kitchener Rangers vs. No. 6 Saginaw Spirit
Season records: Kitchener 42-19-4-3, Saginaw 34-27-4-3
Season series: Tied 2-2
Players to watch: Kitchener – C Jeff Skinner (50-40-90, 21 PPG), LW Chris MacKinnon (29-61-90, 15 PPG), LW Jeremy Morin (47-36-83, 23 PPG), RW Jason Akeson (24-56-80), D John Moore (10-37-47); Saginaw – C Jordan Skellett (26-62-88, former Otter), LW Josh Shalla (32-33-65, 12 PPG), G Edward Pasquale (27-17-2-3, 3.17, .916, 1 SO), RW Jordan Szwarz (26-28-54), D Ryan O’Connor (13-25-43)
Outlook: The Spirit captured the sixth seed with a season-ending win Sunday. Their reward is facing the Rangers. Or is that really a punishment? The Otters already know the answer.
Prediction: Kitchener in 4 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Friday at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday at Saginaw, 7:11 p.m.
Game 3 – Monday at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4 – Wednesday at Saginaw, 7:11 p.m.
Game 5 – March 26 at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 28 at Saginaw, 4 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Kitchener, 7:30 p.m.*
* If necessary
No. 4 Plymouth Whalers vs. No. 5 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Season records: Plymouth 38-27-1-2, Sault Ste. Marie 36-27-1-4
Season series: Tied 3-3
Players to watch: Plymouth – C Tyler Seguin (48-58-106, 13 PPG), G Matt Hackett (33-18-1-2, 2.62, .925, 4 SO), C A.J. Jenks (23-40-63), C Phil McRae (16-35-51), D Michal Jordan (13-19-32, 11 PPG); Sault Ste. Marie – D Jacob Muzzin (15-52-67), C Brett Thompson (42-23-65, 21 PPG), LW Vern Cooper (25-40-65), D Michael Quesnele (13-41-54), G Robin Lehner (27-13-0-3, 2.80, .918, 5 SO)
Outlook: McRae and Jordan, who missed time late in the second half, are key figures in Plymouth’s lineup if healthy. But with Seguin up front and Hackett in net, the Whalers still have enough to win.
Prediction: Plymouth in 7 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Friday at Plymouth, 7:05 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday at Plymouth, 7:05 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 – Wednesday at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:05 p.m.
Game 5 – March 26 at Plymouth, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 28 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Plymouth, 7:05 p.m.*
* If necessary
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Barrie Colts vs. No. 8 Sudbury Wolves
Season records: Barrie 57-9-0-2, Sudbury 26-35-4-3
Season series: Barrie 7-1
Players to watch: Barrie – C Luke Pither (36-58-94, 18 PPG), RW Alex Hutchings (47-34-81, 11 short-handed goals), RW Bryan Cameron (53-25-78, 18 PPG), D Nick Crawford (11-59-70), G Peter Di Salvo (38-6-0-1, 2.74, .915, 2 SO); Sudbury – C Eric O’Dell (33-35-68), C John McFarland (20-30-50), RW Jared Staal (12-37-49), LW John Kurtz (30-16-46)
Outlook: The Colts were two wins shy of equaling the league’s single-season wins record. The Wolves barely made the playoffs. The loaded Colts won’t break a sweat in this series.
Prediction: Barrie in 4 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Thursday at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Saturday at Sudbury, 7:30 p.m.
Game 3 – Sunday at Barrie, 6 p.m.
Game 4 – Wednesday at Sudbury, 7:30 p.m.
Game 5 – March 26 at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 29 at Sudbury, 7:30 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Barrie, 7:30 p.m.*
* If necessary
No. 2 Ottawa 67’s vs. No. 7 Niagara IceDogs
Season records: Ottawa 37-23-5-3, Niagara 26-34-2-6
Season series: Tied 2-2
Players to watch: Ottawa – C Cody Lindsay (39-43-82), RW Tyler Toffoli (37-42-79), LW Anthony Nigro (16-46-62), RW Thomas Nesbitt (33-24-57), D Travis Gibbons (8-26-34); Niagara – C Andrew Agozzino (37-29-66), G Mark Visentin (24-26-0-5, 2.99, .911), C Alex Friesen (23-37-60), LW Freddie Hamilton (25-30-55), D Reggie Traccitto (20-18-38, 15 PPG)
Outlook: Are the 67’s really this good? Or is the East Division – most of the conference, actually – that bad? The 67’s will answer that question in the playoffs.
Prediction: Ottawa in 6 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Friday at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday at Ottawa, 2 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday at Niagara, 7:30 p.m.
Game 4 – March 25 at Niagara, 7:30 p.m.
Game 5 – March 28 at Ottawa, 1 p.m.*#
Game 6 – March 29 at Niagara, 7:30 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m.*
# At Scotiabank Place (Ottawa, Ontario)
* If necessary
No. 3 Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors vs. No. 6 Peterborough Petes
Season records: Mississauga 42-20-4-2, Peterborough 29-35-1-3
Season series: Mississauga won 3-1
Players to watch: Mississauga – G Chris Carrozzi (19-10-3-2, 2.36, .916, 5 SO), LW Devante Smith-Pelly (29-33-62), C Casey Cizikas (25-37-62), D Cameron Gaunce (6-31-37, +29), C Jordan Mayer (31-19-50, 14 PPG); Peterborough – RW Pat Daley (28-45-73), LW Matt Puempel (33-31-64), C Austin Watson (20-34-54), D Jamie Doornbosch (12-38-50)
Outlook: The Majors, which have the league’s stingiest defense (175 goals against), are the only team that can beat Barrie in the East – if they consistently score. For now, defense is enough to beat the Petes.
Prediction: Mississauga in 5 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Friday at Mississauga, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Monday at Peterborough, 7 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday at Mississauga, 7 p.m.
Game 4 – March 25 at Peterborough, 7 p.m.
Game 5 – March 27 at Mississauga, 7 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 28 at Peterborough, 7 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Mississauga, 7 p.m.*
* If necessary
No. 4 Kingston Frontenacs vs. No. 5 Brampton Battalion
Season records: Kingston 33-30-2-3, Brampton 25-29-7-7
Season series: Tied 2-2
Players to watch: Kingston – C Nathan Moon (27-42-69), C Ethan Werek (30-33-63), D Taylor Doherty (16-28-44), G Tyler Beskorowany (29-25-2-2, 3.52, .903), 1 SO), LW Zach Harnden (24-36-60); Brampton – C Cody Hodgson (8-12-20 in 13 games), LW Sean Jones (32-17-49, former Otter), G Patrick Killeen (23-25-6-7, 2.42, .913, 5 SO), C Sam Carrick (21-21-42)
Outlook: The Battalion aren’t the same team that reached the 2008-09 league finals. But with a healthy Hodgson, last year’s OHL most outstanding player, the Battalion are a better team.
Prediction: Brampton in 7 games
Schedule
Game 1 – Friday at Kingston, 7:30 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday at Brampton, 2 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday at Kingston, 7 p.m.
Game 4 – March 25 at Brampton, 7 p.m.
Game 5 – March 26 at Kingston, 7:30 p.m.*
Game 6 – March 28 at Brampton, 2 p.m.*
Game 7 – March 30 at Kingston, 7 p.m.*
* If necessary
Vic’s picks
Victor Fernandes picks his OHL playoff winners:
Western Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Windsor def. No. 8 Erie, 4-1
No. 2 London def. No. 7 Guelph, 4-2
No. 3 Kitchener def. No. 6 Saginaw, 4-0
No. 4 Plymouth def. No. 5 Sault Ste. Marie, 4-3
Semifinals
No. 1 Windsor def. No. 4 Plymouth, 4-1
No. 3 Kitchener def. No. 2 London, 4-3
Finals
No. 1 Windsor def. No. 3 Kitchener, 4-2
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Barrie def. No. 8 Sudbury, 4-0
No. 2 Ottawa def. No. 7 Niagara, 4-2
No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 6 Peterborough, 4-1
No. 5 Brampton def. No. 4 Kingston, 4-3
Semifinals
No. 1 Barrie def. No. 5 Brampton, 4-0
No. 3 Mississauga def. No. 2 Ottawa, 4-2
Finals
No. 1 Barrie def. No. 3 Mississauga, 4-2
OHL championship series
No. 1E Barrie def. No. 1W Windsor, 4-2
