The Ontario Hockey League’s schedule-maker knew what he was doing when he entered Games 637 and 670 of a 680-game regular season into his computer last summer.

Even from that distant vantage point, it seemed inevitable that first place in the OHL’s Eastern Conference would come down to those two March 2012 games between the Ottawa 67’s and Niagara IceDogs.

And no matter how many times the 67’s stumbled – started slow out of the gate, blew a lead – against a seemingly endless stream of inferior competition within their own division, there was never really any doubt these two games in the final nine days of a gruelling 51/2-month season would tell the tale.

The first of those games goes tonight when the Ice-Dogs, the Canadian Hockey League’s 10th-ranked team, visit the Civic Centre to play the 67’s, who are outside the CHL’s Top 10. Eight days later, the two meet again on the smaller 190-foot-long ice surface at the Gatorade Garden City Complex in St. Catharines.

All of that for a prize, homeice advantage through the conference playoffs, that won’t be collected unless the two teams meet in a sevengame Eastern Conference final more than a month from now.

Going into the IceDogs’ game with Mississauga on Thursday night, Ottawa trailed Niagara by one point, 87 to 86 (both teams will have five games left starting tonight). If Ottawa wins at home tonight, it will certainly add importance to the St. Patrick’s Day rematch in St. Catharines.

It’s hard to know which 67’s team will show up tonight. Ottawa has stumbled at times in recent weeks, just never far enough to let Niagara grab a stranglehold on top spot.

The IceDogs, on the other hand, have done recently what they have done since the start of New Year: win consistently. In fact, the IceDogs have more wins (six) by shutout than losses (four) since Jan. 1.

What it all adds up to, however, is the fact that both teams have a strong chance to finish first.

“If we play hockey the way we can, I don’t think anybody is too worried about who we’re playing,” says 67’s forward Tyler Toffoli, who has a second consecutive league scoring title in the back of his mind. “Like the last road trip … we played three really good games against really good opponents.”

Toffoli says the 67’s want to finish first, and the Niagara games will be a good test for the team. But no matter what happens, the players know “the playoffs are a new season.”

Other than their buses passing on Highway 401, the 67’s and IceDogs have not laid eyes on each other since late November.

The season’s four-game series began Oct. 20 in St. Catharines, where the IceDogs laid a 4-1 loss on the 67’s with Niagara goalie Mark Visentin playing a starring role with 33 saves. A month later, it was Ottawa goalie Petr Mrazek’s time to shine, stopping 43 shots in a 5-2 win by the 67’s.

Through most of the season, the 67’s always seemed to have the conference lead in hand, although Niagara was always lurking close behind sporting the league’s mostbalanced roster, on paper at least. Then came February. With a seemingly soft-looking schedule, the 67’s turned in a 5-4-1-1 record for 12 points when something more like a 9-2 mark would have been more expected. At the same time, the IceDogs were rolling through the month with precisely that record, gaining six points on the 67’s to take the lead. Through the first week of March, Ottawa was 3-0-0-1 while Niagara was 3-0.

“February was tough,” says 67’s defenceman Cody Ceci, who missed several games due to injury along with Jake Cardwell, two key blue-liners. “We need to get back in the groove for the playoffs. It’s almost as important that the guys relax and get healthy and get back to 100 per cent. We don’t have to rush them back into the lineup.”

Ottawa head coach Chris Byrne believes the games with Niagara are exactly the kind of challenge his team needs. “The Niagara games will be the difference between one and two I’m sure,” he says. “But the most important thing for us is to play the right way. Last year was different. We were fighting to win the division. This year, we’re trying to manage the injuries we have and get healthy down the stretch while playing well.”

DOWN THE STRETCH

The top two teams in the OHL’s Eastern Conference have jockeyed for the lead since the start of 2012.

Here’s a quick look at their progress:

JAN. 12

Ottawa: 55 points

Niagara: 49 points

FEB. 4

Ottawa: 67 points

Niagara: 63 points Thursday

Niagara: 87 points*

Ottawa: 86 points * Total does not include Niagara’s game against Mississauga Thursday night