2013 OHL Playoffs Second Round Preview
The Conference Semi-Finals of the 2013 OHL Playoffs open at the Barrie Molson Centre Wednesday night when the Colts host the Oshawa Generals.
The Colts had just a four-point edge over the Generals in the regular season standings and were the only Eastern Conference team to sweep their first round series knocking out the Kingston Frontenacs.
“Both teams had a bit of time off, so for Game 1, who knows which way it turns,” Colts Head Coach Dale Hawerchuk told the Barrie Examiner. “You want to be ready right off the bat and we’re at home. You worked hard all year to get home-ice advantage and you want to keep it.”
Of all second round playoff matchups, the Colts and Generals might have the least amount of familiarity. Although they played each other four times in the regular season, the most recent head-to-head contest was on January 17.
The unfamiliarity also extends to playoff history with the clubs having just one post-season head-to-head battle in history dating back to 1999 when the Generals beat the Colts in seven games of their second round series.
While the Colts made it to the second round last season, the Generals advance for the first time since 2011 after beating recent playoff rivals the Niagara IceDogs in five games.
“There’s always room for improvement,” Generals defenceman Matt Petgrave told DurhamRegion.com. “Playoffs are full of high and lows, you just have to have more highs than lows. We just have to stick together and everything should work out.”
The other three matchups begin on Friday night including the first place Eastern Conference Belleville Bulls hosting the fifth place Sudbury Wolves, while the Western Conference matchups feature the top ranked London Knights against the fourth place Kitchener Rangers, and the second place Plymouth Whalers hosting the third place Owen Sound Attack.
Eastern Conference Semi-Finals:
Belleville Bulls (1) vs. Sudbury Wolves (5)
Belleville Bulls
Season Record: 44-16-5-3, 96 points
Top Scorer: Tyler Graovac – 38G, 35A, 73 PTS
Playoff Performer: Malcolm Subban – 4-2-0-0, 1 SO, 1.51 GAA, .944 SV%
Sudbury Wolves
Season Record: 29-27-5-7, 70 points
Top Scorer: Mathew Campagna – 24G, 44A, 68 PTS
Playoff Performer: Franky Palazzese 4-1, 1 SO, 2.43 GAA, .926 SV%
Season Series: Belleville won 3-1 (last game 5-2 on March 16)
Recent Playoff History: 2009 Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals (4-2 BELV)
Schedule:
|
Fri., |
April |
5 |
at |
Belleville |
8:00 |
||
|
Sun., |
April |
7 |
at |
Belleville |
5:00 |
||
|
Tue., |
April |
9 |
at |
Sudbury |
7:30 |
||
|
Thu., |
April |
11 |
at |
Sudbury |
7:30 |
||
|
Sat., |
April |
13 |
at |
Belleville |
7:05 |
* |
|
|
Mon., |
April |
15 |
at |
Sudbury |
7:05 |
* |
|
|
Tue., |
April |
16 |
at |
Belleville |
7:05 |
* |
Barrie Colts (2) vs. Oshawa Generals (3)
Barrie Colts
Season Record: 44-20-2-2, 92 points
Top Scorer: Zach Hall – 24G, 57A, 81 PTS
Playoff Performer: Mark Scheifele – 4G, 6A, 10PTS
Oshawa Generals
Season Record: 42-22-1-3, 88 points
Top Scorer: Boone Jenner – 45G, 37A, 82 PTS
Playoff Performer: Scott Laughton – 6G, 6A, 12PTS
Season Series: Barrie won 3-1 (last game 3-2 SO win January 17)
Recent Playoff History: 1999 Conference Semi-Finals (4-3 OSH)
Schedule:
|
Wed., |
April |
3 |
at |
Barrie |
7:30 |
|
|
Fri., |
April |
5 |
at |
Barrie |
7:30 |
|
|
Sun., |
April |
7 |
at |
Oshawa |
6:00 |
|
|
Tue., |
April |
9 |
at |
Oshawa |
7:00 |
|
|
Fri., |
April |
12 |
at |
Barrie |
7:30 |
* |
|
Sun., |
April |
14 |
at |
Oshawa |
6:00 |
* |
|
Mon., |
April |
15 |
at |
Barrie |
7:30 |
* |
Western Conference Semi-Finals:
London Knights (1) vs. Kitchener Rangers (4)
London Knights
Season Record: 50-13-2-3, 105 points
Top Scorer: Max Domi – 39G, 48A, 87 PTS
Playoff Performer: Alex Broadhurst – 4G, 5A, 9PTS
Kitchener Rangers
Season Record: 39-20-1-8, 87 points
Top Scorer: Joshua Leivo – 29G, 44A, 73 PTS
Playoff Performer: John Gibson, 4-1-0-0, 1 SO, 1.61 GAA, .962 SV%
Season Series: London won 4-2 (last game 6-1 LDN on March 3)
Recent Playoff History: 2012 Conference Finals (4-0 LDN)
Schedule:
|
Fri., |
April |
5 |
at |
London |
7:30 |
|
|
Sun., |
April |
7 |
at |
London |
1:30 |
|
|
Mon., |
April |
8 |
at |
Kitchener |
7:00 |
|
|
Wed., |
April |
10 |
at |
Kitchener |
7:00 |
|
|
Fri., |
April |
12 |
at |
London |
7:30 |
* |
|
Sun., |
April |
14 |
at |
Kitchener |
7:00 |
* |
|
Tue., |
April |
16 |
at |
London |
7:00 |
* |
Plymouth Whalers (2) vs. Owen Sound Attack (3)
Plymouth Whalers
Season Record: 42-17-5-4, 93 points
Top Scorer: Vincent Trocheck – 50G, 59A, 109 PTS
Playoff Performer: Alex Nedeljkovic, 4-0-0-0, 2.00 GAA, .924 SV%
Owen Sound Attack
Season Record: 44-18-1-5, 94 points
Top Scorer: Daniel Catenacci – 38G, 41A, 79 PTS
Playoff Performer: Gemel Smith – 6G, 2A, 8PTS
Season Series: Plymouth won 2-1-0-1 (last game 7-3 PLY on February 9)
Recent Playoff History: 2011 Conference Semi-Finals (4-0 OS)
Schedule:
|
Fri., |
April |
5 |
at |
Plymouth |
7:05 |
||
|
Sun., |
April |
7 |
at |
Plymouth |
4:05 |
||
|
Tues., |
April |
9 |
at |
Owen Sound |
7:05 |
||
|
Wed., |
April |
10 |
at |
Owen Sound |
7:05 |
||
|
Fri., |
April |
12 |
at |
Plymouth |
7:05 |
* |
|
|
Sun., |
April |
14 |
at |
Owen Sound |
4:05 |
* |
|
|
Tues., |
April |
16 |
at |
Plymouth |
7:05 |
* |
*if necessary
Follow the 2013 OHL Playoffs online complete with nightly video highlights only at www.ontariohockeyleague.com.
