May
OHL Championship Series Preview
(1) London Knights vs. (2) Barrie Colts
Knights won season series 2-0
The Barrie Colts will try to become the first Eastern Conference team to win the J. Ross Robertson Cup since the Peterborough Petes in 2006. The Western Conference representative has won the OHL title in six consecutive seasons and 10 times in the last 11 years.
London won both meetings with Barrie in 2012/13, but both of those games were early in the season. The Colts will face Anthony Stolarz for the first time. Barrie is 3-0 in overtime games during the playoffs, while London is 3-1.
The Colts (25.3%) and the Knights (25.1%) were 1st and 3rd in power play efficiency during the regular season and they both sit in the top 5 through the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Players To Watch
Max Domi – Centre, London (14GP – 10G, 15A)
NHL Draft: Eligible in 2013
Domi leads the Knights in playoff scoring and is tied for 1st in OHL goals (10) and game-winning goals (4). He’s recorded 8 multi-point games in the post-season, including a 5-point game & OT goal in the series-clinching win against Plymouth.
Alex Broadhurst – Centre, London (14GP – 9G, 12A)
NHL Draft: Chicago Blackhawks, 7th Rd, 2011
Boardhurst has taken his offensive game to another level in the playoffs. He’s the 3rd leading scorer of all the players remaining in the post-season and is 1st in OHL power play goals (4). He scored the game-winning goal in the 3rd period in game 4 at Plymouth.
Chris Tierney – Centre, London (14GP – 5G, 13A)
NHL Draft: San Jose Sharks, 2nd Rd, 2012
Tierney has earned the reputation for scoring big goals in the playoffs and this season is no exception. He scored in double-overtime against Saginaw in the opening round and then netted the overtime goal in game 4 against Kitchener.
Anthony Stolarz -Goaltender, London (12-2, 2.26 GAA, .935 SV%)
NHL Draft: Philadelphia Flyers, 2nd Rd, 2012
Stolarz was voted one of the ‘3 Stars’ in seven of his team’s 12 wins, including four ‘1st Star’ selections. He’s faced an average of 36.1 shots per game, the highest of any goaltender in the OHL playoffs.
Mark Scheifele – Centre, Barrie (15GP – 8G, 19A)
NHL Draft: Winnipeg Jets, 1st Rd, 2011
Scheifele leads all OHL players in scoring during the post-season. He’s been the most consistent player for the Colts and was held scoreless only twice in 15 games. He leads the league in game-winning goals with four.
Aaron Ekblad – Defenceman, Barrie (15GP – 7G, 7A)
NHL Draft: Eligible in 2014
Ekblad leads OHL defencemen in goals and is tied for the league lead in power play goals (4). He’s recorded at least one point in 9 of his last 10 games. He scored 2 goals in the season series with London.
Mitchell Theoret – Centre, Barrie (14GP – 10G, 4A)
NHL Draft: New York Islanders, 7th Rd, 2011
Theoret will play London in the OHL final for the second consecutive season. He scored the first goal in the opening game of last year’s final, but then didn’t record a point the rest of the series. For the Colts to win, Theoret needs to continue his offensive production from the first three rounds. He’s tied for the league lead in playoff goals.
Zach Hall – Centre, Barrie (12GP – 5G, 14A)
NHL Draft: Eligible in 2013
Despite missing two games in the post-season, Hall is the 2nd-leading scorer on the Colts. Of his five goals, two were scored on the power play, one is a ‘first goal’ and one is a game-winning goal. He recorded 3 goals & 8 assists in 6 games in the series against Belleville.
Mathias Niederberger – Goaltender, Barrie (12-3, 2.08 GAA, .940 SV%)
NHL Free Agent
Niederberger has faced the most shots of any goaltender in the OHL playoffs (534). He’s played well in big games, as shown by his three overtime wins and a game 7 showdown against the Bulls. He sits 2nd in GAA and save percentage.