OHL Playoff Preview: London Knights vs Owen Sound Attack

#3 London Knights (51-14-2-1) vs #6 Owen Sound Attack (32-25-8-3)
Season Series: London (4-1-1-0) – Owen Sound (2-4-0-0)

With thirty points separating the London Knights and Owen Sound Attack in the Western Conference standings, few are giving the Attack much of a chance in this opening round series. While it’s hard to argue that Owen Sound will put up much of a fight based solely on the statistics, the Attack always play the Knights tough and have knocked them off twice already this season. It will be no easy task for the offensively challenged Attack when the series opens on Friday night in London, however we as onlookers would be mistaken if we were to predict the London Knights to make easy work of the Owen Sound Attack.

As mentioned on paper this doesn’t look like much of a contest as the London Knights not only boast the leagues most lethal offense but arguably the best line in all of the Canadian Hockey League. With Mitch Marner, Christian Dvorak and Matthew Tkachuk, the Knights possess a lethal trio that has the ability to put up points in bunches at the drop of a hat. If Owen Sound cannot contain or at the very least limit the talented trio, this series will go exactly how the statistics project it will go. However what makes the Knights so tough is their overwhelming depth. London comes at you in waves offensively as the club possesses three lines that can consistently produce, including five 30+ goal scorers. Nine of the Knights twelve regulars up front potted double digits in goals, while their fourth line provides quality minutes on a night to night bases.

Meanwhile Owen Sound is at the opposite end of the spectrum as the club struggles to produce offensively. With just 209 Goals For, the Attack sit 14th out of the 16 playoff teams in offensive production with only Saginaw (also 209) and Oshawa (198) behind them. Overage forward Bryson Cianfrone, who was acquired early on in the season from the Mississauga Steelheads led the Attack in offense with 17 goals and 33 assists for 50 points in 58 games. However place that 50 point production on the London Knights roster and Cianfrone would sit eighth in Knights team scoring. The Attack will not only need Cianfrone to continue to produce, but the likes of veterans Josh Sterk, Jaden Lindo and Petrus Palmu to also consistently find offense if they want any chance in keeping pace with the Knights through their first round series.

A saving grace of sorts for the Attack is their solid back end. While Owen Sound did give up 222 goals against, which was the sixth best total as far as Western Conference playoff teams go, they are as deep of a blue line as any in the Western Conference. Santino Centorame has shinned at both ends of the rink for the Attack, producing 41 points and a +5 rating through 67 games. Meanwhile veteran Florida Panthers prospect Thomas Schemitsch also provides solid two-way play and will likely find himself matched up against the Marner line all series long. But the depth continues on down as Damir Sharipyzanov, Jacob Friend, Markus Phillips, Sean Durzi and Tyler MacArthur all provided quality minutes for the Owen Sound Attack.

Just when you think the Attack may have an upper hand on the Knights in one facet of the game, you take a peek at what London possesses along their blue line and you quickly realize this Knights team has no holes. The Knights boasts the likes of highly touted 2016 NHL draft eligbles Olli Juolevi and Victor Mete along with a mixture of veterans and youngsters that sees the likes of Jacob Graves, Aiden Jamieson and Chris Martenet share the ice with youngsters Brandon Crawley, Evan Bouchard and Nicholas Mattinen. London’s blue possesses excellent balance as the team combines extrodinary offensive abilities along with stingy defensive zone play. A back end that is able to produce while also shutting down opponents is needless to say, a tough one to play against.

Where the two teams find the most parity is between the pipes. London netminder Tyler Parsons comes into the playoffs hot as can be, playing some of the best hockey of his junior career. Meanwhile the Owen Sound Attack boast Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael McNiven between the pipes. While McNiven may have had some struggles this season, when the eighteen year old Georgetown, Ontario native is on his game, he is tough to beat. The Attack will need the very best out of McNiven through the first round of the playoffs if they hope to limit the high flying London Knights. If McNiven can steal a game at the Budweiser Gardens, the Attack have a shot in this series as they can be tough to beat at home.

At the end of the day the London Knights are arguably the best team in Major Junior right now, coming into the playoffs red hot, sporting a 9-1-0-0 record with their only loss in their last ten coming to the Erie Otters, whom sit second in the BMO CHL Top 10 rankings. It’s going to be an extremely tough go of things for the Owen Sound Attack, however Owen Sound always plays the Knights tough and won’t make things easy on London. I do anticipate London comes out of this series on top, however I don’t believe it will be in a four game sweep, give the Attack credit as they will win a game, possibly two. My prediction here is Knights in 5