OHL shows its strength
An all-Ontario Hockey League final at the 99th running of the Memorial Cup tournament defines a clear show of superiority over both the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.
It also guarantees that for a third straight year, the Memorial Cup champion will be a team from the OHL as the London Knights won in 2016 after the Oshawa Generals took it home in 2015.
Decisive victories by the OHL in round-robin and playoff games was an indicator that the champion Erie Otters and host Windsor Spitfires were that much better than the QMJHL and WHL champs from Saint John and Seattle.
After competing all season in the tougher-than-tough Western Conference of the OHL, both Erie and Windsor were battle-tested and big-time ready for the best of what the QMJHL and WHL had to offer.
Followers of the OHL know just how much better the Western Conference was than the Eastern Conference over the course of the 2016-2017 campaign. The best example than can be given is that Windsor finished fifth in the Western Conference with 90 points, which was one more than the Eastern Conference-leading Peterborough Petes.
So now it is off to the all-OHL final on Sunday night pitting the champs from Erie against the hosts from Windsor.
And the only real story-line left is which one of the best of the best from the OHL skates off as 2017 Memorial Cup champions.
PHOTO: Windsor Spitfires forward Jeremy Bracco and Erie Otters goalie Troy Timpano will go head-to-head in an all-OHL Memorial Cup final. (Photo by Aaron Bell.)
Great commentary and synopsis!To think London,Owen Sound and Sault Ste.Marie could easily have been an OHL representative as well, if they hadn’t had to beat each other up so much during the season and the earlier rounds of the playoffs! All of the vanquished Western representatives can point out this fact and secretly be envious of Windsor being the host and have anautomatic legitimate shot at the title. Kudos to Windsor to taking advantage of a 44 day layoff, get healthy and get re-inspired to make a Memorial Cup title a very attainable goal!
Well said R2!
I could not agree more !!