Hounds await Attack


By
April 4, 2017

Soo Greyhounds have home-ice advantage but Owen Sound Attack has been a formidable force of power over a 52-game stretch.

The no. 2 seed Greyhounds and the no. 3 seed Attack will face off in a second-round, best-of-seven, Ontario Hockey League playoff series.

Games 1 and 2 are slated for the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie on Wednesday and Friday nights of this week.

Both teams are coming off opening-round Western Conference playoff triumphs with the Soo ousting the Flint Firebirds in 5 games and Owen Sound upending the Kitchener Rangers in similar fashion.

Both teams also had 100-point, regular-season efforts. The Greyhounds had a record of 48-16-4 while the Attack had a 49-15-4 mark.

Head-to-head, Owen Sound won both regular-season match-ups, cuffing the Soo by identical 6-1 scores.

After a sluggish start to the season, the Attack has been nothing short of formidable. Over its last 52 games — regular season and playoffs included — Owen Sound has a rousing record of 43-6-3.

Featuring three 40-plus goal-scorers in Nick Suzuki (49), Jonah Gadjovich (48) and Petrus Palmu (46) — regular season and playoffs included — the Attack also boasts a remarkable point-producing defenseman in overager Santino Centorame. Regular season and playoffs included, Centorame has 10 goals, 71 assists, 81 points from his blue-line post thus far in 2016-2017.

If that isn’t enough, Owen Sound has a workhorse goalie in Michael McNiven, who had 41 wins during the regular season and has tacked 4 more on thus far in the playoffs.

Not that the Greyhounds are any slouch with a high-octane offense led by Zachary Senyshyn, Boris Katchouk, Tim Gettinger, Jack Kopacka, Bobby MacIntyre and Blake Speers. And the Hounds have a slick, high-scoring defenseman of their own in Conor Timmins.

Over the course of the regular season, Owen Sound had better goals-for, goals-against numbers than the Soo.

The Attack tallied 297 goals and gave up 177. The Greyhounds scored 287 goals and allowed 208.

Prediction: More scoring and better goal-tending gives Owen Sound the series over the Soo in 6 games.

SON OF AN OLD HOUND

Rookie forward Daylon Groulx is on the Owen Sound roster for the playoffs, having been promoted from the Jr. B Fort Erie Meteors. In 28 games with Fort Erie this season, the 2000 birth-year youngster had an impressive 23 goals, 15 assists, 38 points.

A fourth-round find of the Attack at the 2016 OHL draft, Groulx was called up to Owen Sound from Fort Erie during the regular season and had a goal in 9 games. He has yet to appear in a playoff match but is considered a big part of the future in Owen Sound.

His father needs no introduction as the third-highest point-getter in OHL history from a spectacular four-year career with the Greyhounds that began in 1981.

In 328 career games in the OHL — regular season and playoffs included — Wayne Groulx put up dizzy numbers while playing centre and wearing no. 9 for the Greyhounds.

In all, the elder Groulx had 232 goals, 347 assists, 579 points in what was a simply-amazing OHL career.

PHOTO: Owen Sound Attack celebrating one of 49 regular-season wins.


What you think about “Hounds await Attack”

  1. This could be the best series of the playoffs. Huge test here for the Hounds. Owen Sound killed us both games. We play our game of puck control and move our feet we can’t be beat.

  2. OS = RED HOT. Best tender in the country IMO. 2 very dangerous lines. Lethal special teams. We definitely cannot afford to be in the box and if/when we do get a PP we HAVE to capitalize and JR will have to have the series of his life

  3. RR, I think you have a few too many goals, assists and points for the father.

    I hope I am wrong but I don’t see this series going beyond 6 games and most likely five. Too big, too strong, very skilled, better special teams and obviously, superior goaltending makes this a dreaded Attack!!! Again, I would love to be proven wrong………

  4. shit!!! RR, just reread and totally missed the playoffs when you were giving Wayne Groulx’s stats. ur right as usual!!!!!

  5. I have so many file stories on Wayne Groulx from his years saved,many that were written by the incomparable Randy Russon! If that isn’t an excuse to catch up, crack a few cold ones and re-read a few gems, I don’t know what is?

  6. Owen Sound is a match-up problem for the Soo. The Hounds are going to have to find an element of grit in their game. Honestly, I’d feel better if the series was opening in Owen Sound. Some in the Soo media thought the Hounds needed to get a hard-shooting defenceman at the deadline (like Medric Mercier?) They needed to pick up one or two big Jean Depuy-type wingers. They’re going to have find a crack in Michael McNevin’s armour (good luck!) and they’re going to have to get the timely save, whoever’s in net. Ryan McGill was a standout coach in the Dub who got the max out of his Kootenay teams. The Attack are my pick to represent the O in the Memorial Cup.

  7. Hi Randy,
    Another great article about two very good hockey teams. From what I’ve seen from both of these teams play, is a similar style; fast-paced, quick puck movement, take a lot of shots on goal, well disciplined, good special teams, solid goaltending and very well coached. This should make for a great series!
    Thank you again for the kind words about myself and my son Randy, it’s so nice to read comments from you and your followers here about both the past and the present Greyhound teams and players.
    PS – Chris, I’m looking forward to the day that I can get up to the Soo, hopefully the three of us can get out for a soda and catch up on old times!!

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