Hounds in a very good spot
They have already clinched an Ontario Hockey League playoff spot.
Still, when a three-game losing streak stretched into last weekend, their fans started to get a bit jittery.
Don’t worry, be happy.
Soo Greyhounds are in control of the OHL’s West Division and as long as they maintain that standing, will at least be the no. 2 seed in the Western Conference once the playoffs begin.
Can the Hounds finish first overall in the Western Conference by somehow catching either of the monsters of the Midwest Division — the Guelph Storm and Erie Otters?
I doubt it.
But win the West Division and the Hounds will have home-ice advantage for at least the first two rounds of the Western Conference playdowns.
Make no mistake about it, the 10-team Western Conference is a beast.
Windsor Spitfires, who trail the first-place Hounds in the 5-team West Division, are fifth in the 10-team Western Conference despite being on pace for a 40-win regular season.
In fact, if fifth-place Windsor was in the Eastern Conference, it would be ranked second.
As for the Greyhounds, if they were in the Eastern Conference they would be in first — FIRST! — place.
To be sure, the Greyhounds play in a Western Conference that is not only a lot tougher than the Eastern Conference but is the most-competitive in Canadian major junior hockey.
Considering the conference they play within, Greyhounds are doing better than good.
They are ahead of Windsor and on par with the Memorial Cup host London Knights and they are within range of Guelph and Erie.
Which is good.
Very good, actually.