The last time OHL fans were getting hyped up about the playoffs a series between the London Knights and the Kitchener Rangers sounded like a really good idea.
It was the 2019-20 season and both clubs had 40 wins under their belts.
The Knights had won four out of the six games between the teams that year but they were all a bit wild. Only one of the games was decided by fewer than three goals.
The pandemic kept anyone from finding out what might happen in a best-of-seven.
Three years later there are still 12 players who could have played in a playoff series then who will play in one now.
The Knights line of Luke Evangelista, Sean McGurn and Tonio Stranges have more combined points against Kitchener than any other one team they have faced this year.
The season series between the teams was streaky with London owning it early and the Rangers dominating it late.
Reid Valade was the biggest offensive force for Kitchener in the ten games the teams played.
London and Kitchener are meeting in the post-season for the 11th time in their long histories.
It all began back in 1972-73 when the Knights quartet of Dennis Ververgart, Reg Thomas, Dennis Maruk and Andy Spruce trounced Rick Chartraw, Dave Maloney and Paul Evans of the Rangers 8-0 in an eight-point series.
London has had the upper hand on Kitchener in the playoffs over the years with eight wins overall.
The Rangers’ victories came in 1984 and in 2010. The second of those saw the winning team score eight goals in four of the seven games in the series.
The Knights have knocked out Kitchener five straight times since then.
Three times London has gone on to win an OHL Championship and in 2016 the Knights went on to capture the Memorial Cup.
In the 2012 Western Conference final Olli Maatta scored four times and added three assists in a four-game sweep. London would go on to defeat the Niagara IceDogs in the OHL Championship series.
In 2013 a Chris Tierney overtime winner in Game 4 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium set the stage for a 4-1 victory in Game 5 at Budweiser Gardens as London grabbed a second-round victory. The Knights then got by the Plymouth Whalers to set the stage for Bo Horvat’s famous championship-clinching goal with 0.1 seconds left in Game 7 against the Barrie Colts in the final to win back titles.
In 2015 the teams met in the first round and London won in six games.
Then in 2016, Mitch Marner finished a four-game sweep with three goals in 1:49 inside the final four minutes of the game to turn a 4-3 deficit into a 6-4 win.
Other teams to watch in the Western Conference:
Windsor
The Spitfires ended the regular season with a long winning streak. They have size, grit and offensive explosiveness led by the OHL’s leading scorer Wyatt Johnston.
Flint
The Firebirds rely on their outstanding quickness and team cohesiveness and having a game-breaker like Brennan Othmann up front and veteran goaltender Luke Cavallin in net makes them a tough out.
Soo Greyhounds
Tye Kartye, Rory Kerins and Cole Mackay can give you fits. Minnesota Wild prospect Ryan O’Rourke on defence fits the kind of style playoff hockey brings.
Guelph
The Storm will take advantage of any mistakes their opponents make. Opportunistic forwards and a deep defence corps make them tough to beat.
Owen Sound
The Attack have a very bright future but the mindset on the team is to make noise now. Colby Barlow, Servac Petrovsky and Cedrick Guindon are already elite players.
Sarnia
When you have a goaltender like Ben Gaudreau who get hot and steal games you are not an easy matchup.
Erie
The Otters have overcome a tough start to put themselves in the mix for a playoff spot.
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