The final push to the 2016 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs will start with trip to Erie on Thursday night for the Owen Sound Attack.
Set for a final weekend three in three, Owen Sound will take on the Otters on Thursday, Mar. 17 before travelling to Guelph to take on the Storm on Friday night ahead of wrapping up the 2015-16 season with a tilt against the Kitchener Rangers at home on Saturday, Mar. 19.
And while some playoff match ups are already cemented, Owen Sound's final three games of the year will go a long way in determining where the Attack finish in the Western Conference standings.
Entering Thursday night, Owen Sound holds down the 6th seed in the conference with a record of 31-23-8-3, good for 73 points. That puts the Attack three points up on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, who also have three games left in their season in the race for 6th.
Thursday night's match up in Erie will see the Attack and Otters duel for the 6th time on the season. The Otters have the upper hand in the season series with a 4-1 record against the Attack, but Owen Sound's lone victory on the season was a an 8-0 thumping of Erie.
In the five head to head contests, Jaden Lindo has powered the Attack offence by picking up three goals and two assists while overage forward Josh Sterk has also registered five points by way of one goal and four helpers.
Erie's Kyle Maksimovich has been the most prolific scorer for the Otters in the season series, registering three goals and three assists while Otters' captain Dylan Strome is one of three players who has tallied five points against the Attack on the year.
Puck drop at the Erie Insurance Arena is scheduled for 7:00pm and fans can listen live by tuning in to Kia of Owen Sound Terry's Trailer Service Bear Radio on 560 CFOS or by watching on OHL Live through the Ontario Hockey League website.
The Attack will then travel to Guelph for their last of eight meetings with the Storm on the year, a 7:30pm contest on Friday night.
Owen Sound owns the season series with a 4-2-0-1 record against their Highway 6 rivals, including a 4-1 victory in the last match up between the sides back on Feb. 20. Attack leading goalscorer Petrus Palmu and leading point getter Bryson Cianfrone have led the way against the Storm in 2015-16 for Owen Sound, both registering eight points.
Guelph's James McEwan has been a thorn in the side of the Bears also season long though, having picked up seven points in seven games by way of five goals and two assists.
While the Storm have long been eliminated from post-season contention and are guaranteed the 1st overall pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection, Guelph has played the Attack hard all year and fans who tune into 560 CFOS's radio broadcast, or Rogers Local 53 television coverage are sure to be in for a hard fought, exciting game.
Following Friday night's action, the Attack will wrap up their 2015-16 OHL Regular Season with a series finale against the Kitchener Rangers at the Bayshore.
Scheduled for a 7:30pm start, Saturday's contest will be chance for the Attack to exact some revenge on the Rangers after Kitchener narrowly escaped the last meeting between the teams with a 3-2 overtime win. Four of the seven games between Owen Sound and Kitchener have been decided by one goal, with all four of those games needing overtime to find a winner.
Kitchener captain Ryan MacInnis leads the Rangers into battle with an impressive 38 goals and 42 assists on the year.
Tickets for Saturday night's game are limited to standing room only and can be purchased at the DJ's Furniture Attack Box Office. Fans are reminded that tickets for the 2016 Ontario Hockey League Playoffs are now on sale and can also be purchased at the Box Office or by calling 519-371-7452.
The Weekend Preview is presented by Joe Tomato's, located next to the Galaxy Cinemas on the Sunset Strip. Fans can enjoy half off wings and appetizers following every Attack home game simply by bringing their ticket stub into Joe Tomato's following the game.
This season of Attack Hockey is brought to you by Caframo.
source: media release, Attack Hockey
