Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire ” brought to you by your local Auto Logic- The Logical Choice.
The Owen Sound Attack were at Oshawa on Monday afternoon, playing on Family Day.
To begin with, I’m all for the Family Day game.
I think it’s great for the Attack to be away for the holiday Monday game, specifically because the Harry Lumley-Bayshore is utilized by Minor Hockey for the annual Josh Olynyk Memorial Sick Shot Road Hockey Tournament which is a terrific fundraiser for the Initiation Program.
However, what rankles me is not when the game is played, but rather where the game is played.
Historically, Owen Sound has played 3 Family Day games; once at Peterborough. Once at Ottawa. And this past Monday at Oshawa….all in the Eastern Conference.
Now, you might say, ‘ what ‘s the issue ? ‘. The Attack won at Peterborough. They won at Ottawa. And they should have won at Oshawa, but settled for a point with an overtime loss.
Fair enough.
But looking back, there were NINE Family Day games this year including games at Sarnia, London, Guelph, Hamilton and at Mississauga.
In the case of the Attack, they departed Flint on Saturday night and drove by almost all of those locations BEFORE settling in at Oshawa.
Why does Owen Sound get slotted to go Far East rather than any of the 6 centres they drove through to play this year on Family Day ?
Furthermore, a Family Day game at Sarnia, London, Guelph, Hamilton or Mississauga would knock a Friday night date off the calendar which in my view would be best for the Owen Sound franchise.
……By the way, there’s a makeup game tonight when the Kitchener Rangers are in Owen Sound to face the Attack at 7 pm.
I’m Fred Wallace