There can be no truer test of where the Owen Sound Attack are than in the next two outings; tonight at London, tomorrow at Plymouth.
The Attack hit the weekend with 68 points, scuffling at the moment with the Kitchener Rangers and the Guelph Storm for the number 3 position in the Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference standings.
Tonight’s opponents, the London Knights have a massive lead atop the Conference, leading Owen Sound by 13 points going into tonight’s matchup, their 5th head to head on the season.
Frustrating for the Attack is their ongoing record against the Knights. London has won all 4 meetings this season, two by shutout, one with just 4 seconds left in regulation time.
Furthermore, taking last year into consideration, London is on a 10 game winning streak against Owen Sound.
Then there’s tomorrow night in Plymouth.
The Whalers have less points than Owen Sound but are higher in the Conference seedings based on their lead in the Western Conference, which isn’t large at all, so they’ll be every bit as motivated as Owen Sound to garner points tonight when they host Barrie and then tomorrow night when Owen Sound comes to the Compuware Sports Arena.
It’s one weekend. Just two games. But in terms of a snapshot of where you are and maybe where you want to get to, the two games for the Attack this weekend will be a very good barometer.
I’m Fred Wallace