The Owen Sound Attack return to the Essar Centre tonight to face the Greyhounds in Ontario Hockey League action.
This will be Owen Sound’s first visit since Game 6 of the Western Conference quarterfinals last year when the Attack held on for a narrow 4-3 win to take the series and advance to the Western semifinals.
There have been many memorable games through the years at Sault Ste Marie, but to me, none match the drama and the excitement of Game 4 in that playoff series last year; a 1-0 Greyhounds win in overtime on a power play rocket from Ryan Sproul in the 79th minute of scoreless action.
I doubt tonight’s game will be as dramatic, but it does bear significance.
The Greyhounds will be looking to pull away from the West Division pack, currently with an 8 point bulge on Windsor and Saginaw.
For the Attack, coming off losses to Windsor and Saginaw, they’ll be in repair mode as they try to shake off a pair of losses and find better result on this 7 game road swing that includes stops at Sudbury and North Bay also this weekend.
Sault Ste Marie has been kind to the Attack in recent history, Owen Sound having won the regular season game at the Essar Centre for the last 5 years.
Will Owen Sound extend that streak and slow the Greyhounds tonight ?
We’ll see.
I’m Fred Wallace