Here we go again.
I’ll be honest, I have NO idea what day it is, although Remembrance Day earlier this week, reminded me it is sometime in November.
The disorientation comes from a road heavy Ontario Hockey League schedule for the Owen Sound Attack.
From late October through tomorrow; the Attack will have been at Windsor twice, plus at Plymouth, Saginaw, Sault Ste Marie, Sudbury & North Bay.
Over 4 weekends, they will have played 9 of 11 on the road in two very different geographic areas.
And while I haven’t always been certain of where I was waking up, or who Owen Sound would meet on any given night, there’s been a number of revelations.
Among those revelations is the belief the Attack are making decent progress in relatively short order.
I’m not sure the Attack are the youngest OHL team, but their level of experience is the lowest we’ve seen in half a decade.
Still, their recent play illustrates they’re up for the challenge and a .500 record as we approach the 1/3rd mark of the season is encouraging.
What’s discouraging as it pertains to the record is the breakdown.
Against Eastern Conference teams, Owen Sound has accumulated 14 of a possible 20 points, losing two shootouts, for a success ratio of 70 percent.
But, against teams in their own Conference, the West, Owen Sound has just 7 of a possible 22 points, for a 31 percent success ratio.
So, while there’s much to be encouraged about looking forward, in the short term Owen Sound certainly must improve head to head against Western Conference clubs.
I’m Fred Wallace