The Owen Sound Attack go against the Plymouth Whalers tonight in Ontario Hockey League action at the Harry Lumley-Bayshore Community Centre.
This is the second consecutive season that Owen Sound will finish above both the Plymouth Whalers and the Kitchener Rangers in the Western Conference.
In fact, in 3 of the last 4 years, Owen Sound will have finished higher in the Conference than both the Whalers and the Rangers which is a huge achievement based on the long term success of Plymouth and Kitchener.
From 1998-99, the year the Ontario Hockey League went to a true West and East playoff structure, Owen Sound has finished behind Kitchener or Plymouth or both, in 12 of those 16 seasons.
The first time Owen Sound looked down on the Whalers and Rangers was 2004-05 when Mike Stothers had Bobby Ryan, Brad Richardson, Andrej Sekera, Bobby Sanguinetti and others at his disposal.
However, leading those stalwarts in 3 of the last 4 years might indicate a changing of the tide.
I’m not firm in that assessment though.
Plymouth’s season this year was essentially scuttled by the Washington Capitals who kept 19 year old Tom Wilson and shuttled 19 year old defender Connor Carrick between Hershey and the big time.
Put those two in Whaler uniforms for a full season, and you might have different outlook in the standings.
The point is, Owen Sound can be justifiably proud of placing ahead of perennial powerhouses, but if they starting patting themselves on the back, it might not be long before they’re looking up…..again.
Game time tonight for the Attack and Whalers is 7 o’clock.
I’m Fred Wallace