PHOTO BY SCOTT VANKOUGHNETT | 
It’s the match up that everyone has waited for all season long.
The top two teams in the Ontario Hockey League will flex their muscles starting tonight in Barrie. As the Colts will host the Windsor Spitfires in game one of the OHL finals.
The teams met twice during the regular season with the Colts taking both contests by a combined score of 12-7. St. Louis Blues’ prospect Alex Pietrangelo led the way for Barrie with a goal and four helpers. While veteran Scott Timmins had two goals and a helper for Windsor. Taylor Hall was held scoreless in both game registering just two assists.
“You know what they came into Windsor and they smacked us pretty good,” said Hall. “I think they’re a good team. Actually, a great team. They have a lot of skill upfront, they’re tough and their d are good.”
Troy Passingham started both games against Barrie this season while it was Peter Di Salvo who got the call against Windsor. However, it has been the late season acquisitions that have been getting the jobs done as of late for both sides.
Philipp Grubauer, who was brought over from Belleville in the huge seven player trade, has started all but one game in the playoffs so far. He has a 2.68 GAA and .902 SV% in his 14 starts.
On the other side Mavric Parks, who was brought in from Kitchener for a fifth rounder has stepped in nicely after Pete Di Salvo was injured in the Brampton series. He has a sparkling 1.75 GAA and .942 SV% in his eight starts.
The Colts are set to get some reinforcements in this series. Di Salvo is set to return tonight and resident tough guy Zac Rinaldo has just two games remaining on his 12-game suspension he received in Barrie’s first-round series against the Wolves.
Spitfires’ head coach Bob Boughner knows that, going into this series, his team isn’t favoured. Something his guys haven’t experienced in two seasons.
“The biggest challenge for us is going to be re-focusing after a seven-game series,” said Boughner. “And re-energizing our guys and really concentrate on the Barrie Colts. If we play our style we’re a confident team. I know we’re an underdog for the first time in two years and I’m anxious to see how we respond to that. Guys are just going to have to get refocused.”
Taylor Hall and Ryan Ellis lead the way for Windsor. The two have combined for 16 goals and 38 assists in 15 games. On the other side it’s overage player-of-the-year Bryan Cameron and Alex Pietrangelo who lead it for Barrie with 13 goals and 18 assists in 13 games.
Both the Spits and Colts were undefeated going into the conference championships. The Colts lost one game to the Majors. The Spits went down 0-3 to a young Rangers team only to come back and win the next four straight.
The two teams are extremely deep and the winner of the series will be slightly favoured going to the Memorial Cup in a few weeks in Brandon, Manitoba.
Topics: Alex Pietrangelo, Barrie Colts, Bob Boughner, OHL, OHL Playoffs, Ryan Ellis, Taylor Hall, Windsor Spitfires
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