OHL ready to put Winning Streak on the line

Unlike fellow regional league teams in the CHL, Team OHL will be looking to continue perfect SUBWAY Super Series success aiming for an 18-0 record as they get set to face the tough Russian National Junior Team.

Last year after a pair of QMJHL losses Team OHL brought the series to an even 2-2 after wins in both game three in London by a 4-0 score, and a 2-1 shootout win in Sudbury in game four.

“Both games were very competitive,” said Belleville Bulls Head Coach and General Manager George Burnett, who will also coach Team OHL and serve as an Assistant Coach for Team Canada this winter. “The London game, they [the Russians] had come from the East, and I’m sure were a little more fatigued for game three of the series where despite being 4-0, it was a very competitive game that saw good quality chances at both ends of the rink.”

Team OHL scored by committee in the 2010 series, and were committed to a solid defensive effort, as no player recorded more than one point in the two games against the Russians. There were 14 players in total that registered either a goal or an assist.

This year, a different crew of players have their eyes on continuing the streak, including seven first-round draft picks from last year’s NHL Entry Draft: Niagara Ice Dogs’ Ryan Strome and Dougie Hamilton, Mark Scheifele of the Barrie Colts, Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers, Jamie Oleksiak of the Saginaw Spirit, Matt Puempel of the Peterborough Petes, and Stuart Percy of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors.

Burnett feels as though this is a great test to see how the team can come together and gel as a unit in such a short period of time.

“The kids need to come in and get together quickly,” he said. “There’s a very simple message, a simple system of play and there will be a lot of things that were touched on this summer as many of these kids were at the summer camp.”

Burnett believes that the question of chemistry can be solved fairly easily through the way they’ve built this team.

“We have some kids playing together presently on their own clubs,” he said. “I’m sure we can take advantage of some chemistry there.”

Some would think that there would be added pressure on this version of Team OHL with their attempt to continue the perfect record, but Ottawa 67’s defenseman Cody Ceci believes they won’t be overly concerned with it.

“We haven’t talked about it much,” he said. “We’ve talked about our own team and our own game. Once we all get together on Wednesday I’m sure it will come up at one point and it’ll make us hungrier to keep the streak going.”

Ottawa is the host for game three on November 10, and it will have some hometown flavour, as three 67’s will be in the lineup including Ceci, and forwards Tyler Graovac and Tyler Toffoli. Ceci is second in defenseman scoring with five goals and 18 points, and is eligible for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Other notables playing in Ottawa include leading scorer Tanner Pearson of the Barrie Colts, who has 13 goals and 37 points playing on a line with Scheifele and Colin Behenna. Pearson was passed over in the last NHL Entry Draft, but is making a good case to not be overshadowed again this year.

The series will then make its way across Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie, home of the Soo Greyhounds, for game four on November 14.

Three Greyhounds will be in the lineup for the match up, including defenseman Ryan Sproul, and forwards Andrew Fritsch, and Nick Cousins. Cousins was drafted in the 3rd round of the NHL Entry Draft last year by the Philadelphia Flyers, and is 13th in league scoring with eleven goals and 24 points.

Cousins is excited for the opportunity to play in front of the Sault Ste. Marie fans.

“It’s going to be cool playing in my hometown and having the home ice advantage,” he said. “We have big support of the fans here in the Soo. It’s a big hockey town and I’m looking forward to it.”

And there shouldn’t be a problem getting the home team up to play the Russians for either game, just like in years past.

“I’m sure both buildings will be electric,” Burnett said. “We have to take advantage of the home ice, build off the energy in the buildings and play good, sound, Canadian hockey.”

Both games three and four of the SUBWAY® Super Series can be seen live on S

portsnet.