Reading some comments on a few different threads, seems like a few posters are comparing last years' Peterborough team to this year's underperformers (Sudbury, Guelph). Do these posters realize that even though Peterborough last season struggled to put it all together, Simpson finished the regular season 3rd in GAA and 2nd in SAV%?
Do these posters realize that it's much more common for underperforming teams to simply continue to underperform come playoffs, and that what the Petes did last year is against all odds?
For the record, I do not draw the same similarities as these posters are between last year's Petes and any current team.
The comparison is the pre-season predictions and relative underachieving nature of the Sudbury Wolves. The Wolves are one of the best teams in the OHL on paper. Mississauga is much younger. Much younger. There is no reason to think the Wolves wouldn’t “upset” Mississauga.
A lot of people gave Oshawa a pass when all the clouds were circling around Lockhart. No one seems to have given Sudbury a pass for the clouds surrounding their “scandal.” Once the league handed down their ruling, it seems the Wolves have settled in and I believe they will start to perform as they should. They need a seven game series against a single opponent that is strong enough to give them a test but not overly strong to the point where they are unable to build confidence.
Sudbury has a goalie that backstopped a team to a Bronze Medal win. Vondras is strong bough provided he isn’t left to hang out to dry. The addition of Berehowsky, although late, will help the focus and in game adjustments.
The Wolves will simply outscore Mississauga in round one while working on tweaking the defensive structure. Then they likely go up against Oshawa (or NB if Ottawa wins the series). That will be a rough and tumble series. If Sudbury comes out the victor int hat series, I think they roll through round 3 with the confidence they’ve been lacking.
So, yes, there are similarities between the two teams (Petes and Wolves). It is now a matter of whether Sudbury can follow through in round one and be the team they should have been in the regular season just as the Petes found a way to be the team they should have been in the regular season.
Oshawa is interesting. They were the only east team to get to 40 wins but had to win the last 12 to do it. Are they really the top team in the east? They also are relatively young/lacking experience when compared to other contenders. They are the 15th oldest team in the league and are 9th in terms of games experience. Will be curious to see how they hold up against older teams later in the playoffs.
A potential Punnett injury (if long term) could make or break that team IMO. They will get through round one with relative ease. If Punnett is out in round two and they face Sudbury, it may be a really tough climb for them. They need his size, and experience on the back end.
