Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Tuesday/Wednesday notes: OHL west is real good

I was cruising through Twitter on Tuesday night and came across this tweet:
That's quite crazy.

The Erie Otters are, once again, a very good hockey team. They improved to 22-0-1-1 at Erie Insurance Arena (which is a very good building) with a dominant 5-0 win over the Kitchener Rangers on Tuesday. The Rangers had just four shots through the first two periods and ended the night with 13.

The Otters' home record looks a lot like the Saint John Sea Dogs' 2010-11 mark, when the team went a remarkable 32-0-1-1 at Harbour Station.

The Otters joined the Sea Dogs in a significant statistical mark last season, becoming the fifth Canadian Hockey League franchise to record three straight 50-win seasons. The Otters have a very good chance of making it four consecutive seasons, which would be a CHL first.

The biggest difference between the Otters and the other members of the 50-win threepeat club is that Erie hasn't won a championship. Here's a look at the members, via the OHL website:

Canadian Hockey League – Three consecutive 50-win seasons:
Erie Otters (2013-16)
Kelowna Rockets (2012-15) (1 WHL title)
Edmonton Oil Kings (2011-14) (2 WHL titles, 1 Memorial Cup)
Saint John Sea Dogs (2009-12) (2 QMJHL titles, 1 Memorial Cup)
Kamloops Blazers (1989-92) (2 WHL titles, 1 Memorial Cup)

Unfortunatly for the Otters, they play in the same league - and division - as the London Knights, who derailed the team last year and could do so again this season. The OHL's Western Conference is ridiculous with the Knights, Otters and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds all tied at the top. The Memorial Cup hosting Windsor Spitfires are two points back.

Whoever makes it out of the OHL and into the Memorial Cup should be well battled tested.

Some other notes ...

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