Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the schedule for the 2017 OHL Eastern Conference Championship Series for the Bobby Orr Trophy between the Peterborough Petes and the Mississauga Steelheads beginning next Thursday night, April 20, in Peterborough.
The third round series features the top two seeds in the OHL’s Eastern Conference standings during the 2016-17 regular season. The first place Petes captured their 11th Leyden Trophy since 1979 and third East Division crown following back-to-back wins in 2005-06 with a 42-21-2-3 record for 89 points. The Steelheads finished the season with a 34-21-6-7 record for 81 points earning the first Central Division title in the club’s five-year history.
The Petes have advanced to the Eastern Conference Championship Series on the strength of eight straight playoff victories including 4-0 series wins over the Niagara IceDogs and the Kingston Frontenacs which ended Thursday night. The Steelheads began their playoff run with a 4-2 series win over the Ottawa 67’s before eliminating the Oshawa Generals 4-1 on Saturday afternoon.
The Petes won three of the four head-to-head regular season matchups during the 2016-17 campaign including both games of a first half home-and-home series by 4-2 and 5-3 scores December 1st and 2nd. The Petes also took a 3-2 shootout decision on January 19 however the season series ended with a 10-1 Steelheads victory on February 24.
This marks the first ever playoff encounter between the Petes and Steelheads however the all-time franchise playoff history includes three previous matchups. The Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors defeated the Petes 4-0 in the first round back in 2010, the Petes beat the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors 4-1 in the second round in 2005, and Toronto beat Peterborough 4-3 in the first round in 2001.
The Eastern Conference Champion receives the Bobby Orr Trophy named in honour of the Hockey Hall of Fame member who played four OHL seasons with the Oshawa Generals from 1962-66. Since the two conference division in 1999, the Petes have celebrated one Bobby Orr Trophy winning in 2006. The Steelheads are looking for their first Eastern Conference championship since the Majors won in 2011.
EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Series “G” PETERBOROUGH PETES (1) vs. MISSISSAUGA STEELHEADS (2):
Game 1, Thurs., April 20 Mississauga at Peterborough, 7:05
Game 2, Sat., April 22 Mississauga at Peterborough, 7:05
Game 3, Mon., April 24 Peterborough at Mississauga, 7:00
Game 4, Wed., April 26 Peterborough at Mississauga, 7:00
Game 5, Thurs., April 27 Mississauga at Peterborough, 7:05*
Game 6, Sun., April 30 Peterborough at Mississauga, 2:00*
Game 7, Mon., May 1 Mississauga at Peterborough, 7:05*
*if necessary
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OHL Writers 