It will be the London Knights vs. the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Western Conference final.
The matchup was determined Tuesday night when Saginaw beat the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-1 in Game 7 of their second round series. This is only the second time in team history the Spirit has made it into the Western Conference final. They are seeded number 2, while the Knights are top-ranked.
The last three times the two teams have met in the playoffs, London has come out victorious. In the second-round in 2009, the Knights swept the Spirit. Three years later, London and Saginaw met again in the second round with the Knights taking the series in six games. In 2013, London swept the Spirit in the first round.
The Knights have been waiting to find out who their opponent would be in the Western Conference championship series last Thursday night. That is when London advanced after sweeping the Kitchener Rangers 4-3 in Game 4 of the second-round series. The team is currently undefeated in the playoffs. They previously swept the Flint Firebirds in the first-round matchup.
The third round starts Friday night with Game 1 being played at Budweiser Gardens. The final block of tickets for the Western Conference final went on sale Tuesday.
Western Conference championship series schedule:
Game 1 – Friday, April 26, 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens
Game 2 – Sunday, April 28, 2 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens
Game 3 – Monday, April 29, 7:05 p.m. at Dow Event Center
Game 4 – Wednesday, May 1, 7:05 p.m. at Dow Event Center
Game 5 – Friday, May 3, 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens*
Game 6 – Sunday, May 5, 2 p.m. at Dow Event Center*
Game 7 – Monday, May 6 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens*
*- if necessary
