2011 OHL Playoffs Begin Thursday March 24

Press Release

 Toronto, ON – The Ontario Hockey League today announced the complete schedule for the first round of the 2011 OHL Playoffs which begin on Thursday March 24, 2011.

The Eastern and Western Conference Quarter-Final Series’ begin after a 680-game regular season schedule and feature the top eight teams in each conference.  The top eight Eastern Conference teams will compete for the Bobby Orr Trophy while the top eight Western Conference teams will compete for the Wayne Gretzky Trophy.  Both conference champions will meet in the OHL Championship Series for the J. Ross Robertson Trophy with the winner joining the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors at the 2011 MasterCard Memorial Cup May 20-29 at the Hershey Centre.

Four matchups begin on Thursday including the regular season champions and Hamilton Spectator Trophy winners the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors as they host the Belleville Bulls at 7:30 pm.  In addition, the Niagara IceDogs host the Brampton Battalion at 7:00 pm, the Oshawa Generals host the Kingston Frontenacs at 7:05 pm, with the two-time defending Robertson Cup and Memorial Cup Champion Windsor Spitfires pursuing their third straight league title as they host the Erie Otters at 7:05 pm.  On Friday night March 25, the Western Conference’s regular season winners the Owen Sound Attack host the London Knights at 7:30 pm, the Saginaw Spirit host the Guelph Storm at 7:11 pm, and the Kitchener Rangers host the Plymouth Whalers at 7:30 pm.  The final playoff series gets underway on Saturday afternoon March 26 at 2:00 pm when the Ottawa 67’s host the Sudbury Wolves at Scotiabank Place.

The four non-playoff teams will hold the first four picks in the 2011 OHL Priority Selection on Saturday May 7 with the Barrie Colts making the first overall selection followed by the Peterborough Petes, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and the Sarnia Sting.

The complete first round playoff schedule is listed below.

Eastern Conference Quarter-Final Schedule:


Series “A” - Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors (1) vs. Belleville Bulls (8)

Thurs.,	March	24	at	Mississauga	7:30
Sat.,	March	26	at	Belleville	7:05
Sun.,	March	27	at	Mississauga	2:00
Tues.,	March	29	at	Belleville	7:05
Sun.,	April	3	at	Mississauga	2:00	*
Mon.,	April	4	at	Belleville	7:05	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Mississauga	7:05	*

Series “B” - Ottawa 67’s (2) vs. Sudbury Wolves (7):

Sat.,	March	26	at	Ottawa	2:00		Scotiabank Place
Mon.,	March	28	at	Sudbury	7:30
Tues.,	March	29	at	Sudbury	7:30
Thurs.,	March	31	at	Ottawa	7:00
Sat.,	April	2	at	Ottawa	2:00	*
Mon.,	April	4	at	Sudbury	7:30	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Ottawa	7:00	*

Series “C” –Niagara IceDogs (3) vs. Brampton Battalion (6):

Thurs.,	March	24	at	Niagara	7:00
Sun.,	March	27	at	Brampton	2:00
Tues.,	March	29	at	Niagara	7:00
Thurs.,	March	31	at	Brampton	7:00
Sat.,	April	2	at	Niagara	7:00	*
Sun.,	April	3	at	Brampton	2:00	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Niagara	7:00	*

Series “D”– Oshawa Generals (4) vs. Kingston Frontenacs (5):

Thurs.,	March	24	at	Oshawa	7:05
Fri.,	March	25	at	Kingston	7:30
Sun.,	March	27	at	Oshawa	6:05
Tues.,	March	29	at	Kingston	7:00
Fri.,	April	1	at	Oshawa	7:35	*
Sun.,	April	3	at	Kingston	2:00	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Oshawa	7:05	*

*if necessary


Western Conference Quarter-Final Schedule:


Series “A” - Owen Sound Attack (1) vs. London Knights (8):

Fri.,	March	25	at	Owen Sound	7:30
Sat.,	March	26	at	London	7:00
Tues.,	March	29	at	Owen Sound	7:00
Thurs.,	March	31	at	London	7:00
Sat.,	April	2	at	Owen Sound	7:30	*
Sun.,	April	3	at	London	4:00	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Owen Sound	7:00	*

Series “B” - Saginaw Spirit (2) vs. Guelph Storm (7):

Fri.,	March	25	at	Saginaw	7:11
Sun.,	March	27	at	Guelph	2:00
Mon.,	March	28	at	Saginaw	7:11
Thurs.,	March	31	at	Guelph	7:00
Sat.,	April	2	at	Saginaw	7:11	*
Sun.,	April	3	at	Guelph	7:00	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Saginaw	7:11	*

Series “C” - Kitchener Rangers (3) vs. Plymouth Whalers (6):

Fri.,	March	25	at	Kitchener	7:30
Sat.,	March	26	at	Plymouth	7:05
Mon.,	March	28	at	Kitchener	7:00
Wed.,	March	30	at	Plymouth	7:05
Fri.,	April	1	at	Kitchener	7:30	*
Sat.,	April	2	at	Plymouth	7:05	*
Mon.,	April	4	at	Kitchener	7:00	*

Series “D” - Windsor Spitfires (4) vs. Erie Otters (5):

Thurs.,	March	24	at	Windsor	7:05
Sat.,	March	26	at	Erie	7:00
Mon.,	March	28	at	Windsor	7:05
Wed.,	March	30	at	Erie	7:00
Fri.,	April	1	at	Windsor	7:05	*
Sun.,	April	3	at	Erie	4:30	*
Tues.,	April	5	at	Windsor	7:05	*

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)