Playoff fever in air as Knights, Storm clash on FNH

Fans will get a sneak peek at the playoffs when the Guelph Storm host the London Knights on Friday Night Hockey.

Although the Ontario Hockey League playoffs are more than two months away, playoff fever is in the air when these two Midwest Division rivals meet. A heated, emotional battle is the norm where both teams’ coaches need to rein them in rather than letting them loose.

"It’s always an intense, competitive game," Guelph head coach Scott Walker says. "The guys play hard, everybody’s blocking shots and doing all the little things right. It’s an extremely emotional and competitive game."

"I think you’re going to see a well-rounded game that the fans are going to walk away and enjoy," adds Knights assistant coach and assistant GM, Rob Simpson. "Both teams are going to push Friday and it’ll probably be the best game that you see yet between both teams."

WHAT’S ON THE LINE?

This is the sixth and final meeting this season between these two teams. They’re separated by a single point in a three-team race atop the division with the Erie Otters.

The home team won all five meetings this season. The Storm can win the season series with a regulation win, which could play a factor in determining which team obtains home ice in a potential playoff series. Home-ice advantage played a vital role in the Knights repeating as league champions last year and something they don’t take lightly.

"We saw it last year with Barrie in the finals," Simpson explains. "It came down to a Game 7 to win the championship and any time you have that Game 7 in your home building with your own fans and last change, it really is a big advantage.

"Sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of that when you’re in January or November in a regular season game, but we have a veteran group of players that have been through it before and have won playoff series and they know how important games like this are at the end of the playoffs when you need it most."

This will also be the first game since the trade deadline, which will give each team one last look at the final rosters.

"You always want to measure yourselves against the best," Walker says.

KEY MATCHUP

Nikita Zadorov versus Kerby Rychel

Zadorov and Rychel are two of the biggest acquisitions this season. Although Zadorov was already a Knight, he’s only played eight games in junior this season after starting the year in Buffalo and spending the past month away at the world juniors.

The Knights couldn’t be certain they were ever going to see Zadorov again, especially since that turned out being the case with Olli Maatta. Zadorov brings depth and stability to London’s defence, and a true physical presence to match up against a power forward like Rychel.

"Not only is he great defensively, he’s great offensively," Simpson says. "He helps on the power play, he helps our penalty kill, he’s physical on the ice. (Opposing players) are aware of him when he’s out there because he does step up and he makes big hits."

Rychel came at a steep price for the Storm, who sacrificed eight draft picks to obtain his rights from the Windsor Spitfires in early December. He barely broke in with his new team, playing in only three games – averaging two points per game – since the trade before departing for the world juniors. Rychel is a wrecking ball type of forward that will directly compete with Zadorov both physically and in the Knights’ zone.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Guelph: C, Robby Fabbri

If adversity builds character, National Hockey League scouts got a good glimpse into Robby Fabbri’s immense potential to will his team to victory. With the Storm decimated by injuries just prior to the Christmas break, Fabbri put the team on his shoulders – particularly in a Dec. 19 game when he scored the game-tying goal with less than a second in regulation and the overtime winner – and proved why he will be an early pick on draft day.

"This kid is as competitive as they come," Walker says. "He works – never questions you and he’s got high, high-end skill and compete (level). The puck skills and speed that he can make moves, I think is second to none. He’s a real treat."

London: LW, Max Domi

Similar to how some NHL players are trying to prove their respective country’s Olympic teams wrong by passing on them, Max Domi is making it a personal goal to demonstrate how Hockey Canada dropped the ball when leaving him off the world junior roster. Domi has 31 points in the 12 games since the camp roster was announced without his name on it.

"He’s a professional," Simpson says. "He comes from a hockey family that knows at some point in your career you’re going to be cut from a team, probably no matter how good you are. There’s only maybe 0.5 per cent of hockey players that are lucky in their life not to be cut from some team. It shows the quality of person and the character he has to be able to take tough news like that and come back and lead our team."