Photo Courtesy: Navaneeth Mohan, 94.9 Radio Western

The London Nationals will be taking on the Listowel Cyclones in the Sutherland Cup semi-finals for the second consecutive year.

The Nats advanced to the Sutherland Cup after losing just two playoff games through three rounds of Western Conference playoff action, including a sweep of the Leamington Flyers in the Bill Weir Championship series. London will have the #1 seed in the Sutherland Cup because of their strong postseason performance.

The Listowel Cyclones enter the Sutherland Cup as the wild card team after they fell to the Waterloo Siskens in the Cherrey Cup in six games. The Cyclones became the wild card team because the Niagara Falls Canucks were able to take the Golden Horseshoe Conference title over the St. Catharine’s Falcons. Were the Falcons to win that series, then Niagara would have been the wild card team based on their playoff winning percentage.

In the playoffs, the Cyclones have been led by assistant captain Holden Lansink, who has 10 goals and 21 assists in 15 games, which is the fifth-most points in the entire GOJHL playoff scoring race. Between the pipes, Evan Morrison has a 1.69 save percentage and a .937 save percentage—leading the GOJHL in both categories.

The Nationals will look to the Western Conference MVP, James Turner for offence with his goal-per-game pace so far in the playoffs. He has 14 goals in 14 games, along with five assists. The Nationals just got one of their leading regular season scorers, Riley MacRae back in for the conference championship, and has five points in four games after 27 goals and 42 assists during the regular season. London’s leading point-getter during the regular season, Cal Davis (23g, 59a), was held out of the final couple games of the conference championship due to a shoulder injury. It is unclear if or when he will be able to return for the Sutherland Cup.

In last year’s matchup, the Listowel Cyclones eliminated the Nationals in six games. The Nationals took the first game and the fifth game, both on home ice. London will have home ice advantage for this series as well. The Cyclones outscored the Nationals 24-15 in last year’s series.

Here is the schedule for the Sutherland Cup semi-final series:

Game 1:  Wednesday, April 10^th – 7pm, London

Game 2: Friday, April 12^th – 7:30pm, Listowel

Game 3: Sunday, April 14^th – 7pm, London

Game 4: Tuesday, April 16^th – 7:30pm, Listowel

Game 5: Wednesday, April 17^th – 7pm, London*

Game 6: Friday, April 19^th – 7:30pm, Listowel*

Game 7: Saturday, April 20^th – 7pm, London*

*if necessary