The Ontario Hockey League Championship series gets underway tonight in Sault Ste. Marie.
The Soo Greyhounds and Hamilton Bulldogs finished first in their respective conferences during the 2017-18 regular season.
Greyhounds Head Coach, Drew Bannister says his team is well prepared.
"They come to compete every night but sometimes the bounces don't go your way and sometimes you just get outworked and that's just part of junior hockey," says Bannister. "We know what we're up for here against a real good team in Hamilton that has had some real tough series that they had to go through," he says "You get to this point of the season with the two most committed hockey teams and there's a reason why both teams are here."
Hamilton Bulldogs Head Coach, John Gruden says his players have worked extremely hard.
"I believe of course we are the underdog but I don't believe anyone is going to take anything lightly," he says. "We're playing for a championship and any time you're playing for a championship, you're going to get the best from both teams."
This marks the first OHL Championship Series for the Bulldogs in their three-year franchise history. Prior to their move to Hamilton in 2015, the Belleville Bulls won an OHL title in 1999.
The winner of the OHL Championship Series will advance to the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup which takes place May 17-27 and also features the host Regina Pats along with the champions from the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.