The Road Ahead: Battling Barrie for Bobby
Published on April 21, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Brantford Bulldogs News Release
Two opponents faced, two opponents defeated. Eight games played, eight games won. Two series down, two more to go.
It's been a picture-perfect start to the 2026 OHL Playoffs for the Brantford Bulldogs, as they find themselves undefeated with an 8-0 record to kick off the postseason.
The Bulldogs have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2022, but their path to the championship will only get tougher from here on out, with the Central Division winners Barrie Colts now their last opponent before the OHL Championship Series.
Let's see how these two Eastern Conference titans face-off in what's sure to be a classic series.
Storylines to watch:
These two teams split their season series at two wins apiece. The scores from these games were as follows:
October 29 - Barrie 5 at Brantford 4 (OT)
January 25 - Barrie 1 at Brantford 7
February 21 - Brantford 4 at Barrie 7
March 5 - Brantford 5 at Barrie 3
This barn burner of a season series from these two squads saw the Bulldogs outscore the Colts 20-16, as well as both teams stealing a win on the road over the course of the season.
Jake O'Brien led the way for Brantford with 12 points during the season series, with Emil Hemming leading Barrie with eight.
O'Brien has also paced the Bulldogs in playoff scoring, registering 15 points through eight games thus far. Barrie forward Cole Beaudoin has put up 23 points in 10 playoff games, leading not just the Colts, but also the entire OHL.
The stage is set for a thrilling series between two of the OHL's best, with Game 1 taking place this Wednesday, April 22nd in Brantford.
The winner of this best-of-seven will take on either the Kitchener Rangers or Windsor Spitfires from the west.
The Eastern Conference Finals schedule is as follows.
Game 1 - Wednesday, April 22nd at Brantford 7:00pm
Game 2 - Friday, April 24th at Brantford 7:00pm
Game 3 - Sunday, April 26th at Barrie 6:00pm
Game 4 - Tuesday, April 28th at Barrie 7:00pm
Game 5 - Thursday, April 30th at Brantford 7:00pm (if needed)
Game 6 - Saturday, May 2nd at Barrie 7:30pm (if needed)
Game 7 - Monday, May 4th at Brantford 7:00pm (if needed)
Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 21, 2026
- OHL Announces Finalists for Defenceman of the Year - OHL
- Ten OHL Players to Represent Canada at 2026 IIHF World Under-18 Hockey Championship - OHL
- Kashawn Aitcheson Named OHL Defenceman of the Year Finalist - Barrie Colts
- How to Watch Spirit Alumni Battle for the Stanley Cup - Saginaw Spirit
- Levi Harper Makes Final U18 World Championship Roster for Team USA - Saginaw Spirit
- Two Ottawa 67's Players Selected to Represent Canada at the 2026 IIHF World U18 Championship - Ottawa 67's
- Dave McParlan Named a Finalist for OHL General Manager of the Year - Flint Firebirds
- The Road Ahead: Battling Barrie for Bobby - Brantford Bulldogs
- Chromiak Signs Pro Contact with HC Śkoda Plzeñ - Niagara IceDogs
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