“They’re like us,” London head coach Dale Hunter said. “They play a good, solid, NHL-style game and that’s what you’ve got to do in the playoffs. They’re coached well and it’ll come down to execution. It’s about who plays the best defence, buries their scoring chances and who can step up in the big moment.”

A lot of Knights fans feel like they dodged a bullet when the Soo Greyhounds were eliminated this week. Their game style presented matchup issues for London’s man-to-man defensive structure.

Saginaw offers a different set of problems. The Spirit just proved they can beat one of the better teams in the country in a seven-game battle and they have already faced an elimination game and survived.

Though that struggle takes its toll, the character-building from it provides a well-earned confidence.

“It was the perfect series to play going in to (face) the London Knights,” Saginaw head coach Chris Lazary said of the Soo test. “There was a lot of intensity on both sides. There was a lot of hatred there. I expect the same in this series.”

Both teams have star talent. Both teams are built to win it all. Saginaw did lot more shopping to bolster its roster but added guys like ex-Peterborough Pete Owen Beck, former Windsor Spitfire Alex Christopoulos and old Hamilton Bulldog Jorian Donovan who have played in conference and league finals before.

“You’ve got some experience (from being in the final last year),” Dale Hunter said, “but they all know you have to be ready to play. They all know these players on the other side. They grew up with them and it’s just two good teams going to battle.”

BRONX CHEER: Mike Vellucci made headlines when he said it more than a decade ago while head coach in Plymouth and Saginaw’s Chris Lazary offered the same comparison again this week before facing the London Knights.

“We always say it’s like playing the New York Yankees in baseball,” the Spirit coach said. “They’re there every year. You’ve got to go through them and we’re looking forward to it.”

Saginaw captain Braden Hache can attest to that. His father Conrad is the OHL’s director of officiating and often brought him to the league’s big events when he was a kid.

He watched the Knights a lot when they played in four Memorial Cups in a five-year span from 2012-16.

“It was one of franchises, looking at the next level, that was always there,” Braden said. “I remember going to the Memorial Cup in London (in 2014) and being at all the games. Being in that barn for those exciting games, it’s pretty special to be a player (now). I’ve been to a lot of Memorial Cups, finals and conference finals so it’s a pretty cool feeling to go to war in one (here).”

And if you think there is an advantage to being the son of the whistle-blower chief, it’s not true. Braden was suspended two games for a slew foot during the Soo series.