London Knights Playoff Schedule 2026: OHL Dates & Bracket

For three consecutive years, the London Knights had little trouble reaching the OHL final. The Soo Greyhounds had other plans in 2026. The defending playoff heavyweights fell in the first round to their provincial rivals, bringing an abrupt end to what had become one of the league’s steadiest runs. Here’s a full breakdown of how the series unfolded and what it means for both programs heading into their next chapters.

First Round Opponent: Soo Greyhounds · Game 1 Date: March 27, 2026 · Game 1 Location: Sault Ste. Marie · Series Result: Soo Greyhounds wins

The key facts below summarize the first-round matchup between the London Knights and Soo Greyhounds, drawing from official league sources.

Who are the London Knights playing in the first round of the playoffs?

The London Knights entered the 2026 OHL Playoffs as the fourth seed, drawing the fifth-seeded Soo Greyhounds in a matchup that carried more weight than the seeds suggested. The Greyhounds were the lower seed but hosted the opening two games—a consequence of specific scheduling decisions by the league around the March 23 announcement date.

Playoff preview: London Knights (4) vs. Soo Greyhounds (5)

The Knights had spent the previous three seasons making consecutive appearances in the J. Ross Robertson Cup Final, including a championship sweep of the Oshawa Generals in 2024. The Greyhounds, meanwhile, had quietly built a roster capable of exploiting that kind of playoff fatigue. The series setup put the Knights on the road for the first two games in Sault Ste. Marie, a venue known for its raucous crowds and compact ice surface.

The official announcement from the CHL confirmed both seeds and the format, with the higher seed holding home advantage for Games 3 and 4 if necessary. For the Knights, this meant a compressed window to build momentum before returning to London for their home opener on March 31.

What is the London Knights playoff schedule?

The first-round series unfolded across an 11-day span, with games alternating between Sault Ste. Marie and London. Five games were required before the Greyhounds clinched the series, a testament to how tightly contested the matchup proved to be.

Game 1: March 27, 2026

Game 1 opened the series in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, March 27, 2026. The Greyhounds hosted at their home venue, which has historically favored underdogs in playoff matchups due to its smaller dimensions and energetic fan base. The CHL OHL Schedule confirmed the date and location with multiple verifications from official league sources.

Game 2: March 29, 2026

Game 2 remained in Sault Ste. Marie on Sunday, March 29, 2026, giving the Greyhounds back-to-back home games to start the series. The CHL Knights Schedule page published highlights following the game, confirming it was played as scheduled.

Game 3: March 31, 2026

The series shifted to London for Game 3 on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, with the Knights hosting at Canada Life Place. This marked the Knights’ first home game of the series and an opportunity to reclaim momentum before potential travel back to Sault Ste. Marie for Games 4 and 5.

When do the OHL playoffs start for the London Knights?

The 2026 OHL Playoffs officially began league-wide on March 26, 2026, with the Knights’ opener coming one day later on March 27. The announcement came on March 23, giving teams less than a week to prepare after the regular season concluded.

League-wide playoff start

The opening round saw multiple matchups tip off simultaneously across Ontario, with the Knights-Greyhounds series drawing particular attention given the Knights’ recent history. The playoff announcement from the CHL Knights Schedule page confirmed the start date and seeded matchups for the first round.

Knights specific opener

The Knights’ first game on March 27 represented their earliest playoff opener in three years, a reflection of their fourth-seed standing that was lower than their 2023 and 2024 positioning when they earned higher seeds en route to consecutive finals appearances.

What is the OHL playoff format?

The OHL employs a best-of-seven format for all playoff rounds, with the higher seed holding home ice advantage in all even-numbered games. This structure means the lower seed hosts Games 1 and 2, the higher seed hosts Games 3 and 4, with Games 5, 6, and 7 alternating as needed.

First round structure

In the Knights-Greyhounds matchup, the format played against the Knights’ typical advantages. Rather than opening at home where they have historically dominated, the fourth-seeded Knights had to win at least one of the first two games in Sault Ste. Marie to avoid returning to London in a series deficit. The 2026 OHL Playoffs presented by Nissan featured this format across all 16 first-round matchups.

Series progression

The series required five games to determine a winner, indicating the Greyhounds successfully neutralized at least some of the Knights’ home-ice advantages when the series returned to London. The fact that Game 5 was necessary confirms the matchup was competitive enough to prevent any quick elimination, though specific game-by-game scores remain unavailable through official channels.

Where and when are the London Knights home playoff games?

The Knights hosted Games 3 and potential Games 4 and 5 at Canada Life Place in London, Ontario. Their scheduled home dates centered around March 31 and April 3, with a potential Game 4 originally penciled for April 7 in initial projections—but the series concluded on Game 5 instead.

Game 3 details

Game 3 took place at Canada Life Place on Tuesday, March 31, 2026. The venue, formerly known as Budweiser Gardens, is one of the OHL’s premier facilities with a seating capacity exceeding 9,000. The official CHL OHL Schedule confirmed the London location for this date.

Game 4 if necessary

Game 4 highlights appeared on the CHL platform for the matchup on April 3, 2026, confirming the game was played in London as a potential series-deciding contest. The existence of Game 5 highlights on April 4 indicates the series extended beyond Game 4, requiring a fifth and final matchup before the Greyhounds clinched their upset victory.

The Soo Greyhounds’ victory over the London Knights in the first round reshapes the OHL playoff landscape in ways that extend beyond this single matchup. The Knights, a program that had become synonymous with postseason consistency, now face an offseason of evaluation after their earliest exit in years. For the Greyhounds, the upset opens a path forward that few expected when the brackets were announced on March 23. The official OHL Playoff Tracker will continue monitoring their progress as the second round develops.