The Oklahoma City Barons' inaugural season was a successful one to say the least. Despite a plethora of Edmonton Oilers call ups that left OKC scrounging for scorers, the Barons pulled together a young, scrappy roster and made a run for the playoffs.
The Barons turned their late season push into the first postseason berth in franchise history. They're one-for-one on that front, giving them hope for a bright future.
Oklahoma City lost to Hamilton on Sunday in game six of the opening Calder Cup series. The Bulldogs beat the Barons in the series four games to two and despite the series loss, there are some things OKC can take from it.
The Barons were by far the underdog.
Hamilton has coasted for much of the year and their goaltender Drew MacIntyre carried them on the home stretch to one of the American Hockey League's best late-season records. Their end of the year performance earned them the top-seed in the North division. But for much of the series, the Barons dictate the rate of play.
OKC learned to win at home.
A struggle for most of the season, winning at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City has become second nature to the Barons now. Oklahoma City finished strong at home and gave the fans something to cheer for.
Young Players are stepping up.
Rookies made their presence known leading up to the playoffs then took over games in the postseason. Players like Hunter Trembley, Mark Arcobello and Teemu Hartikainen dominated play at times down the stretch and it shows promise for a bright future.
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