By Brian Smiley,

The Brantford Blast will be using the weekend as a playoff tuneup.

Brantford, locked into third place in Allan Cup Hockey, was scheduled to be in Whitby on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. before rounding out its season on Sunday at home with a 2 p.m. game at the civic centre against Hamilton.

The Blast also were to play late Friday in Dundas. The result of that game was unavailable by press time.

Sunday’s game will give Blast fans a chance to see the league’s top team in action.

Hamilton has lost just five games in 18 outings this season. The Steelhawks have the league’s most potent offence and its stingiest defence.

Former Brantford player Chris Leveille leads Hamilton in scoring with nine goals and 18 assists in 17 games. His 27 points ties him for second in the league, two points behind league-leader Brad Bonello of Dundas.

Leveille isn’t the only Steelhawks player in the top-10 in scoring. Josh Ranalli (15-11-26) is fourth, Stephon Thorne (11-13-24) is sixth and David Ling (5-16-21) is ninth.

Former Blast players Cam Sault (3-4-7) and Jamie Williams (2-1-3) are also on Hamilton’s team and Brantford native Josh Gratton is listed on the team’s roster but has yet to play a game.

The Blast have Jarrett Konkle (14-6-20) in 10th place and Chris Lawrence (10-8-18) in 14th.

As of late, Jordan Owens has been hot for Brantford with two goals and three assists in his past two games. Owens, a 33-year-old winger from Toronto, played 337 game in the American Hockey League.

In goal, St. George resident Adam Munro is having a stellar season for the Steelhawks, leading the league in wins (11), goals against average (2.75) and save percentage (.930).

Brantford’s Ryan DeMelo is third in GAA (5.49) and fifth in save percentage (.852).

Blast season ticket holders can pick up their VIP playoff passes on Sunday at The Expositor express window.

Sunday’s contest will also honour the Strong Start to Reading program with 800 children and their families invited to the game.