The Ottawa 67’s season came to a sudden end on Friday night in St. Catharines, as they put up a valiant fight, but in the end were overpowered by the Niagara Ice Dogs on their way to bowing out in 5 games.

 Ottawa fought hard, and had a chance to tie up the game on a late power play, but goalie Mark Visentin bent but did not break and preserved the IceDogs 3-2 victory.

Ryan Strome opened the scoring on the power play for the IceDogs. And a short time after that Sean Monahan returned the favour on a power play of Ottawa’s own.  Freddie Hamilton scored late in the first and veteran Alex Friesen scored midway throught the second to put the IceDogs up a pair.  Jake Cardwell scored late for the 67’s to make it a game, but it was Tyler Toffoli who had the tying goal on his stick in the final minute but fired just wide.  It was a bitter defeat for a club that will be losing many of its top players to graduation, including Toffoli, Shane Prince and Petr Mrazek.

Both goaltenders were excellent, with Mrazek making 37 saves and Visentin stopping 27 shots.

This series came down to a number of factors, including Marc Zanetti’s suspension and the Mrazek flu in game 3.  However, if Ottawa had a chance going in, their best players had to be their best players.  That was not the case, and they were outshone by Niagara’s best players.  Toffoli (1G, 1A), Prince (1G, 2A – all in one game), and Monahan (2G, 2A) were outclassed by Niagara’s best Andrew Agozzino (3G, 1A), Freddie Hamilton (2G, 4A) and Dougie Hamilton (2G, 6A).

 Niagara advances to play the London Knights for the right to go to the Memorial Cup in Shawinigan in a couple of weeks.

GAME NOTES

I made the trek to St. Catharines for this game, and I am impressed with the effort put forth by the 67′s in this elimination game. They gave it their full effort, but it wasn’t enough.

Credit the Niagara fan base also, as the rink they play in is very small (about 3,000 max) and very loud.  The noise created at the final buzzer was probably the loudest I have heard a rink since the Jordan Eberle goal tied the World Junior semi-final against Russia in Ottawa in 2009.  It was simply deafening.

Niagara was simply too deep and too strong in this series for the 67′s to overcome.  If John McFarland and Marc Zanetti were in the lineup for the full series, it might have been closer, but the depth of the IceDogs is impressive and they are my pick to win the Memorial Cup next month.  They rarely make mistakes, and when they do, Visentin is there to bail them out.

One player who really stepped up and showed me something in this series for Ottawa was Tyler Graovac.  After what would have to be considered a disappointing regular season for the big centre (8G, 19 A), he was Ottawa’s best player this series.  He only had 1 goal and 1 assist in the series but was a physical force and also great on the penalty kill and was a momentum changer.

 I will have a full recap of the 67’s season, its high and low points later this week, and a look ahead to what the team might look like next year, because as bitter as this defeat was, there will be a next year.

Petr Mrazek returned to the team after missing game 3 with the flu.  He wasn’t overly tested early on, as the defense did a good job of keeping the shots from the outside and also clearing rebounds.  However, a couple of defensive lapses, both coming at times when Ottawa had a 1 goal lead, kept allowing Niagara back into the game.

Mark Visentin was the star of the first period, as he stole the game at that time, when the 67′s had a number of prime scoring chances.  If not for Visentin, the game could have been 3 or 4 – 0 at the end of the first and an IceDogs comeback would not have been possible.  As it was, Dalton Smith’s shorthanded goal after a great effort from Tyler Graovac was the only goal of the first.

That goal looked like it would hold as Mrazek was solid, but Agozzino spun away from his check and tapped home a puck that squeezed through Mrazek to even the score heading into the third.  Tyler Toffoli scored his first goal of the series just over 4 minutes into the third, but Agozzino again countered, completing a 2-on-1 that Daniel Broussard misplayed, allowing the pass across to the IceDogs captain.  Pacan scored his first of 2 less than a minute later, and the 67′s were deflated.

A pair of late penalties to Ottawa stemmed any attempt at a comeback, and Freddie Hamilton sealed the victory with an empty net goal.

The 67′ now find themselves in the same situation as they did in the last round, where they won three straight elimination games against the Barrie Colts to advance to face the IceDogs.  However, the mountain is higher this time around for 3 major reasons:  1) They have to win twice in Niagara; 2) They have to do it without captain Marc Zanetti; and 3) The IceDogs are a far superior team than the Colts were.

CAN it be done?  Of course they can.  The two games in Niagara saw Ottawa come away with a 7-4 win and a 2-1 OT loss.  WILL they do it?  I can’t guarantee it, nor can I guarantee that there will even be a game 6 back in Ottawa on Sunday, but given the way they have played with their backs against the wall so far, I wouldn’t put anything past them.

With a full day of rest, hopefully the 67′s have had a chance to recharge their batteries and focus on winning this game, knowing full well that a loss would be critical to their hopes of advancing to the OHL final.

A loss, which would put them down 3-1 for the second straight series, would be almost impossible to overcome.  They would need to win 3 games in a row against a deep Niagara team, the same situation that they found themselves in last round.  The big difference, however, is that they would have to win two of those 3 games on the road, in a rink that is not very familiar to them and is tailor made for the IceDogs.  Ottawa will also be playing without its captain, as yesterday it was made official that Marc Zanetti has been suspended for the balance of the playoffs.

Petr Mrazek will be a game time decision as he is recovering from the flu, so here is hoping that he can return and provide the solid goaltending he did in games 1 and 2.

The 67′s also need their star offensive players to step up and carry the load, to take some of the pressure off Mrazek, who will not be 100% as well as the big 3 remaining blueliners.  Chris Byrne found some extra playing time for Sean Callaghan and Mike Vlajkov in game 3, having last change, but Cajkovsky, Cardwell and Ceci will shoulder most of the ice time.

Mitchell Theoret scored a pair, and Dougie Hamilton and Andrew Agozzino added singles, and to add insult to injury Niagara goalie Mark Visentin scored into the empty net to give the IceDogs a 5-2 win.

Ottawa actually kept pace for the first half of the game, but as the game went on Ottawa lost their legs. Ottawa scored first, with Tyler Graovac firing a high wrist shot over Visentin’s shoulder.  Michael Nishi played great in the first period of his OHL playoff debut, but was a victim of a rebound goal by Theoret 20 seconds into the second period. Dalton Smith’s freaky shorthanded goal from outside the blue line put the 67′s back on top, but Hamilton’s long range wrister from just inside the Ottawa blue line caught Nishi leaning the wrong way to re-tie the score at 2  after 4o minutes.  Theoret’s second goal of the game 13 seconds into the third followed shortly thereafter by Agozzino’s insurance marker set the stage for Visentin’s long distance empty netter.

Chalk it up to playing three extra elimination games in the past 10 days and the IceDogs’ extra week of rest, but the 67′s had no gas left in the tank for the last 30 minutes, playing thier 2nd game in as many days.  Mrazek might have been able to stem the tide for much of the game, but the 67′s top players, especially Mike Cajkovsky, Cody  Ceci and Jake Cardwell were absolutely spent and they couldn’t get their legs moving in the third.

Ottawa will try to even the series at 2 and guarantee another home game with a win on Wednesday night at home, with a 7:00 puck drop.  A day off will help the 67′s recharge their batteries and they should come out ready to play on Wednesday.  Hopefully Mrazek will be ready to go, because there will be no help forthcoming from Zanetti, who is still doubtful to return, although the length of his suspension has not yet been decided (at least publicly).

Zanetti did not play in game 2 and is awaiting word on what is likely to be a lengthy suspension for kicking IceDogs forward Tom Kuhnhackl in the back of the head during a game 1 melee.  It is probable that Zanetti will not be seen in a 67′s uniform again this season, which would mean the end of the overager’s OHL career.

The team seemed to rally around their captain, and they scored 4 times in less than 7 minutes during the first period, survived a 3 goal IceDogs rally before adding three more of their own, chasing Visentin after the 6th goal.  Niagara scored a late goal but the outcome was not in doubt.

MY 3 STARS

3.  Jake Cardwell

2. Mike Cajkovsky

1. Cody Ceci

If you had a clock on the remaining big 3 defensemen, it would have totalled at least 35 minutes each.  All three not only played standout defensive hockey, but also contributed a combined 5 points at the other end.  Cardwell, who was playing despite blocking a shot on the inside of his foot in game 1, was outstanding in continuing to throw himself in front of pucks.  Cajkovsky was a physical force and Ceci showed that he is a premier blueliner and if his draft status doesn’t improve even higher from yesterday’s action, then the scouts aren’t watching closely enough.

Petr Mrazek was also key to the victory, as aside from a pair of early 2nd period power play goals he was nearly impenetrable.  He made 44 saves as the IceDogs attacked relentlessly, but were foiled time and again by Mrazek.

Ten different players chipped in offensively for the 67′s, and that kind of balance needs to continue for the 67′s to keep pace with the IceDogs.

LOOKING AHEAD TO GAME 3

Monday night will be the challenge for Ceci, Cardwell and Cajkovsky, as they will again be forced to higher than normal ice time, this time on back to back nights.  Back on home turf and with last change, Chris Byrne can perhaps mix in Sean Callaghan, Ryan Shipley and Mike Vlajkov a little more to take some of the burden off the big 3.

The 67′s best chance is to continue to play in the Niagara end, to keep the puck out of their own end as much as possible, and to stay disciplined.  Two of the IceDogs goals were on power plays, but the 6 advantages they had could have turned the tide of the game.  Carwell took a pair of penalties early  in the first period that did not cost them, but if Niagara had scored on one of those and taken an early lead the outcome could have been vastly different.

The teams played a scoreless first 40 minutes, but there was no shortage of action.  The game was fast and clean up to that point, with Ottawa getting the  only penalties, a minor for putting the puck over the glass (Cody Ceci) and a slashing call (Tyler Toffoli).

Tom Kuhnhackl opened the scoring just over 7 minutes into the third when he drove the net and shoved the puck and Petr Mrazek into the net.  Despite protestations from Mrazek, the goal stood.  There was also a scrum after the play that could drastically change the face of the series and affect the fate of the 67′s, but I will talk about that in a bit.  The lead lasted 3 minutes, until Nick Foglia banked one in past Visentin from below the goal line to even the score at 1.  That is how it stood until overtime.

Just over 5 minutes into the extra frame, Brett Ritchie’s shot trickled through Mrazek and Mitchell Theoret tapped it home to give the IceDogs the home ice victory and the 1-0 series lead.

MY 3 STARS

3. Dougie Hamilton – Niagara’s defensive leader was a force at both ends of the ice.

2. Petr Mrazek – Faced 51 shots, stopping 49 of them

1. Mark Visentin – Made 41 saves on 42 shots

GAME NOTES

After Kunhackl’s goal that gave the IceDogs a 1-0 lead, he was knocked to the ice by Brett Gustavsen and Jake Cardwell.  A scrum ensued around him and in that scrum, Mark Zanetti kicked Kuhnhackl in the back of the helmet.  It was unnoticed by officials, but not by the Sportsnet cameras.  It wasn’t a hard blow, and there was no injury on the play.  From the angle they showed it was difficult to say Zanetti intended to kick the player, but the video does show that while he was joining the scrum his foot lifted off the ice and struck Kuhnhackl.  This action, combined with Zanetti’s earlier suspension and Dave Branch’s intolerance for such actions, mean a likely lengthy suspension.  It also could very likely end the overage 67′s captain’s OHL career.

And, if Zanetti is indeed out for this series, the chances of the 67′s advancing drastically decreases.  You can beat the Belleville Bulls by playing your top 3 defenseman for over 30 minutes, but you aren’t going to beat the IceDogs the same way.  As game 1 showed, the IceDogs attack in waves and would wear down the remaining big 3 if they are forced to play that way.  Sean Callaghan and Ryan Shipley played sparingly in game 1 and they would be counted on more as the series goes on, especially without Zanetti.

Hopefully they catch Dave Branch on a good day, and the suspension will be minimal, if any.  But listening to Damien Cox on the Sportsnet broadcast, he wanted Zanetti hung for his actions, which was a little extreme, but expect a suspension in this case.

The Zanetti incident overshadowed what was a great, fast-paced game that was incredibly clean (kick aside).  Ottawa, according to the Sportsnet pre-game, is such an underdog that they didn’t deserve to be on the same ice as Niagara.  This kind of Toronto-area bias also leaked through in Cox’ assessment of the Zanetti kick, where his reaction was a little over the top.  Ottawa proved that they can play with the IceDogs and this will be a long, exciting series where goaltending will probably decide the outcome.

Game 2 goes Sunday afternoon in St. Catherines, before the teams head to Ottawa for game 3 Monday night.

THE SEASON MATCHUP

The season series saw no really close games, as each of the 4 contests was decided by 3 or more goals.  Ottawa won only once, by a 5-2 score while Niagara took the other 3, although two of those were in the last week of the regular season when playoff spots were already determined for the two clubs.

THE TEAM STATS- HEAD-TO-HEAD

The biggest difference is the power plays.  While both teams can put out a very impressive first PP unit, Niagara had more success with the man advantage head to head.  If Ottawa can at least close the gap between the two percentages, it will go a long  way to their eventual success in this series.

KEY PLAYERS HEAD-TO-HEAD

Here is how each teams’ 5 key players performed against their opponents when matched up against each other:

BATTLE BETWEEN THE PIPES

Both goalies had up and down seasons for their respective clubs.  Mark Visentin was very average before the World Juniors, but was almost unbeatable after returning, going 19-1 with 6 shutouts in the regular season upon his rejoining the IceDogs from Team Canada. He only allowed 3 goals 3 times as the IceDogs rocketed to the top of the Eastern Conference.  The 67′s chased Visentin from the net in November, putting 3 past him in less than 7 minutes.  However this was before he went on his remarkable post-WJC run.

Petr Mrazek has been more inconsistent, almost from game to game.  After returning from the World Juniors, where he was named top goalie of the tournament, Mrazek went 13-6-1, adding 1 shutout. However, 11 times he allowed 3 or more goals in a game during that time.  In the playoffs he has had the penchant for allowing a weak goal almost every game, which the 67′s have been able to overcome…so far.  Mrazek saw more than 40 shots in each game he played against Niagara and he needs to have complete focus and not allow the ones that he should save to get past him.

PLAYOFF TREND

While Ottawa was taken to the limit and then some against Barrie in round 2, Niagara had little trouble dispatching the Brampton Battalion in 4 straight games.  Both teams had a little more difficulty than expected in their respective first round series, being pushed to 6 games.

Overall (including regular season & playoffs), the IceDogs have won 21 of their last 24 games, ever since a shocking 2-1 loss to the woeful Erie Otters on February 15th.

PREDICTION

This series will prove to be the equal of the Barrie-Ottawa series.  Both teams are as healthy as you can expect at this point in the playoffs.  It will be another long, knock-down, drag-out affair that will probably go the distance, with a game 7 showdown in St. Catherine’s.

The big difference is the length each team went in their previous series. Ottawa has been up against it for the last 3 games, and have been in must-win mode for a full week.  Meanwhile Niagara will have been off for more than a week by the time this series gets going.  It is the classic rest vs rust scenario for them, and if Ottawa can steal game 1 on the road, they should be able to keep one step ahead of their opponents.

This will be the last OHL action for a number of star players on either side, and unfortunately one set of players’ OHL careers are going to end earlier than they had hoped.

OTTAWA 67′s in 7 games

Brett Gustavsen’s bad angle shot just under 3 minutes into overtime slipped through Mathias Niederberger into the Barrie net to end one of the most exciting games, and series for that matter that you will ever see in junior hockey.

Rewinding about 20 minutes, with the score tied at 2, Sean Monahan knocked home a feed from Tyler Toffoli to give the 67′s a lead with only 24 seconds left to create a frenzy in the J Benson Cartage Centre.  The goal came on the power play, as the Colts were whistled for too many men on the ice with just over a minute left.   Before the Ottawa goal was even announced, however, the crowd was immediately silenced when Marck Scheifele batted a errant pass from behind the net past a shocked Petr Mrazek to tie the game with only 8 seconds left.  As the teams headed for intermission, the body language on the 67′s left me doubting their mindset, as they were slamming sticks on the boards as if they had lost.  However, whatever Chris Byrne said in the intermission to re-focus his club worked, and set the stage for Gustavsen’s heroics.

The game didn’t start out very well as Petr Mrazek continued to struggle on shots that he should be saving. Gregg Sutch’s quick wrister beat Mrazek high glove side to put the Colts on the board just under 3 minutes in.  Dalton Smith tied the game midway through the second, and Barrie took the lead again before the midway point of the third, courtesy Josh McDonald’s weak bad-angle wrister.  Steven Janes tipped in a Cody Ceci point shot to even the score again, with 7 and a half minutes left in regulation.

MY 3 STARS

3.  Mathias Niederberger – Final goal aside, made 40 saves

2.  Cody Ceci – 1 A, and another huge game defensively

1.  Brett Gustavsen – 1G, 1A including the OT winner

GAME THOUGHTS

There isn’t a more fitting player to score the winner than Gustavsen.  He never takes an easy stride on the ice and can fit in on any line.  He started the game on the 4th line, but by the third period was skating a regular shift on the second and third lines.  His impact on the game in the third period was immense and in OT was obvious.

The shift in momentum for me came in the midway point of the game.  Shane Prince was re-united with Mike Cazzola partway through the second period, and they were dominant in the offensive end. Although they didn’t score, they gained a ton of momentum as Ottawa outshot Barrie 17-9 in the second period.  I have been on the record questioning why they were split up for Games 4-5-6 and most of 7.  As much as the 67′s won those games, I think game 7 proved how much more effective both players are when they are united.

Trailing 1-0, Dalton Smith took an undisciplined checking to the head penalty on Mark Scheifele.  It was fortunate that he received only a minor, and not more as it was pretty obvious and dangerous.

Ottawa was the beneficiary of Barrie losing one of its top players, Ivan Telegin for the second half of the game.  He was helped off supported by a pair of teammates at the end of the second period and did not return for the third.  Already devastated by injury to some top players, Telegin’s injury was too much to overcome.

Neiderberger out-goaltended Mrazek through much of the series (at least after game 1), but the final goal that went in on him will haunt his summer.  Neiderberger was the only reason the series went 7,

It was a true testament to the grit and determination of the 67′s as they won 3 elimination games in a row, all by 1 goal.  They didn’t make it easy on themselves, as bad goals against seems to be the rule rather than the exception for Mrazek lately.

Up next is the Niagara IceDogs, who have been waiting since April 12th for their next opponent after sweeping the Brampton Battalion. The series begins on Friday in St. Catherine’s with Ottawa’s first home game coming in Game 3 on Monday April 23rd.

I will have a preview of the series, as well as the Kitchener-London series later this week.

Tyler Toffoli opened the scoring just over three minutes in, wiring a long wrist shot past Colts goalie Mathias Niederberger.  Steven Janes added one 10 minutes later, and Tyler Graovac put the Barber Poles up 3-0 early in the second.

But as has been the habit for the 67′s this postseason, nothing comes easy, and Barrie took the play to Ottawa after the third goal.  The Colts got on the board late in the second, and then got within one goal less than three minutes into the third to make the 67′s nervous.  However, Petr Mrazek shut the door and the 67′s surrounded him, allowing only 6 third period shots to prevail by the 3-2 score.

MY 3 STARS

3.  Cody Ceci – Played a monstrous role moving the puck and playing shutdown minutes

2.  Sean Monahan – Has virturally eliminated Mark Scheifele from the scoreboard in the last three games

1. Petr Mrazek – Played his best game since game 1 of the series.

GAME THOUGHTS

Mrazek played with a confidence that we haven’t seen a ton of lately.  He seemed more focused and followed the puck better than he has recently and was the reason the 67′s lived for another game.  His counterpart, Niederberger, wasn’t as stellar as he has been and would definitely have liked to have Toffoli’s shot back, but the Colts wouldn’t have advanced this deep in the series without him.

Shane Prince had a nice setup to send Janes in for a breakaway on his goal, but the 67′s need more from him on Tuesday to increase the 67′s chances for the monumental comeback.

Get out to the rink on Tuesday and witness the historical game 7, of a series that has lived up to the expectations that I had for it going in.  Please note it is a 7:00 start.

Mathias Niederberger was the story again as he turned away 43 Ottawa shots.  Petr Mrazek wasn’t tested as much(31 saves), and the goal he allowed to Daniel Erlich was yet another of the suspect variety, a trend that has to stop for the 67′s netminder.

All of the scoring was done in the second period, with Ottawa’s Cody Ceci pouncing on a loose puck in the slot and wired home for the power play goal.  Erlich tied the game as the period was nearing its end, walking across the blue line and sending a relatively weak wrister past Mrazek form a long distance.  Just when you thought the period was destined to finish all tied up, Tyler Toffoli tapped in a loose puck from the side of the crease to put the 67′s up by one with just 9 seconds left in the frame.

Both goaltenders were solid in the third as  Barrie tried in vain to even the score, and the 67′s tried to extend the lead.

MY 3 STARS

3.  Tyler Toffoli – 1G, 1A

2. Sean Monahan – 2A

1. Mathias Niederberger – 43 saves in the loss.

GAME THOUGHTS

For at least 2 games, Chris Byrne has split up Shane Prince and Mike Cazzola, what had previously been Ottawa’s line 1A.  In the two games, they have combined for 1 point, a Cazolla assist on Tuesday.  Prince hasn’t been nearly as effective without the centre who has given him so much support, and developed an insane level of chemistry with.  With all due respect to Tyler Graovac, the new lineup essentially turns the 67′s from a team with 2 #1 lines, to a team with 2 #2 lines.  Its not working and if it was me, Prince wouldn’t be leaving Cazzola’s side.  The strength of Graovac’s line has been the physical forecheck with Ryan Van Stralen and Steven Janes on the wings.  All three are over 6’2″ and 200 lbs and they are able to wear down opponents.  Prince and Cazzola are dynamic offensively and should be kept together.

Petr Mrazek can’t continue to let in one weak goal per game.  Its like starting each game down 1-0.  I know he has no intention of allowing the weak ones, but it is a disturbing trend and with no room for error it has to stop, because Barrie is just too solid to give them freebies.

Brett Gustavsen continues to impress, even though he has had limited ice time on the 4th line, at times on the third.  If every player played each shift with the heart and hustle of #25, this team wouldn’t be in the situation they are currently in.

On the positive side, Sean Monahan’s battles with Mark Scheifele have been fun to watch.  The young Ottawa centre has gone toe to toe with the Winnipeg Jets prospect all series and has more than held his own for the most part. Scheifele is 2 years older than Monahan and has NHL experience, but Monahan hasn’t been intimidated my Scheifele in the least.

Game 6 goes Sunday night in Barrie, with Game 7 back in Ottawa on Tuesday night.