67’s suffer first preseason loss as rally falls short Saturday

It was a valiant comeback effort for the Ottawa 67’s, Saturday at home ice, but they came up just short of tying the score against the North Bay Battalion in preseason play.

Down 5-2 in the late goings, a goal by Charlie Hilton, and Cooper Foster’s second of the night both came within the final two minutes, but the Battalion fended off the Barber Poles to deal Ottawa their first defeat in exhibition play, this season.

Josh Brady opened the scoring for the 67’s, on a quick powerplay point shot that fooled Mike McIvor 2:43 in.

It was all North Bay from there, however. Brett Bouchard answered back with a  powerplay goal of his own, and an Anthony Romani breakaway marker gave the Troops a 2-1 lead heading into the second. Dylan Richter added to their lead late in the second. and Foster converted with the man and Chase MacQueen-Spence made it 4-1 before the midway point of the third.

Foster broke the four-goal unanswered spurt on the powerplay, thanks to a gorgeous cross-ice feed from Henry Mews, but Stef Forgione put the game out of reach once more soon after.

Hilton made it a two-goal game with 1:21 to play, after Brad Gardiner’s slick feed from the corner set him up at the net front. A knuckle puck from Foster made it 5-4 with 20 seconds to play, but that would be as close the 67’s got.

They’ll be back in action in Cornwall on September 23, hosting the Kingston Frontenacs.