67’s weekly: Back in the fight
With their playoff lives on the line, the Ottawa 67’s stepped up last weekend, delivering two massively important wins.
Going into the weekend, there was an outcome that would have seen the Barber Poles eight points back of the North Bay Battalion, which would have all but sealed their fate with nine games left to play. Instead, they’re one point behind, with everything to play for.
On Friday night, they set the tone against the Battalion, snagging a 5-2 win, which they followed up by upsetting the Windsor Spitfires — the OHL’s third-best team in the standings. They couldn’t have come up with bigger performances in those two games.
“Our urgency has been up there,” said Assistant Coach Norm Milley. “There is an awareness of the situation we’re in, the players are dialled in, and our discipline has been really good. We’re playing well, and it’s up to us now.”
With the season coming down to the wire, Milley says the charge is being led by the club’s veterans.
“Our older guys, especially our overagers, are starting to realize that this is their last chance at it,” he said. “They’re stepping up and realizing that we could do something special. Everyone is counting us out. We know what we have in the locker room. We know if we stick to our structure, our system, we’re disciplined, we have a chance against anybody.”
A focus all season for the 67’s has been discipline. It has been remarkably important, with the penalty kill being ranked last in the league, sitting at 69 percent.
Staying out of the box has been key, but recently, the Barber Poles’ kill has been better. For example, last Sunday, they held the fifth-ranked Windsor Spitfires’ power play off the board on four opportunities.
“We’re doing a great job the PK,” Milley said. “It’s coming. The details are getting sharper, and we’re starting to get a little bit of puck luck as well. You need some puck luck on the special teams. Down the stretch here, special teams is going to be key for us.”
Part of that success, of course, has been the stellar play of both Collin MacKenzie and Jaeden Nelson of late.
“Both goalies are playing with confidence right now,” Milley said. “They’re both playing with poise. When they’re in the net, they’re calm, so it keeps everybody relaxed. And if we want to have any chance of going forward here, we need to get good goaltending.”
It’s been said for the past handful of weeks, but once again, it’s the biggest weekend of the season thus far.
Two matchups with the Peterborough Petes — Thursday night on the road, and Saturday afternoon at home — are followed by a massive game in North Bay on Sunday.
“It’s huge,” Milley said. “It’s the season. If you come out of this weekend winless, our chances of making the playoffs are slim. If we come out of this weekend with three wins or get points in all three games, I like our chances. It’s up to us if we want to be playing meaningful games coming down the stretch, it’s up to us to take care of business.”
While it would be easy to look ahead at the mammoth matchup in North Bay, there are four points up for grabs before that mean a lot in the standings.
“It has been one game at a time for us,” Milley said. “It’s tough not to look forward to the North Bay game, it’s a big game for us, but we know if we’re not structured, we’re not disciplined, [Peterborough will] take it to us. Every game and every point matters for us, so we have to keep with our mindset.”
