Energetic 67’s group looking to learn from Game 1 against the Generals

On Thursday night, the Ottawa 67’s kicked off their OHL Playoffs run with a 7-0 thumping of the Oshawa Generals in the unfamiliar confines of Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau.

The energy surrounding the team was palpable, as feelings of excitement mixed with the tension of the moment to create an atmosphere unlike any other. The Barber Poles, despite finishing at the top of the OHL standings in the regular season, don’t have the playoff experience of other clubs, and opposite of other teams, rely on their youth.

In Game 1, that youth showed up in a big way. Frankie Marrelli and Luca Pinelli both scored twice, Caden Kelly and Will Gerrior each picked up a pair of assists, and as a whole, the young players turned in a reliable performance that Head Coach Dave Cameron praised.

“They have all year, that’s our game,” he said of his youth stepping up. “We’ve relied on them. You take away [Morrison and Mintyukov], we don’t have high-end guys, but we get a lot of contribution from everyone. We need that.”

For many of the club’s youngsters, Thursday offered a first taste of the OHL Playoffs. The moment trumps any other in their young careers, and every play has the potential to be a turning point in a series, but the goal is to simplify, and treat it as any other game.

“I just wanted to play a simple game and gain some of Coach’s trust,” Marrelli said. “Every guy has a piece to give, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you’ve gotta come ready to play.”

Cameron made a point to remind the players of their playoff series last season, where they fell to the North Bay Battalion in four games. Under his guidance, the Barber Poles hadn’t won a postseason game, and for many of the team’s players, they hadn’t either.

With Cam Tolnai out of the lineup, everyone on the team, save for Logan Morrison, picked up their first playoff win on Thursday. They may have won 51 games in the regular season, but the counter was reset to zero. With the intensity turned up, the 67’s remained a loose group before puck-drop.

“We’ve got a fun group here,” Marrelli said. “When it comes down to it, we take everything seriously. That showed in our start, something I don’t think has been the best recently.”

With starting the game right being a major focus for the 67’s, their success in Game 1 is notable. The Barber Poles were hard on every puck, and didn’t allow the Generals many chances. Before long, the work paid off, and Pinelli scored the first two goals of the postseason.

But what was really intriguing about the opening frame was the shot clock – reading 20 for Ottawa, and a stunning zero for the Gennies.

“That reflects how good our defence is,” said 67’s goaltender Collin MacKenzie said. “When they have that much confidence, it gives me confidence, and it helped me stay dialed in.”

MacKenzie, who was thrust into the starter role due to an injury to Max Donoso, didn’t have much work to do – seeing just 16 shots – but when he was asked to contribute, he did so in a big way.

On a handful of occasions, the Elora native was called upon for a timely save, which he made in sterling fashion. MacKenzie earned his first-career playoff shutout in his first postseason game, but more importantly, helped Ottawa take a 1-0 series lead.

“You need your goalie, no matter what the score is in the game,” Cameron said.

In the end, it was a great day of work for the Barber Poles.

“Everyone stepped up, whether it was the young guys or the veterans, everyone did their job,” MacKenzie said. “It shows, just look at the score. Oshawa isn’t an easy team to play against, so the fact we could do that against them was good.”

As Pinelli revealed the first X of the postseason, everyone understands that the work has only just begun, and the series is far from over.

“The focus is on the next game, [Game 1] is over,” Marrelli said. “We’ll watch the film and see where we can improve. They are going to come back even harder, so we have to be prepared.”

Game 2 of the opening round gets underway from Centre Slush Puppie on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET.