Gardiner’s hat trick helps 67’s steamroll Petes
If this is the beginning of a scoring surge for the Ottawa 67’s, they couldn’t have picked a better time.
A team that by Head Coach Dave Cameron’s own admission doesn’t “score easy” absolutely erupted on Thursday night, roaring to a 9-0 road win over the Peterborough Petes.
Goaltender Ian Michelone wasn’t tested much, but turned away all 18 shots he faced for his first shutout as a member of the 67’s.
While Ottawa got goals from six different scorers, three of them came by way of Dallas Stars prospect Brad Gardiner, who earned his first career hat trick, in pulling one point shy of 50 on the year.
With his team up 1-0 early in the second period, Gardiner fired a slot shot past Zach Bowen to double his team’s lead. His effort from there lent itself to an exceptional powerplay performance from the Barber Poles, as he struck with the man advantage in both the second, and third periods to earn the milestone.
Going 4/8 on the powerplay when all was said and done, Brady Stonehouse got the special teams scoring started 3:28 in. Gardiner made it 2-0 early in the second, before Luca Pinelli scored his 47th of the year with an absolute bomb from the point, also on the man advantage.
Will Gerrior chipped a rebound past Bowen just under four minutes later, and before the middle period was out, Frankie Marrelli converted on a beautiful cross-ice feed from Jack Dever, making it 5-0 Ottawa.
Back on the powerplay, Gardiner scored his third a little past the midway point of the third. Gerrior fired home his 26th of the year 4:58 later, and Braeden Kressler cashed in on a rebound with 1:04 to go, as the 67’s put a stamp on their final meeting of the season with the Petes.
Ottawa plays their final road game tomorrow night, visiting the Kingston Frontenacs at 7:00pm.