New day dawns for Barber Poles in playoff matchup with Bulldogs
The 2023-24 regular season was filled with ups and downs for the Ottawa 67’s, who played to a 36-24-6-2 record, finishing as the Eastern Conference’s sixth seed.
Waiting for them in the postseason is a matchup with the Brantford Bulldogs, which is set to kick off Friday night in the telephone city. The meetings between the two have typically been close over the past handful of seasons, and for the most part, that has remained true this campaign.
With the week of practice underway, the Barber Poles have focused their time and effort on familiarizing themselves with the Bulldogs, whom they have met twice in the past two weeks, most recently on Sunday to close out the regular season.
“I think we know everything about them,” said Assistant Coach Paul Stoykewych with a chuckle. “Everything from their faceoff tendencies, to how they will play in the neutral zone with and without the puck. We know who their top-end guys are, and we know how we have to play against them to be successful.”
The coaching staff is leaving no stone unturned, game planning for anything that could come up, but Stoykewych says no amount of strategy can replace the need for players to think on their feet.
In every game, there’s a handful of areas where winners and losers are typically decided.
“It comes down to goaltending, special teams, and five-on-five play,” Stoykewych said. “If you can win two of those three categories, typically you give yourself a good chance to win.”
From previous experience in Brantford, the Barber Poles know the environment is hostile. Fans ensure that being on that ice isn’t an enjoyable experience if you wear a white jersey, and they make it difficult to cease and maintain momentum.
In the locker room, the Barber Poles will find their only allies: themselves.
“We need to build energy for one another,” said Edmonton Oilers’ prospect, Brady Stonehouse. “We want to stay calm on the bench, there are highs and lows, and as a leadership group, we’re going to try to even it out.”
With the regular season in the rearview mirror, the 67’s can reflect back on what they went through to bring them where they are now. There have been exciting comebacks, and heartbreaking collapses, but now only days before the puck drops on the playoffs, they are reminding themselves that everyone has a 0-0 record, and this is the start of a second season.
On social media, the 67’s have their doubters, but in the locker room, the mood is entirely different. There’s no fear, no panic, but plenty of belief. When Game 1 gets underway, nothing else matters, it’s one game at a time, with everyone going 110 percent for as long as the run may be.
“You have to embrace the playoff grind,” overage forward Jacob Maillet said. “It’s not going to be easy, and there are going to be ups and downs, but you have to continue to bring it every day and work as a team, and the rest will fall into place.”
“We’re just taking it one game at a time. Obviously, we want to come back here up 2-0, but that’s going to be easier said than done. We have to go there and play the right there, and things should be on our side.”
When the game is on the line, going the extra mile is the only option in the playoffs. In much the same way the 67’s plan to bring their best, the Bulldogs are having the same conversations. It will come down to who wants it more, and who does the things that aren’t recognized on the stat sheet that reaches four wins first.
“You’re going to have to do things that take out outside of your comfort zone, or things you don’t want to do, like blocking shots or taking hits to make plays,” Brady Stonehouse said. “It’s playoff hockey, you do everything you can to win.”
There’s still room for growth for the 67’s, and reaching that next level is a team effort.
“We’ve got another gear to find,” Derek Smyth said. “The boys know that, and we’re prepared to do it. This week of practice is going to be huge, and we’ll be ready to go for Game 1 in Brantford.”
