Pinelli hits 40 as 67’s double up Battalion on Family Day
There have been few certainties for the Ottawa 67’s, this season, but one of them has been the captain scoring goals.
A year marred by injuries has seen Luca Pinelli suit up in every game, thus far, and power the team offensively. He scored two more today — his 39th and 40th of the season respectively — as Ottawa picked up a big 6-3 win over the North Bay Battalion, in front of 5,117 fans inside The Arena at TD Place on Family Day.
A four-point day by the Columbus Blue Jackets prospect worked in concert with a pair of goals by Brady Stonehouse, and three assists from Braeden Kressler, two of which came on Pinelli’s markers. Henry Mews, and Samuel Mayer rounded out the goal-scoring, securing a 23-save win for Ian Michelone.
Ihnat Pazii scored early for the Battalion, before Pinelli responded less than five minutes before the end of the first period. A Kressler faceoff win went right to the sniper, who made no mistake on a quick shot that fooled Mike McIvor.
Continuing the trend of early-period goals, Dalyn Wakely restored the North Bay lead 1:26 into the second, but again, it was a late Pinelli goal evening the score. In similar fashion to his first of the day, Pinelli fired a one-timer off a Kressler pass for his second of the game, and 40th of the season, en route to his first-star effort.
Turning the tables on North Bay, a mad scramble in front of the goal saw Henry Mews pot a rebound to give the 67’s their first lead of the day, just 1:38 into the final period. 59 seconds later, Stonehouse received a Brad Gardiner feed behind the Troops’ goal, and beat McIvor with a wraparound chance to make it a 4-2 game.
Andrew Leblanc answered for the road side at the 4:25 mark, on a goal that was awarded upon review, and when the 67’s were awarded one of the game’s two penalties with less than three minutes to play, things began to look a bit dicey.
Nevertheless, Michelone and the 67’s held firm, and when the Battalion pulled McIvor for the extra attacker, Mayer fired the puck from his own end into the open goal. As a last ditch effort, Head Coach Ryan Oulahen pulled his net minder again, and it was Stonehouse converting on the opportunity with 18 seconds to go.
Off the heels of a big Eastern Conference win, the 67’s host the Oshawa Generals on Friday night at 7:00pm, looking to make it two straight.
