Three Players to Watch Wednesday Night
The Ottawa 67’s host the Kingston Frontenacs Wednesday night at the Arena at TD Place. The Barber Poles are coming hot off back to back wins at home over the weekend. Here’s who you need to keep an eyes on for this mid-week match up.
Austen Keating has been on a tear to start the 2018-19 season. The 19 year old is on pace to have a career year by a wide margin. Typically known as a goal scorer, Keating has emerged as a play maker this year with three goals, and 10 assists through the first eight games. That is an average of 1.63 points per game, more than double his average last season. Keating’s 13 point total has him tied for second overall in league scoring, and his 10 assists is good enough to be second in the league as well. Sunday at TD Place he wanted to remind everyone of his goal scoring ability and picked off a pass in the offensive zone and wired it top corner for the unassisted marker. Austen is a threat to the other team as soon as he steps foot in the offensive zone and he can beat you by scoring the goal himself or setting up a teammate. He is definitely a player the Frontenacs will be keeping an eye on and a player you should watch out for as well.
Merrick Rippon has been a lot to handle for opposing teams in the defensive zone this season. After going undrafted last year, a surprise to many, Rippon received an invitation to Calgary Flames development, and rookie camps. The Ottawa native has since returned back to the Nation’s Capital with a level of grittiness to his game. Rippon is still the smooth skating puck moving defenseman he was last season but this year he throws his body around more than his rookie campaign. Case and point, Merrick threw a hip check on Sunday afternoon that went viral being picked up by the likes of TSN and Spittin’ Chiclets. Rippon is also tied for the team lead (with Austen Keating) in +/- with a +7, which is also good enough to tie for third best in the league as well.
Jason Robertson – Kingston Frontenacs
The league leader in goals will be in the building Wednesday. Jason Robertson is a goal scorer, pure and simple. The 19 year old enters this season coming off of back to back 40+ goal years. Robertson is averaging more than a goal per game with eight tallies in seven games. On a low scoring Frontenacs team, Jason has scored over half of the Frontenacs goals so far this season and is on pace to set a new career high in goal. Robertson is lethal in the offensive zone and a player you should watch out for Wednesday at TD Place.
Puck drops at 7:00pm at TD Place. You can get your tickets here.
