Week recap: 67’s drop a pair to Kingston
The Ottawa 67’s were unable to find their footing against the Kingston Frontenacs during OHL Rivalry Week, dropping a pair of games against their East Division rivals on Friday and Sunday.
The Barber Poles opened the weekend with a 4-2 loss at Slush Puppie Place on Friday, October 23, before returning to The Arena at TD Place for Sunday afternoon’s rematch, where Kingston completed the weekend sweep with a 6-1 victory.
The two-game series marked the second and third meetings between the clubs this season, following Kingston’s 3-2 overtime win in the season opener on September 20.
The Frontenacs’ power play proved to be the difference in the contest as Kingston added three goals with the man advantage on the way to a 4-2 win.
Kingston opened the scoring at the midway mark of the first period when Adam Goljer scored on the power play. Brody Cook added a second marker later in the frame to give the Frontenacs a 2-0 lead.
Ottawa responded in the final minute of the opening period. Spencer Bowes found the back of the net with Filip Ekberg and Chase Yanni collecting assists, cutting the deficit to 2-1 heading into the intermission.
So often in hockey you see goals scored in the final minute of a period leading to a major momentum boost for the scoring team. Unfortunately for Ottawa, that was not the case with Kingston restoring the two-goal lead just one minute into the second period.
The 67’s were able to answer quickly. Filip Ekberg added a power-play marker, with Kohyn Eshkawkogan and Bowes earning assists to bring the Barber Poles within one.
With everything starting to swing Ottawa’s way, Kingston delivered another important response late in the period. Goljer scored his second power-play goal of the night with just two minutes to play in the second, and the Frontenacs took a 4-2 lead into the final period.
For Ottawa, Bowes recorded a goal and an assist, while Ekberg finished with a goal and an assist of his own. Despite generating offence at key moments, the Barber Poles fell short on the first night of their rivalry week series.
Just two days later, the rivalry shifted to Ottawa on Sunday afternoon, but the Frontenacs carried their momentum from Friday’s victory into the rematch, scoring six times to complete the weekend sweep.
Bowes gave the 67’s an early lift, opening the scoring on the power play, ripping a one-timer home from the face-off dot thanks to a nice feed from Ekberg.
Kingston was able to level the scoring shortly after the midway point in the first period and never looked back from there. The visitors ultimately ended up netting six unanswered goals in the contest, including a pair from Nolan Buttar and the final marker coming from Brockville native Landon Wright, en route to the 6-1 victory.
Rookie netminder Royden Smith was a major factor for Kingston throughout the weekend rivalry series, stopping 64 of 67 Ottawa shots and, on the year, he has made 90 of 95 saves across three meetings with Ottawa.
The good news for Ottawa is they won’t have to wait long for their shot at redemption. They’ll welcome the Brampton Steelheads to TD Place for the first school day game on the year. Puck drop is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and there will be plenty of excited kids taking in the action.
As for the weekend, Ottawa will host the Brantford Bulldogs on Friday before heading to Oshawa to take on the Generals on Sunday, November 1. All of the action can be seen on FloHockey and heard on TSN 1200.
