Battalion barrage overcomes Ottawa
KANATA, Ont. – Zach Bell, Matt MacLeod and Barclay Goodrow scored in a span of 2:09 early in the third period to send the Brampton Battalion to a 5-3 victory Monday over the Ottawa 67’s in a Family Day holiday matinee.
Goodrow’s goal was his second of the game, and Brandon Robinson provided the other Battalion goal, while goaltender Matej Machovsky contributed 25 saves.
The Troops improved their won-lost-extended record to 27-21-9 for 63 points, second in the Ontario Hockey League’s Central Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. They moved two points ahead of the division rival Sudbury Wolves, who fell 6-2 to the host Oshawa Generals.
Sergey Kuptsov, Joseph Blandisi on a penalty shot and Ryan Van Stralen scored for Ottawa, while goaltender Jacob Blair faced 47 shots before a crowd of 5,613 at Scotiabank Place, home of the 67’s this season and next during renovations to the Ottawa Civic Centre.
Ottawa is 15-38-4 for 34 points, fifth in the East Division and last in the conference. The 67’s have lost four straight games, their last win an 8-5 decision Feb. 9 over the visiting Windsor Spitfires.
Defenceman Bell blasted a screened drive from the right point behind Blair at 2:58 of the final frame to give the Troops a 3-2 lead, and MacLeod struck 22 seconds later on a shot from the slot. MacLeod’s 12th goal of the season proved the winner.
Goodrow scored his team-leading 31st goal at 5:07, corralling the puck in the slot and going to his forehand to beat Blair high to the blocker side.
Van Stralen backhanded home a loose puck in the crease on the power play at 9:06 to complete the scoring.
The teams, tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, exchanged goals again in the second period, with Blandisi giving Ottawa a 2-1 lead on the penalty shot at 5:03. Blandisi was hooked by Marcus McIvor, and play continued for an extended period before it was whistled dead and referee Patrick Brown signaled the penalty shot.
Blandisi, who collected his 11th goal and fourth with Ottawa since a trade from the Owen Sound Attack, beat Machovsky under the left pad.
Robinson responded on the power play at 16:32, snapping a shot from high in the right-wing circle after taking a pass from Bell. Dylan Blujus, who fought Blandisi to a draw at 19:29, got the other assist on Robinson’s 15th goal.
Goodrow opened the scoring with the man advantage at 12:25 of the first period. Blake Clarke fed the puck to the goalmouth from deep on right wing, and Goodrow jabbed at it several times before poking it behind Blair. Francis Menard had the second assist.
Kuptsov tied it on an unassisted effort at 18:11. He sidestepped McIvor just inside the Battalion blue line and beat Machovsky with a weak shot between the legs from deep in the left-wing circle.
Each team had two power-play opportunities in the period, in which the Troops outshot the home side 17-9.
Ottawa’s Sean Monahan went off for hooking at 8:16, and Blair denied Goodrow, who shot wide right from close range, and snagged a left-point drive by Brenden Miller.
Machovsky was forced to make a solid save after Bell was sent to the box on a questionable crosschecking call at 13:15, closing the door on Connor Brown as he darted across the front of the crease.
The Battalion scratched Cameron Wind. Ottawa scratches were Matthieu Desautels, Mike Vlajkov and Taylor Fielding.
The Battalion visits the Mississauga Steelheads at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
BATTALION NOTEBOOK: The game was the second that the Battalion has played in the home of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators. The first was Game 5 of a conference quarterfinal on March 27, 2004, when the facility was known as the Corel Centre. Kamil Kreps scored two goals and Wojtek Wolski one in a span of 3:59 in the second period of a 4-2 victory. Jamie Fraser had the other Battalion goal, and goaltender Kevin Couture made 32 saves before 6,443 fans. The visiting team won the last five games of the series, which the Troops captured in seven games … The Battalion went 2-for-6 on the power play. Ottawa was 1-for-6 … The Troops are 10-13-6 on the road. Ottawa is 6-22-2 at home … In 239 games, Goodrow has 87 goals and 67 assists for 154 points, eclipsing Lukas Havel for sole possession of 10th place on the club’s career list. Goodrow is tied with Chris Clayton for 10th place in games played … After a 5-3 win Sunday over the visiting Barrie Colts, the Battalion overnighted at Kingston to reduce game-day travel … With Wind, suffering from a groin ailment, scratched for the first time since the 2010-11 season, Brendan Childerley played defence instead of right wing … Nicholas Foglia faced the 67’s on their home ice for the first time since being acquired June 1 for goaltender Keegan Wilson. Foglia had 13 goals and 16 assists for 29 points in 137 games over two-plus seasons with Ottawa … Onetime Battalion left winger Derek Froats, who had his overage season cut short by injury, attended the game. He is a resident of nearby Chesterville, Ont. … The 67’s played their last of seven consecutive home games. Ottawa plays its first February road game Wednesday night against the Belleville Bulls.
