Series HQ: Brantford vs. Ottawa

Game 6: Ottawa ousts Brantford on home ice
Ottawa 6 vs. Brantford 1 – Ottawa wins series 4-2

• Will Gerrior and Bradley Horner each scored two goals to lead the 67’s to a series-clinching victory at home over the Brantford Bulldogs
• Jack Dever and Chris Barlas each added a goal for Ottawa
• Brady Stonehouse earned first star honours with three assists
• Zakary Lavoie scored the lone Brantford goal 64 seconds into the third period to end Collin MacKenzie’s shutout bid
• MacKenzie made 31 saves to earn the win
• Ottawa outshot the Bulldogs 38-to-32
• The 67’s were without defenceman Matthew Mayich, who served the first game of a three-game suspension
• Brantford overagers Lawson Sherk, Daniil Sobolev and Matteo Drobac all appeared in their final OHL game
• Jack Dever led the 67’s offence through the first round with eight points (2-6-8) in six games
• Ottawa moves on to the second round for the second consecutive season; They fell to the eventual champion Peterborough Petes last spring
• The Bulldogs fall in the first round for the second straight season, with their most recent second round appearance coming in their championship season in 2022

Game Centre & Highlights

SEE YOU NEXT ROUND #CapitalTerritory‼️#ForTheX | @OHLHockey pic.twitter.com/lPOmyrMmHM

— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) April 8, 2024

Game 5: Xhekaj nets two as Bulldogs keep hopes alive at home
Brantford 4 vs. Ottawa 2 – Ottawa leads series 3-2

• The Brantford Bulldogs stave off elimination with a 4-2 win on home ice to send the series back to Ottawa
• Florian Xhekaj capped off a two goal game with an empty netter with 51 seconds remaining in regulation; Xhekaj also scored the game winner midway through the third and added a helper on the opening goal by Nick Lardis
• Zakary Lavoie also scored for Brantford in the first period
• Washington Capitals prospect Patrick Thomas picked up three assists for the Bulldogs
• Jack Dever and Brady Stonehouse each scored their first goal of the playoffs for Ottawa
• The 67’s thought they had tied it up with 4:15 remaining in the third, however the goal was waived off upon review
• Brantford scored on their lone power play opportunity, while holding Ottawa 0-for-2 on their chances
• The Bulldogs have scored first in all five games of the series so far
• Matteo Drobac made 26 saves to earn the win

Game Centre & Highlights

#OHLPerformer of the Night 🌟 @CanadiensMTL prospect Florian Xhekaj was all over the ice on Saturday afternoon, collecting a pair of goals in the third to lead Brantford to a Game 5 victory.@bastardburrito | @BulldogsOHL | #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/rFilA5m2TS

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 7, 2024

Game 4: 67’s win a wild one as Mayer completes hat-trick in overtime
Ottawa 6 vs. Brantford 5 (OT) – Ottawa leads series 3-1

• Samuel Mayer, who had two goals in last spring’s OHL championship playoff run with Peterborough, completed a hat-trick midway through OT as the Ottawa 67’s won Game 4
• Mayer’s OT goal came on a shot through traffic that got past Brantford goaltender Matteo Drobac
• Henry Mews, Bradley Horner and Will Gerrior added Ottawa singles while Braeden Kressler and Jack Dever each finished with two assists
• Local product Zakary Lavoie had two goals and an assist for visiting Brantford while Nick Lardis had a goal and two helpers and Marek Vanacker had a goal and an assist
• Trailing 5-3 with less than five minutes remaining, goals from Lavoie and Lardis tied the score at five to force overtime
• Brantford’s Ben Bujold and Ottawa’s Kimi Korbler each made their playoff debuts
• Brantford outshot Ottawa 42-29; both teams went 2-for-3 on the power play
• Collin MacKenzie made 37 saves in the win while Drobac turned away 23

Game Centre & Highlights | Ottawa Post-Game

ONE MORE TO GO!#ForTheX | #CapitalTerritory pic.twitter.com/Z48qoRe23C

— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) April 5, 2024

Game 3: Pinelli and Kressler bury two apiece as 67’s win on home ice
Ottawa 5 vs. Brantford 2 – Ottawa leads series 2-1

• Luca Pinelli and Braeden Kressler each picked up two goals as the 67’s took the series lead on home ice
• Jake O’Brien scored his first career OHL playoff goal and picked up an assist on Marek Vanacker’s goal for the Bulldogs
• Caden Kelly scored Ottawa’s other marker
• The two teams only took three combined minor penalties in the game
• Jacob Maillet won 11-of-16 draws in the faceoff circle
• Collin MacKenzie stopped 23 shots to earn the win
• Ottawa outshot Brantford 31-to-25

Game Centre & Highlights | Ottawa Post-Game

DID IT #ForTheX pic.twitter.com/nIIv05lJI4

— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) April 3, 2024

Game 2: 67’s return home with much-needed win
Ottawa 6 at Brantford 3 – Series tied 1-1

• Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Cooper Foster scored twice while Luca Pinelli had a goal and an assist, helping Ottawa rally from a Game 1 loss to defeat Brantford
• Tied at two, second period goals from Pinelli and Samuel Mayer put Ottawa head for good
• Frankie Marrelli and Braeden Kressler also got in on the Ottawa scoring
• Montreal Canadiens prospect Florian Xhekaj opened the scoring 1:01 in for Brantford; Calvin Crombie and Patrick Thomas also scored Bulldogs’ goals
• Xhekaj went 22-for-27 in the faceoff circle
• Collin MacKenzie made 27 saves for the win while Brantford’s Matteo Drobac turned aside 26

Game Centre & Highlights | Ottawa Post-Game

Stole home ice 🤫 ❌ #ForTheX | #CapitalTerritory pic.twitter.com/loDlHexEJe

— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) April 1, 2024

Game 1: Lardis lights lamp twice in return
Brantford 5 vs. Ottawa 2 – Brantford leads series 1-0

• Chicago Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis scored twice and added an assist in his first action since Jan. 12th
• After Lardis put Brantford up 2-0 in the first, Marek Vanacker, Calvin Crombie and Lawson Sherk proceeded to add goals for the Bulldogs
• Luca Pinelli and Caden Kelly scored Ottawa markers
• Brantford rookie Jake O’Brien had a pair of assists
• The Bulldogs outshot the 67’s 39-28, going 3-for-9 on the power play to Ottawa’s 0-for-4
• Matteo Drobac made 26 saves for the win opposite Ottawa’s Collin MacKenzie, who stopped 34

Game Centre & Highlights | Ottawa Post-Game

It didn't take long for Nick Lardis to get back on the scoresheet 🚨

📸 Casey Bruton | #BFDvsOTT https://t.co/UjQDcSdrnq pic.twitter.com/HCzbVWrVI1

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) March 30, 2024

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(3) Brantford Bulldogs (37-20-9-2) vs. (6) Ottawa 67’s (36-24-6-2)

Brantford Series Preview | Ottawa Series Preview

OHL playoff hockey returns to Brantford for the first time since 1984 on Friday night as the Bulldogs take on the Ottawa 67’s following a successful first regular season in the Telephone City.

The Bulldogs are in somewhat of a “what-if” scenario, having missed one of the OHL’s promising young shooters in Nick Lardis (29-21–50) to injury since Jan. 12th while Ottawa Senators prospect Tomas Hamara (1-19–20), arguably the club’s best all-around blueliner, has been on the shelf since Feb. 9th.

Despite those tough breaks, the Bulldogs have shown well this season and enter the playoffs ready to send-off beloved overage veterans in captain Lawson Sherk (11-17–28) and goaltender Matteo Drobac in winning fashion, shooting for the franchise’s third championship in the past five seasons (with others book-ending the pandemic in 2018 and 2022).

Fans, get ready for a WHITEOUT during the 2024 playoffs! Need help with your white attire? We’ve got you covered with 2024 playoff tshirts available starting Friday and discounted white Bulldogs jerseys.
#BFD | #WeAreBrantford pic.twitter.com/hCa8tTspXQ

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) March 27, 2024

The Bulldogs are a team with guys up and down the lineup who offer a lot in the way of specific skills with hard-hitting defenders in Daniil Sobolev (7-18–25) and Owen Protz (3-16–19), brilliant playmakers like Patrick Thomas (21-45–66) and rookie Jake O’Brien (13-51–64), and rough-and-tumble goal-scorers like Florian Xhekaj (34-31–65) and Marek Vanacker (36-46–82) – they’ve been a fun team to watch all season.

Across the ice, the Ottawa 67’s are hoping for a fully healthy and ready-to-go Collin MacKenzie in the crease. The 19-year-old, when at 100%, is among the OHL’s top goaltenders, though he has battled injuries over the course of his three seasons in the league.

If the goaltending scenario is stable, Ottawa has some veterans to lean on in an attempt to get the job done in the first round, with strength down the middle in Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Braeden Kressler (28-46–74), overage pivot Jacob Maillet (17-42–59) and Dallas Stars prospect Brad Gardiner (16-33–49). While Brantford’s an enjoyable team to watch, Ottawa has some equally infectious players in the forward ranks who bring energy each and every shift led by 48-goal scorer Luca Pinelli (48-34–82), fiercely competitive flank Brady Stonehouse (20-24–44) and the guy they call “The Generator,” Will Gerrior (26-19–45).

2024 NHL Draft prospect Henry Mews (15-46–61) has game-breaking vision on the blue line while former OHL champion Samuel Mayer (21-32–53) came closer to home for the latter half of his OA season after hoisting the Robertson Cup with the Peterborough Petes last spring.

Brantford just beat Ottawa by a score of 5-1 to close out the regular season, but don’t let that outcome deceive you. Dave Cameron’s 67’s have more fight in them than that.

The Bulldogs are the hottest ticket in town these days, so if you can’t make it to the rink, watch the game on OHL Live.

The regular season was filled with ups and downs, but the #OHLPlayoffs provide another opportunity for the Barber Poles to prove themselves 💈

“We’ve got another gear to find,” Derek Smyth said. “The boys know that, and we’re prepared to do it."

🗞️ | https://t.co/zBCpOVwyHG pic.twitter.com/22frq13pmK

— Ottawa 67’s (@Ottawa67sHockey) March 27, 2024

Series Schedule:
Game 1: Fri., March 29 – Ottawa at Brantford, 7:00pm
Game 2: Sun., March 31 – Ottawa at Brantford, 7:00pm
Game 3: Tues., April 2 – Brantford at Ottawa, 7:00pm
Game 4: Thurs., April 4 – Brantford at Ottawa, 7:00pm
Game 5: Sat., April 6 – Ottawa at Brantford, 4:00pm*
Game 6: Sun., April 7 – Brantford at Ottawa, 7:00pm*
Game 7: Tues., April 9 – Ottawa at Brantford, 7:00pm*

Season Series:
Brantford wins 3-1
Nov. 17 – BFD 2 at OTT 1
Jan. 12 – OTT 6 at BFD 5 (SO)
Mar. 16 – OTT 2 at BFD 5
Mar. 24 – BFD 5 at OTT 1

Playoff History:
This marks the third time the Bulldogs and Ottawa 67’s have met in the OHL Playoffs
– 2019 OTT def. HAM 4-0 – 1st Round / 2018 HAM def. OTT 4-1 – 1st Round