GAME DAY: 67's host the Bulls in game 3 of the season series

After taking a 2-0 series lead back in November, the Ottawa 67’s host the Belleville Bulls for the third time this season.  Last game featured strong outings from several 67’s players including Brendan Bell who earned his first career hattrick his efforts were overshadowed by 5-point games from Dante Salituro and Nevin Guy. 

The Bulls are a team the 67’s have been able to handle quite easily so far this season winning their first game 5-4 and their latest game 9-4.  However each time these two teams meet, there has been a change in rosters.

This game is no different.  Since the last time these two met, both the 67’s and Bulls have made some roster moves.  Most recent have been from the 67’s side.  Leaving the team is defenseman Owen Stewart, he had been a healthy scratch for several games.  On Wednesday, the 67’s acquired goaltender Connor Hughes from the London Knights.  Hughes was playing in with the St. Marys Lincolns in the GOJHL.  The move puts Jacob Blair out of a job and is now waiting for a trade.

With some even bigger moves, the Bulls have sent two of their top three scorers to other teams.  Former Bulls’ captain Brendan Gaunce is now a member of the Erie Otters while former Bulls’ sssistant captain Garrett Hooey is playing with the Barrie Colts.  Both players have been instrumental in several games against the 67’s.

Joining the Bulls are a couple of 95s in defenseman Alex Yuill and winger Stephen Harper.  It appears the Bulls are in a very similar position as the 67’s were last season.  It is apparent they are sellers as they start to rebuild with younger and future assets.

The 67’s are still struggling to find their identity stuck between rebuilding and pushing for consistency.  After a couple of great games, it looks as if the 67’s have taken a couple steps back.  The 67’s have show a period or two of great work and great play, but have not put together a full 60 minutes in many of their latest games.

In a weaker Eastern Conference, the 67’s have some breathing room, but it is important for them to start stringing a couple of wins together if they want to solidify a playoff spot.

2013-14 Regular Season Record

Ottawa 67's:  10-17-1-2 (GF: 97 / GA: 129)

Belleville Bulls:  7-20-2-2 (GF: 93 / GA: 139)

Leading Scorers

Ottawa 67’s

Joseph Blandisi – 13 goals, 22 points in 21 games

Travis Konecny– 8 goals, 22 points in 22 games

Ryan Van Stralen – 7 goals, 19 points in 22 games

Belleville Bulls

Remi Elie – 11 goals, 26 points in 30 games

Cameron Brace – 8 goals, 19 points in 23 games

Jordan Subban – 5 goals, 19 points in 30 games

Players To Watch

Ottawa 67's

Joseph Blandisi – drafted 6th round to Colorado in 2013
Jacob Middleton – NHL draft eligible 2014, NHL Central Scouting C list

Alex Lintuniemi – NHL draft eligible 2014, NHL Central Scouting C list
Travis Konecny – 1st overall pick in OHL, NHL draft eligible 2015

Belleville Bulls

Remi Elie – drafted 2nd round, 40th overall by Dallas in 2013

Jordan Subban – drafted 4th round, 115th overall by Vancouver in 2013

David Tomasek - NHL draft eligible 2014, NHL Central Scouting C list

Overagers

Ottawa 67’s: Ryan Van Stralen, Philippe Trudeau

Belleville Bulls: Scott Simmonds, Jake Worrad, Cameron Brace

Leadership Squad

Ottawa 67’s:  Taylor Fielding (A), Ryan Van Stralen (A), Joesph Blandisi (A)

Belleville Bulls:  Adam Bignell (A), Scott Simmonds (A)

Potential Scratches

Ottawa 67's:  Mike Vlajkov, Taylor Davis (also scratched last game: Trevor Dulong, John Urbanic)
Belleville Bulls:  
*follow us on twitter (@msconduct or @A_Quevillon) for game day scratches

Belleville Bulls

Who's Gone?

*Brendan Gaunce –  traded to the Erie Otters

*Garrett Hooey – traded to the Barrie Colts

Daniel De Sousa – traded to the Saginaw Spirit

Luke Cairns – traded to the Saginaw Spirit

Brady Austin – traded to the London Knights

Michael Curtis – traded to the Erie Otters

Malcolm Subban - in the Boston Bruins farm system still fighting for a roster spot with the Bruins

Tyler Graovac – in the Minnesota Wild farm system still fighting for a roster spot with the Wild

Daniil Zharkov – signed contract with Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo in the KHL. He is still in the Edmonton Oilers farm system

Carter Sandlak – traded to Plymouth for a 4th round pick in the off-season

Austen Brassard – in the Winnipeg Jets farm system

Joseph Cramarossa – graduated from OHL last season

Stephen Silas – graduated from OHL last season

Jake Cardwell  – graduated from OHL last season

Who's New?

*Alex Yuill – acquired from the Barrie Colts

*Stephen Harper – acquired from the Erie Otters

Jake Marchment – acquired from the North Bay Battalion

Jason Da Silva – acquired from the Guelph Storm

Andrew Ming – 7th round pick in 2012 OHL Prority Selection

Brody Morris – 9th round pick in 2012 OHL Prority Selection

David Tomasek – 1st round pick in the 2013 CHL Import Draft

Justin Lemcke – 1st round pick in 2013 OHL Prority Selection

Jake Bricknell – 2nd round pick in 2013 OHL Prority Selection

Adam Laishram – 4th round pick in 2013 OHL Prority Selection

Justin Bean – 9th round pick in 2013 OHL Prority Selection

Remi Elie – acquired from the London Knights earlier in the season

Cameron Brace – acquired from the Owen Sound Attack earlier in the season

Mark Raycroft – acquired from the North Bay Battalion earlier in the season

Ottawa Connections

Andrew Ming – native of Williamstown (near Cornwall ), played with Cornwall Colts (CCHL)

Remi Elie – native of Green Valley (near Alexandria), played with Hawkesbury Hawks (CCHL)

So Far This Season…

2012-13 Head-To-Head Stats

Record: 2 -0-0-0 for Ottawa
Combined score:  14-8 for Ottawa

Past game preview:

Sept 20/13 Belleville Bulls @Ottawa 67’s

Nov 19/13  Belleville Bulls @ Ottawa 67’s

Past game reviews:

Sept 20/13  5-4 67’s win (regulation)

Nov 19/13  9-4 67’s win

Top scorers

Ottawa 67's

Brendan Bell – 3 goals, 2 assists in 2 games
Taylor Fielding – 1 goal, 4 assists in 2 games

Joseph Blandisi – 1 goal, 4 assist in 2 games

Belleville Bulls

Nicki Petti – 1 goal, 1 assist in 2 games

Jordan Subban – 1 goal, 1 assist in 2 games

David Tomasek – 1 goal, 1 assist in 1 game

****UPDATE****

Ottawa 67's

Scratches: 

Abou-Assaly, Dulong, Vlajkov, Davis

Forward lines:

Bell - Blandisi - Gustavsen

Van Stralen - Salituro - Konecny

Hill - Studnicka - Fielding

Graham - Brown - Urbanic

Defensive lines:

Lintuniemi - Guy

Duchesne - Middleton

Sloboda - Henley

Starting goaltender: 

Philippe Trudeau

Belleville Bulls

Scratches: 

Heffernan, Raycroft, Petti

Forward lines: 

Elie - Harper - Brace

Simmonds - Tomasek - Berisha

Cramarossa - Marchment - Laishram

Ming - Bean - Bricknell

Defensive lines: 

Worrad - Bignell

Yuill - Subban

Morris - Lemcke

Starting goaltender:

Charlie Graham