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| Photo: Robert Lefebvre / www.icelevel.com (from December 5th game) |
Home ice has proven to be a factor in this series so far with the home team winning all 3 games. The 67’s carried the 4th best record at home during the regular season while the IceDogs may have had the best home record in the second half of the season only losing once in that time frame. The 67’s have a tough task ahead but will attempt to split the two games returning home with a 3-1 series lead.
While the IceDogs found the net 6 times on Monday night, more than half the scoring came from their second line. Ottawa native Billy Jenkins, Jordan Maletta, and Islanders’ prospect Josh Ho-Sang combined for 4 goals while Leafs’ prospect Carter Verhaeghe and Anthony DiFrusia scored the other two. Jeremiah Addison, who is currently second in OHL playoff scoring, recorded the lone two goals for the 67’s.
With a 4-0 deficit after the first 40 minutes, 67’s coach Jeff Brown replaced Liam Hersbt with Leo Lazarev to start the third period. Herbst allowed 4 goals on 32 shots and sat for the first time in the series.
"Herbst wasn’t bad tonight," Brown said. "It was just trying to shake the team up a little bit."
Lazarev only allowed one goal early on in the third while the 67’s scored both goals in the same frame. Trailing 5-2, Brown pulled his goaltender for extra attacker with more than 5 minutes left in the game.
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| Photo: Robert Lefebvre / www.icelevel.com (from December 5th game) |
“Well analytics say to take him out at that time,” explained Brown after the game. “We’ve got a face-off in their end. We could set something up.”
Unfortunately, the bold attempt was not successful as the IceDogs scored on the empty net to take another commanding 6-2 lead. The 67’s were unable to recover.
Brown felt like it wasn’t the IceDogs who dominated his team but that the 67’s beat themselves and played that much worse than the IceDogs.
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| Photo: Robert Lefebvre / www.icelevel.com (from December 5th game) |
“I think it’s important that our guys understand that we were that bad,” he said. “If you can’t play on the road in the playoffs, a lot of people are going to take notice. (There are) a lot of things we have to try and tidy up before Wednesday.”
The 67’s will look to re-group tonight for game 4 in Niagara. Game 5 shifts back to Ottawa on Friday night.
News & Notes
Prior to Monday’s game, Dante Salituro was named the OHL Player of the Week after tallying 7 points in 2 games and leading the league in playoff scoring. The scoring lead has since been over taken by Mitchell Marner of the London Knights who had 6-points in their win over the Kitchener Rangers last night. Scoring was sparse in game 3, but despite that game, three 67’s players currently sit in the top five of playoff scoring.
Trent Mallette was the 67’s nomination for the OHL’s Ryobi Hardest Working Player Award. The award recognizes the player who best demonstrates dependability, quality of play and overall commitment. The winner will receive a $2,000.00 scholarship and a Ryobi 6-piece combination kit courtesy of Ryobi Power Tools.
67’s Keys to the Game
- Best players have to be their best players
- Eliminate lanes, clog neutral zone: reduce shots and scoring chances, tighten up defensively
- Early pressure: score early, get the fans out of it
IceDogs’ Keys to the Game
- Continue pressure: don’t take the foot off the gas, don’t allow 67’s to gain back confidence
- Take advantage of home-ice: last change, atmosphere in building
- Keep using speed, simple plays, quick sticks
Here’s a look at the lines from game 3 on Monday night:
Ottawa 67’s
Brendan Bell – Nathan Todd – Travis Konecny
Jeremiah Addison – Sam Studnicka – Dante Salituro
Travis Barron – Curtis Meighan – Trent Mallette
Mike Vlajkov – Ben Fanjoy – Adam Craievich
Jake Middleton – Alex Lintuniemi
Nevin Guy – Evan de Haan
Zack Pittman – Taylor Davis
Liam Herbst
Scratched
Brandon Lukezic
Ryan Orban
Connor Graham
Dylan McDonald
Niagara IceDogs
Brendan Perlini – Carter Verhaeghe – Cody Payne
Billy Jenkins – Jordan Maletta – Josh Ho-Sang
Graham Knott – Mikkel Aagaard – Anthony DiFruscia
Johnny Corneil – Christopher Paquette – Mitchell Fitzmorris
Vince Dunn – Aaron Haydon
Blake Siebenaler – Ryan Mantha
Zach Wilkie – Brian Brosnan
Brandon Hope
Scratched
Jack Wieringa
Matt Gillard
Jonathan Schaefer
Kyle Langdon
Aleksandar Mikulovich
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Ottawa:
Goals For- 18
Goals Against- 13
Niagara:
Goals For- 13
Goals Against- 18
Specialty teams
Ottawa:
PP- 31.2% (4th in league) *was 3rd
PK- 76.9% (8th in league) *was 11th
Niagara:
PP- 23.1% (9th in league) *was 3rd
PK- 68.8% (13th in league) *was 11th
Top performers
Ottawa:
- Jeremiah Addison- 5 goals, 8 points in 3 games
- Dante Salituro- 4 goals, 7 points in 3 games
- Travis Konecny - 1 goal, 6 points in 7 games
Niagara:
- Vince Dunn- 4 goals, 5 points in 3 games
- Josh Ho-Sang- 0 goals, 5 points in 3 game
- Jordan Maletta - 3 goals, 4 points in 3 games
NHL Draft Picks
Ottawa:
- Alex Lintuniemi – Los Angeles Kings (2nd round, 2014)
- Jacob Middleton – Los Angeles Kings (7th round, 2014)
- Travis Konecny – ranked #26 of North American Skaters in CSS’ Midterm ranking
- Jeremiah Addison – ranked #127 of North American Skaters in CSS’ Midterm rankings
- Dante Salituro – ranked #145 of North American Skaters in CSS’ Midterm rankings
- Liam Herbst – ranked #14 of North American Goalies in CSS’ Midterm rankings
Niagara:
- Brendan Perlini – Arizona Coyotes (1st round, 2014)
- Josh Ho-Sang – New York Islanders (1st round, 2014)
- Carter Verhaeghe – Toronto Maple Leafs (3rd round, 2013)
- Blake Siebenaler – Columbus Blue Jackets (3rd round, 2014)
- Brent Moran – Dallas Stars (4th round, 2014)
- Ryan Mantha – New York Rangers (4th round, 2014)
- Cody Payne – Boston Bruins (5th round, 2012)
- Aaron Haydon – Dallas Stars (6th round, 2014)
- Vince Dunn – ranked #53 of North American Skaters in CSS’ Midterm rankings
- Graham Knott – ranked #54 of North American Skaters in CSS’ Midterm rankings
Ottawa connections
- Brent Moran – Orleans native
- Billy Jenkins – Ottawa native
Schedule
Game 1 - Thu Mar 26 7:00 PM Niagara 5 at Ottawa 8
Game 2 - Sat Mar 28 1:00 PM Niagara 2 at Ottawa 8
Game 3 - Mon Mar 30 7:00 PM Ottawa 2 at Niagara 6
Game 4 - Wed Apr 1 7:00 PM Ottawa at Niagara
Game 5 - Fri Apr 3 7:30 PM Niagara at Ottawa
Game 6 - Sun Apr 5 2:00 PM * Ottawa at Niagara
Game 7 - Tue Apr 7 7:00 PM * Niagara at Ottawa
*if necessary
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