Ottawa, ON – The Ottawa Jr. Senators (12-2-1) remain first place overall in the CCHL standings following a shootout loss in Kemptville on Friday and a home win over the Brockville Braves on Saturday.
Friday – Kemptville 5, Ottawa 4 (SO)
Ottawa’s visit to Kemptville on Friday night started with the Junior Senators allowing the first goal for their third consecutive game. Ty Whyte gave the Robinson Division-leading 73’s a 1-0 lead on a shorthanded 2-on-1 man rush with just over four seconds remaining in the period. Kemptville outshot Ottawa 13-9 in the first period.
Kemptville extended their lead just 1:06 into the second period, with Brock Krulicki’s 7th goal of the season.
Ottawa got on the scoreboard at the 4:35 mark of the period, as Mark McPhee scored his first goal of the season.
Devon Sevignac would regain Kemptville’s 2-goal lead at 15:16, beating Desmarais on a penalty shot. Sevignac was awarded the penalty shot after being slashed by Aidan Cooper on a breakaway opportunity.
Ottawa would close out the second period scoring a last-second shorthanded odd-man rush goal of their own. Thomas Freel finished off the play, scoring his fifth goal of the season with five seconds remaining. The goal took Ottawa into the third period trailing the 73’s by a score of 3-2.
Patrick Larkin made the score 4-2 7:43 into the third period.
Bodie Nobes made it a one-goal game at 14:09, with his third of the season.
Ottawa would pull Desmarais for the extra attacker late in the game, setting the stage for Alex Pineau’s heroic game-tying goal with just under 30 seconds remaining.
Overtime would solve nothing. Wil Murphy and Julian Recine were both stopped in the shootout by 73’s goalie, and former Junior Senator, Tyler Laureault. Hunter Brazier, and Krulicki, both scored in the shootout for the 73’s, giving them the 5-4 shootout win.
Ottawa went 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and outshot the 73’s 46-37. Ottawa went 0-for-5 on the powerplay, extending their powerplay drought to four games.
The 5-game season series is now tied at one win per team, although Ottawa’s win over the 73’s on October 10th was in regulation.
Saturday – Ottawa 4, Brockville 0
Ottawa responded at home on Saturday night with a 4-0 win against the Brockville Braves.
David Maybe opened the scoring at the 19:18 mark of the first period, on the powerplay. Edward Moskowitz and Anthony Provost picked up the assists. The goal was Ottawa’s first powerplay goal in their last 14 opportunities, and the team’s first powerplay goal of the season was not scored by the top unit. (Jacques, Isabelle, Recine, Nobes, and Freel.)
“Mabey’s first goal there, on the powerplay, it’s the first goal that we have had on the powerplay out of one of our units. That was awesome to see and very encouraging. Stu [Battrick] has been doing some great work with them in practice and it was great to see them get one.” Said OJS Head Coach Kyle Makaric.
Ottawa would add three-second period goals, extending their lead to 4-0. Freel scored his 6th and 7th goals of the season at the 4:33 and 16:28 marks, respectively. Mabey added his second goal of the game at the 18:59 mark. Simon Isabelle picked up two assists in the second period, after seeing his 6-game point streak snapped vs. Kemptville.
No goals were scored in the third period. Ottawa outshot Brockville 38-23 in the game, went 1-for-5 on the powerplay, and 6-for-6 on the penalty kill.
Desmarais stopped all 23 shots he faced, earning his league-leading second shutout of the season.
“The team defense is much more than just the six guys back there and the goalie, but I think that the way they [Ottawa] played without the puck, throughout the neutral zone, there just was not a whole lot of room for Brockville tonight, and when there was an opportunity, Will was rock solid.” Said Makaric about the teams’ collective defensive performance.
The next game for the Ottawa Jr. Senators will be on Wednesday night when the 4-11-1 Smiths Falls Bears visit the Jim Durrell Sports Complex. Ottawa won the first meeting between the two teams in Smiths Falls by a score of 7-3 on October 22nd. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:20 pm. You can catch the game on mixlr.com/ojsradio or you can watch it on Hockey TV.
