By Darrell Cole – Amhearst News
OTTAWA, Ont. —
The Ottawa Junior Senators are getting used to being at the Fred Page Cup.
For the second consecutive year, the Junior Senators will be at the eastern Canadian Junior A hockey championship. Unlike last year, when they were the host team, Ottawa comes to Amherst not only as the Central Canada Hockey League champs but also the defending Fred Page Cup champions – after a 10-1 win over Longueil on home ice last May.
“We’re a fast hockey club, hard on pucks and play a structured game,” head coach Martin Dagenais said. “We’re hard to play against, especially in our defensive zone. If you want to score five goals against us you’re going to have to outwork us.”
Dagenais said he really didn’t expect to be back at the Fred Page Cup this year after only returning seven players from last year’s championship club and starting the season 1-4. He said he has never coached a team at the junior level that progressed as fast as it did.
Ottawa won its last eight regular season games and then went 12-2 in the playoffs before knocking off perennial CCHL powerhouse and cross-city rival the Carleton Place Canadians to claim its second consecutive league title.
It’s the fourth consecutive season Ottawa and Carleton Place played in the final. Carleton Place won the first two and Ottawa the last two.
“We’re playing good hockey right now,” he said.
Ottawa was led during the regular season by Darcy Walsh and Elie Boulerice, who each had 64 points, while Owen Cole had 61 and rookie Kyle Jackson had 54. Jackson added 13 playoff points and Cole chipped in 12.
Noah Rowe led the defensive corps with 43 points and Adrien Bisson had 28.
It’s in goal where the Junior Senators are potent. In the playoffs, Francis Boisvert had a 1.46 goals against average and .945 save percentage while going 12-2. During the regular season, he was 31-11-0 with a 2.19 goals against average and .920 save percentage.
Ottawa opens Wednesday against the host Ramblers at 7:30 p.m. before playing Princeville on Thursday at 3 p.m and against Yarmouth on Friday at 3 p.m.
