By Kevin Gould, Cornwall Standard-Freeholder
The Ottawa Junior A Senators are gearing up for the Fred Page Cup.
The Junior Sens host this year’s edition (2017-18) of the FPC, and they don’t plan on playing the part of gracious host.
Ottawa, CCHL finalists the past two seasons, have an automatic berth in the tourney but yeah, they’d like to enter as league champions.
“Obviously, that’s what we want,” said Ottawa head coach Martin Dagenais, whose Junior Sens waltzed to a 5-0 victory against the Cornwall Colts at the civic complex on Thursday.
The win puts the Sens at 16-3-1-1 for the season, up in the lofty stratosphere occupied by the four-time defending champion Carleton Place Canadians, who sit first overall at 18-2-0-1 heading into their home game on Friday night.
Getting over the hump that is the CP Canadians is a goal for the Junior Sens, and they’ve made acquisitions meant to help in that regard.
Getting Nick Lalonde from the Colts is a big part of that formula, though he wasn’t dressed for the game against his former team. Lalonde has been injured for about a month (shoulder) and is expected back in a week or two.
He is definitely part of the long-term solution for the problem that is CP. Others on the Junior Sens? Maybe not.
“We will not finish (the season) with that lineup. That’s a guarantee,” said Dagenais, who was less than happy with his team’s performance against the Colts.
“We weren’t good. Good enough (to get the victory), but we gave up a lot of breakaways, a lot of scoring chances.”
Ottawa goaltender Francis Boisvert was good, very, in earning the shutout.
Truth is, the Colts played some inspired hockey against one of the league heavyweights. In a season where the Colts are routinely outshot, often heavily, by opponents, it was 33-32 in favour of Cornwall.
The Junior Sens led 2-0 after one period, goals scored by Owen Guy and Elie Boulerice.
Ottawa’s Pierre-Luc Veillette added the only goal of the second, and the Junior Sens were sitting pretty heading into the final 20 minutes.
Ottawa iced the victory with a pair of goals five seconds apart late in the third, scored by Bailey Brant and Chiwetin Blacksmith.
The Colts had their chances, none better than Tommy Tanner’s penalty shot late in the second period.
“That was probably the best 5-0 loss I’ve ever been a part of,” said Cornwall coach Brock McBride.
“I felt like we were never really out of that game. We did a lot of things right, we just didn’t capitalize, we didn’t score.
“They’re a skilled team and they took advantage of some chances.”
Dagenais believes the Sens are more skilled than in past seasons, at least up front.
“I would say we’re more skilled than we have been, but I don’t think we’re better, not yet,” said the Ottawa coach.
The Colts meanwhile, continue to spin their wheels, the loss pushing them back to the .500 mark, with a record of 10-10-2-0. They’re back in action on Thursday, hosting the Rockland Nationals.
• In Nepean on Wednesday, the Colts doubled up the Raiders 4-2, getting a 55-save performance from Liam Lascelle.
The Raiders outshot Cornwall 57-35.
Troy Quinn, David Poirier, Konnor MacCormick and Chris Theodore scored for the Colts. Theodore also had two assists.
