By Kevin Gould, Cornwall Standard-Freeholder
The Ottawa Junior Senators have been here before, but on the other side of the equation.
“We’re getting the bounces I guess,” said Martin Dagenais, head coach of the Sens, who are up 3-0 in their CCHL final against the Carleton Place Canadians.
Every game has been close, two decided in overtime.
“The games are so close. It could be 3-0 for them,” said Dagenais, whose team can complete the sweep with a victory at home on Wednesday.
Ottawa went up 3-0 in the series with a 2-1 overtime victory in Carleton Place on Monday night.
The same two teams also met in the CCHL final last year. And the year before.
Last year, Ottawa won the series opener, before losing four straight games, all by a goal, the last two in overtime.
The previous year, the final went seven games, Carleton Place winning Game 7, 3-2.
The difference? Well, inches really.
“I think maybe we have the guys now, players who are confident that they’ll score in overtime,” said Dagenais.
“The last two years, we worked hard, but maybe we didn’t have that.”
Former Cornwall Colt Nick Lalonde is one of those “guys” and the 20-year-old from Brooklin, Ont., who will skate at Robert Morris University starting next season, is leading the CCHL in playoff scoring, with five goals and 17 assists in 16 games.
“That’s where a guy like Nick really helps,” said Dagenais. “He’s one of those guys.”
Joining the Sens during the off-season, in a three-team deal that saw Cameron Hebert arrive in Cornwall, Lalonde has been exactly what Dagenais expected.
“He’s here to produce. That’s why we made the trade. He’s not the fastest skater, but he can score,” said Dagenais of Lalonde.
“He’s been part of some big goals for us. We knew what he was good at, and that’s what he’s given us. He’s really stepped up for us.”
It was Lalonde scoring the overtime winner in Game 2, after assisting on the tying goal, coming with just three seconds left in regulation.
In Game 3, Owen Guy (second in playoff scoring) had the OT winner.
“Our dynamic duo up front,” said Dagenais of Lalonde and Guy.
“But really, we’re getting production from all four lines and that’s what you need against CP.”
The Canadians are going for their fifth consecutive title and Dagenais knows eliminating them won’t be an easy assignment.
“They’re good, I think the best team in the country right now,” said the Ottawa coach.
“It’s 3-0 and we won’t take anything for granted. We’re playing the Carleton Place Canadians. We know if we give them an inch, they’ll take it. They have a team that can win four in a row.”
Regardless of how the CCHL final ends, the two teams will meet again in the Fred Page Cup. The Junior Sens are hosting the regional tournament, so two teams from the CCHL will be at the event, which runs May 2-6.
