On Saturday evening, the Ottawa Jr Senators won a heavyweight clash with the league-leading Rockland Nationals to extend its winning streak to eight games. The Nationals — who held the second overall position in the CJHL’s weekly top-20 rankings going into the game — lost for just the second time this season.
The game —which featured the top two teams in the CCHL — lived up to the hype. From beginning to end, the two teams battled back, maintaining a high tempo of play while showcasing skill and strong team identities. The Nationals came out of the gate hard, rapidly building up a 10-1 lead in shots on goal. Ottawa goaltender Josh Scully made several strong saves early in the game and with the help of the team in front of him, the game remained tied. In the second half of the period, Ottawa pushed back, equalling the shots at 10 apiece by the dying minutes of the opening frame.
The crowd watched the start of the second period with anticipation, waiting to see which team would grab the first lead of the game. Halfway through the period, Ottawa capitalized on a turnover, creating a 2-on-1 rush that resulted in Wynston Iserhoff scoring his sixth goal of the season on a slick play where he pulled the puck across his body before chipping it over a sprawling Jack Carter. Later in the period, Henry Brady jammed home a loose puck at the side of the net, giving Ottawa a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes of play.
Though Rockland didn’t have a goal after two periods of play, it wasn’t for lack of trying. The Nationals turned up the pace following Ottawa’s first goal, showcasing all the skill, speed and coordination that made the team 15-0 to start the regular season. Ottawa’s defense held strong in the face of adversity, weathering the storm and taking advantage of their own offensive chances.
The third period was as exciting as the first two, with chances exchanged at either end of the ice. It wasn’t until the final three minutes of the game that the score changed. With the net empty, Josh Penney scored Rockland’s first goal of the contest, cutting the Ottawa lead in half while dialing up the tension inside the Jim Durrell Arena.
The Nationals quickly pulled the goalie once more, hoping to tie the game at two, but this time, Ottawa’s Merlin Offman took advantage of a loose puck, sliding it all the way down the ice and squarely into the back of the net to give Ottawa a 3-1 lead. With just 80 seconds left in regulation, it would have been fair to assume the game was over. However, Rockland’s Ale Kelloway scored on a beautiful tip with just over 20 seconds remaining in the game to once again bring Rockland within one. The game would end 3-2 in favor of Ottawa.
This game could go down as one of the best games this season. Both teams showed their best in a clash of two teams that very well could meet late in the 2026 CCHL playoffs. Ottawa and Rockland will play one another four more times this season and if those games are anything like this one, they will be can’t-miss events for CCHL fans.
Ottawa moves on to a three-game week with a game against Hawkesbury on Wednesday, followed by a back-to-back against Pembroke on Saturday and Sunday.
