The Belleville Bulls improved to 2-0 in exhibition play with a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa 67’s Saturday night at the Yardmen Arena. Veteran forward Stephen Blunden recorded a goal and an assist to pace the Bulls to the win.
After a scoreless first period in which Ottawa out-shot Belleville 9-5, the 67’s opened the scoring eight minutes into the middle frame when first round pick Tyler Toffoli wired a bullet wrist shot past the glove of Mike Murphy and into the top corner of the net. Midway through the second period Murphy was replaced in goal by Philipp Grubauer. The Bulls tied the score with just 27 seconds remaining in the period while on the power play when Michael Neal one-timed a Blunden pass past 67’s goaltender Adam Courchaine. Luke Judson also assisted on the goal. Shots on goal in the second period favoured Ottawa 10-9.
Blunden gave the Bulls the lead nine minutes into the third period when he jumped on a turnover at the 67’s blueline and snapped a low, hard shot past Courchaine from the face-off circle. Ottawa pressed for the equalizing goal throughout the remainder of the game but Grubauer was excellent in net for Belleville to preserve the victory. Shots on goal in the third period were 11-6 Ottawa and overall favoured the 67’s 30-20.
Murphy and Grubauer were both strong, making 16 and 13 saves respectively in the win while Courchaine stopped 18 shots in a losing effort for Ottawa. The Bulls finished the game one for five on the power play while Ottawa failed to score in two opportunities with the man advantage.
Taken from the Belleville Bulls website (a road game for Ottawa).
I can't find any information on the lineups so I don't know who sat out. Good to hear that Tofoli got a goal - he sure had his chances on Friday night. But nothing to show for their two power plays.
On another but completely unrelated point, here's a link to an article in the London Free Press about Akim Aliu. It's not that I'm particularly interested in Akim's progress; it's the gratuitous comment about the Eastern Conference from Dale Hunter that caught my attention:
While he's gone, the Knights will get a chance to see if they can survive without him. The team will miss his touch, his physical presence and they will lack a legitimate heavyweight to counter some of the Western Conference's toughest fighters.
"Maybe if you're in the Eastern Conference, you don't have to worry about it as much," Mark Hunter said, "but on our side, it's a concern. You have guys like (Richard) Greenop in Windsor. It's a tough conference."
Harrumph! Sounds like the gauntlet has been thrown down boys!
Finally, I was way wrong in Pearson's injury on Friday. It was his wrist or arm that was hurt in the perhaps-Zamec induced contact with the boards.
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