Ottawa was looking for a better result than last Sunday's disappointing loss to the Kingston Frontenac here at the Civic Centre. Whatever the 67s were hoping to accomplish, there would have to do it with a depleted roster.
Forward Combos:
Cowick, Couture, Nigro,
Lindsay, Kiriakou, Nesbitt
Sonnenburg, Blunde, Carnevale
Hanes, Schinkelshoek
D-Pairs:
Demers, Gibbons,
Birkhoff, Paryzek
Hartwick, Zanetti
Goal: Perugini
Scratches: Toffoli (concussion-like symptoms), Anderson (shoulder), Cuma (knee - probably gone for the season), Martindale (mono)
Peterborough started the game with purpose, taking play to the 67s, fore checking hard and cycling well. But it was the 67s that scored first less than 5 minutes into the game when Martin Paryzek's shot from the point beat a screened Daniels. Anthony Nigro and Logan Couture got the assists.
The Petes continued to play physical and control the puck but were unable to get too many quality shots through to Perugini and were unable to score. The shots on goal at the end of the period were 13 - 7 in Ottawa's favour but it seemed that the play was in the Ottawa zone for most of the period.
With 45 seconds left in Ottawa's second power play, Anthony Nigro put Ottawa up by two when his snap shot from the hash marks beat Daniels blocker side. Logan Couture and Julien Demers got the assists.
The second period was a scoreless affair. Ottawa looked flat. They held off Peterborough on their two power plays and Perugini stopped all 13 shots from Peterborough but they were unable to capitalize on their 4 power play opportunities, including a 4 minute stretch (against the 4th worst PK in the league) nor on their 11 shots on Daniels.
The Petes made it a bit of the game in the third when Chad Lowry cut the lead in half with his goal halfway through the final frame. He was left all alone and former 67 Pat Daley fed him the puck in the slot and he beat a moving Perugini. Ottawa native and Peterborough first round pick Ryan Spooner got the other assist on what would be the Petes' lone goal of the game.
But just 1:30 later, the two goal lead was restored. It started with a stretch pass from Martin Paryzek from below his own goal line. It was on the tape of Corey Cowick who's shot hit the goal post. Logan Couture prevented Peterborough's clearing attempt and got the puck to the slot where a Anthony Nigro's shot from his knees beat Daniels.
Ottawa gave the Petes every chance to get back in this game with a couple of late period delay of game penalties. The second one came when the Petes had already pulled Daniels for the extra attacker so they had a 6-on-4 advantage that the Ottawa defenders held at bay. Thomas Nesbitt had a chance for an EN but he was in too deep.
The depleted 67s squad came away with the 3 - 1 win with shots on goal of 32 - 30 in their favour.
Random Thoughts:
- It was Ladies Day at the Civic Centre and some 67s moms and a grand mom were honoured at the start of the game. The boys gave their respective special ladies (who wore the boys' warm-up jerseys) flowers and a hug.
- Ottawa survived two episodes where two players broke their sticks effectively giving the Petes a couple of 5-on-3s, even though the extra bodies were on the ice. When this happened in the third period, the Petes kept the play in the Ottawa zone for a long time before Ottawa was able to get a whistle.
- Logan Couture has scored 17 points in his last 11 games.
- A few 67s having careers seasons or on their way to a career year: Kiriakou with 46 points (41 in his best previous year), Lindsay with 29 points this year (27 in his previous best year), Nesbitt with 40 points so far (27 in his best previous year), and of course Corey Cowick with 49 points this year so far (25 in his best previous year) to mention a few players.
- The 67s are starting to take more penalties. This game saw them spend 19 minutes on the kill for penalties. They are still the least penalized team in the league with 681 PIMs, averaging 12.6 per game but I bet this number is rising.
- Looks like Cuma is done for the rest of the regular season. The Minnesota Wild brought their unsigned first round prospect to Minnesota to check out the knee and determined that he needed some arthroscopic surgery to clean up the meniscus. Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson came back after 10 days when he had his surgery but I wouldn't hold up and hope for the same result with Tyler, it was a different repair. Wonder if Tyler will be in the press-box when the Sens are in Minnesota tonight.
It's a 5 1/2 hour trip to play the 6th place Barrie Colts at 7:30 tonight, followed by a 1 1/2 hour trip to Owen Sound for a 2:00 game on Sunday and then a 7 hour return trip to Ottawa. That's a lot of time on a bus.
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