Ottawa 67s Fan Report: Cowck's Return a Big Hit!! (or three)

After missing 41 games due to an injury suffered in his first shift of the first exhibition game of his last season with the Ottawa 67's, overager and Ottawa Senators pick Corey Cowick announced his early return with a thundering hit on Belleville's Kyle DeCoste.

After a chippy first period that saw 5 penalties, the Ottawa 67's settled down, took control and skated away with a 5-1 win.

There were three new faces in the lineup including the return of Corey Cowick, the recently acquired Shane Prince and callup from Hamilton Remy Giftopolous. As you would expect, the forward lines looked a bit different. Tyler Cuma also returned from a brief recovery from a broken bone in his foot.

Forward Combos:
Cowick, Martindale, Nigro (starters)
Prince, Lindsay, Toffoli
Smith, Merrett, Nesbitt,
Giftopolous, Graovac, Janes

D-pairs
Zanetti, Cuma
Demers, Gibbons (starters)
Hartwick, Ceci

Goal: Perugini

Scratches: Carnevale (knee), Birkhoff, Stevens, Hanes

Belleville scored the first and only goal of the first period after Belleville enjoyed almost 4 minutes with the man advantage including about 1:30 of 5-on-3. It was a mad scramble in the Ottawa crease where Demers helped out Perugini but the puck still crossed the line. Luke Judson was credited with the goal with assists going to Bathgate and Payerl.

Both coaches must have told their players to stop with the penalties and get on with the job of winning the game as the second period was much calmer and more disciplined. And it paid off for the 67's as they put 4 unanswered goals up on the board and never looked back.

It started with Thomas Nesbitt tying the game in the last second of Ottawa's 5-on-3 when he jammed the rebound past Tiechmann who had made a few great saves during the run of Belleville penalties. Toffoli and Zanetti with the assists.

Then just over 3 minutes later, Tyler Toffoli put the 67's ahead with a shot launched from a spin-o-rama move in the slot that went in stick-side. Shane Prince got his first point as a 67's with the first assist and Cody Lindsay with the second assist.

Ryan Martindale scored his 15th goal of the season and Corey Cowick with his first giving Ottawa a 3-goal lead to end the second period.
Thomas Nesbitt scored his second goal of the game in the third period to make it 5-1 to finish the scoring for the game.

Assists during this run went to Martindale (2), Nigro (2), Smith and Zanetti.

As the game wound down, Byrne gave his rookies more ice time including being the first PP unit for Ottawa's last PP.

Click here to see the game sheet.

Three Stars as selected by the Team1200

Hardest Working 67 as selected by the Team1200: Derek Hartwick

Random Thoughts:

With Cowick's major hit on DeCosta just 46 seconds into the game, there were smiles all around the 67's bench. It really set the tone early.
Ottawa went 1/6 on the PP and didn't get too many shots on Teichmann. Belleville did a good job keeping Ottawa to the outside.
Hartwick played well while Birkhoff was recovering from his injury. Perhaps he has played himself into a full-time gig?
Shane Prince fit in quickly and easily - he looked at home with Toffoli and Lindsay.
Giftopolous played to get noticed.
The trade deadline is noon on Monday and Ottawa has one too many overagers. It will be interesting to see what Killer can and will do.
Despite the score, Belleville's goalie Tyson Teichmann had a pretty good game. He had some spectacular saves that kept the game as close as it was.
Belleville D and Ottawa native Shawn Lalonde had a very undisciplined game with 3 penalties and showing his irritation throughout the game.
Lots of Belleville bodies splayed out on the ice during this game. The team trainer certainly got his workout.
Apparently Peter DeBoer, new co-owner of the Oshawa Generals and Florida Panthers head coach was at the game.