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October 30, 2010

Ottawa Takes Game 1 in a 5 - 4 Win over Peterborough

The score was closer than the game would suggest due to the outstanding play of Peterborough goalie Andrew D'Agostini but the Ottawa 67's played a strong game for the 5 - 4 win. Between some solid saves and a serious quantity of horseshoes, D'Agostini kept his team in the game as he faced 54 shots. On the other hand, Shayne Campbell got his first win in his Ottawa 67's debut behind the solid play of his team. Click here for the game sheet.

Both teams started tentatively, perhaps sizing each other up early in this first of eight meetings this season. Ottawa seemed a little disorganized and the Petes got the jump both with shots on goal and with the first goal (a PPG) of the game by Ottawa native Ryan Spooner as he beat a screened Campbell with a wrist shot over the stick side. But Ottawa's top line struck back with their own PPG from Tyler Toffoli to tie it up before the period ended with a nice give-and-go with Martindale that he put past the glove of D'Agostini.

And the top line would be tops three more times before the game was over with another goal from Tyler Toffoli and two from Ryan Martindale. Shane Prince was in on all four goals. Scoring was rounded out with Sean Monahan getting his second of the season with assists from Steven Janes and Taylor Fielding.

Going into the second period tied at one, it took just 34 seconds for Ottawa to take the lead with Sean Monahan taking a pass from Steven Janes and wristing it top shelf over the stick side. But a sloppy back half of a PP allowed Austin Watson to tie it up on a short handed goal with a backhand over the shoulder of Campbell. And just over two minutes later, Ryan Spooner notched his second of the game to give Peterborough the lead once again as he skated through the 67's and wristed it over the stick side.

But Ottawa kept up the pressure and it paid off with Ryan Martindale tying it back up with just over 4 minutes left in the second with a quick one-timer from Shane Prince.

Ottawa started the third with 1:54 of a PP that they didn't convert but they maintained the momentum from that advantage. They must have possessed the puck for 17 minute of the 20-minute period including some great cycling by the rookie line. Goals from Toffoli and Martindale gave Ottawa the lead for good although Peterborough did close the gap to one on a late period goal by Matt Puempel.

So Ottawa took the first of the 8 matches between these two teams and the first of this home-and-home series with a 5 - 4 win and SOGs of 54 - 30. It should be a good rematch in Peterborough tonight.

Three Stars as selected by the Team1200


Hardest Working 67s as selected by the Team1200: Shane Prince


Random Thoughts:
  • Shane Prince was a monster out there. His hard work and energy was instrumental to his line mates' success. He took some rough stuff too.
  • The top line combined for 10 points. They need to keep playing hard and being productive.
  • Ryan Spooner has some success against Ottawa - something like 8 goals

  • A major overhaul with the Petes does not appear to have changed their chippy attitude - lots of post-whistle nonsense as well as in-game dirty play including a nasty spearing of Dalton Smith by Barron Smith.

  • The original pairings for Ottawa were Sedlak - Gibbons, Zanetti - Ceci, and Shipley - Fielding but something must have happened to Shipley as we didn't see much of him and Shipley and Gibbons saw ice time together.

  • Dalton Smith could lose the Chris Neil post-fight-skate-to-the-penatly-box moves.
More Pictures: Click here to see more pictures from the game.

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