New-look 67's shut down Petes

A defenceman, not named Cody Ceci, with the 'C' on his chest.  A forward, not named Logan Couture, wearing #89.  A team in Barberpoles that won't know the full result or victor from a fresh blockbuster trade until a decade from now.

It just looked weird, although successful, as Ottawa took a 3-2 decision over Peterborough.  This is the new-age 67's, perhaps playing catch up with some of the top franchises in the OHL, identifying contending windows and taking advantage when a team wants to sell the farm for one of your players.

Friday night was just the first step, but it was a big one regardless.
"(Our young guys) were special tonight," said Jeff Brown.  "We're a little younger up front obviously but we can compete every night.  Our staff is pretty excited tonight."

For a while, it looked as though newcomer Sasha Chmelevski would steal the show, in many ways he did, with a shot on net 10 seconds into the game, six more throughout the night and his first goal as a 67.

"I like having the puck on my stick, I like making things happen, it was good," added Chmelevski.

Chmelevski played most of the night alongside fellow rookie Austen Keating, something Brown adds won't be a problem as long as they continue pushing offence.

But at this stage of a year, teams often are carried by their veterans.

Nevin Guy, likely relieved to hear the news that he was one of the surviving OA's, opened the scoring for Ottawa and had his point shot tipped in by Ben Fanjoy for the winner.

Chmelevski and Chase Campbell may have been the centrepieces of this week's trade, but a slew of second round picks also came back.

If all their second round picks have the same success as Leo Lazarev, a former second rounder of the Barberpoles who made 22 stops in the win, they'll be alright.

Tonight was convincing enough of the direction the team is headed in.  Even if the recently-departed Travis Konecny put up a hatttick in his Sarnia debut.