Home Ice Hanging In The Balance; 67's Lose to Battalion

The North Bay Battalion took a 5-2 decision over the 67’s on Thursday, sealing the season series tiebreaker and in doing so, all but guaranteeing third place and ensuring the Barberpoles a first-round meeting with Niagara.

Niagara, meanwhile, moved one point back of Ottawa win a win over Barrie.

Just under two weeks after being called out by head coach Jeff Brown, Leo Lazarev allowed a weak one eight minutes in, killing any momentum started by Ottawa’s dominant cycle game to start the night.

Trent Mallette scored twice in the opening frame, closing a pair of one-goal deficits, but Lazarev and the 67’s defence weren’t themselves the rest of the way.

Mathew Santos and Brett McKenzie scored in the second, taking over the game from a deflated 67’s squad.

On Ottawa’s one real chance in the third, Jake Smith made the best of his 22 stops on the night, sprawling across the goal line to stop Dante Salituro.

Nick Moutrey added the empty netter.

While Lazarev fought the puck a lot, he wound up with 31 saves, making a couple of big cross-crease stops to keep the visitors in it.

Ottawa closes out the season with a much easier schedule, taking on Peterborough and Sudbury this weekend.