67’s continue their quest for the OHL Eastern Conference title
Posted Apr 23, 2012 12:22:32 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA, Ont. – The Ottawa 67’s are looking to keep their post season dreams alive for the first time since they made their last run to the Memorial Cup in 2005.
Game three of the Eastern conference final is Monday night with puck drop at 7 p.m. at the J. Benson Cartage Centre on Bank Street.
The 67’s were in a tough contest over the weekend against the highly touted Niagara Ice Dogs. The teams split the opening two games with the 67’s snapping Niagara’s playoff winning streak at 7.
The 67’s opened a 4-0 first-period lead and Petr Mrazek made 44 saves in game 2 as Ottawa defeated the IceDogs 7-4.
Shane Prince and Sean Monahan both had a goal and two assists for the 67’s. Mike Cazzola, Cody Ceci, Dalton Smith and Jake Cardwell each had a goal and an assist Ottawa, while Nicolas Foglia also scored.
Alex Friesen, with a goal and an assist, Brett Ritchie, Dougie Hamilton and David Pacan replied for Niagara, which cut the Ottawa lead to 4-3 just over four minutes into the second period.
But the 67’s responded exactly a minute later, then forced Mark Visentin from the IceDogs net at the 11:38 mark of the second period after the Phoenix Coyotes’ first-round draft pick allowed his sixth goal on just 19 shots.
Chris Festarini turned aside 15 shots in relief of Visentin.
Ottawa is also still waiting to hear from the league over the fate of captain, Marc Zanetti. The Ontario Hockey League suspended the 67’s defenceman indefinitely on Saturday for an alleged kicking incident in Game 1.
Zanetti allegedly kicked Niagara’s Tom Kuhnhackl after the winger scored to give the IceDogs a 1-0 lead in the third period.
No penalty was called on the play and Niagara went on to win the game 2-1 in overtime.
A decision from the league is expected sometime Monday, but Zanetti is likely out of the playoff picture.
