67’s seek return to playoff glory
Ottawa 67’s will be out to win an Ontario Hockey League playoff series for the first time since the first round of the 2011-2012 campaign when they take on the Niagara Ice Dogs in an Eastern Conference set that begins this week.
Under current second-year coach Jeff Brown, the 67’s returned to the OHL playoffs last spring after missing out on the post-season two years in a row. But Ottawa lost in the first round of the 2014-2015 playoffs as Niagara upended the 67’s in a six-game series.
It’s not as though Ottawa’s lack of playoff success over the past three seasons is cause for alarm, especially when compared to the majority of teams in the 20-member OHL.
Rather, it’s more a case of ongoing regular-season and playoff success that the 67’s have enjoyed as an historic OHL franchise that includes the glory days of legendary coach Brian Kilrea.
In fact, in a recent 19-year stretch between 1993 and 2012, the 67’s won an impressive 22 playoff rounds en route to three Memorial Cup berths and one championship.
The 67’s are now in the very-capable hands of the aforementioned Brown, who like Kilrea before him, also serves as general manager of the 67’s.
Interestingly, Kilrea and Brown were both born and raised in Ottawa.
Brown, who turns 50-years old next month, brought a championship past as a junior coach when he returned home to take the 67’s job in 2014. Prior to being hired by the 67’s, Brown won two championships in the space of three years as a coach in both the North American Hockey League and United States Hockey League.
As a player, Brown was a standout defensemen in the OHL for the Sudbury Wolves before going on to star as a National Hockey League blue-liner in a career that spanned more than 800 games, regular season and playoffs included.
PHOTO: Banners honouring legendary Ottawa 67’s coach Brian Kilrea and his former star centre Bobby Smith hang from a wall inside TD Place Arena. (Photo by Wayne Milloy.)
Our guys win this Series in 6!
(Another great article by the way .. !)
I smell an “upset” here. Niagara have under acheived for a Team that was picked to win the Division. I think that Coach Brown has our boys ready and I think we are going to win the series in 7. GO 67s GO!!!!!
I agree – Great articles by Randy Russon. I am now a Fan of this Site.