Troops, 67’s in war zone


By
February 23, 2017

North Bay Battalion and Ottawa 67’s are in a tie for the eighth-and-final playoff in the Eastern Conference with the Ontario Hockey League regular-season slate in the stretch run.

Both teams have 46 points and 12 games remaining in the regular season. As well, the Battalion and 67’s are both just two points back of seventh-place Niagara with a game in hand apiece on the IceDogs.

But as North Bay heads out on a three-game road trip against Western Conference teams this weekend, Ottawa is home for a trio of matches with Eastern Conference foes.

The Battalion faces the Flint Firebirds on Friday night before visiting the Saginaw Spirit on Saturday evening and the Soo Greyhounds on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s a tough road trip in October, let alone this time of the year, to play three games in two days, because the third game is in the afternoon in the Soo,” said Butler.

Meanwhile, Ottawa is coming off three games in which it managed just a point in losing to the Oshawa Generals in overtime and battling the Hamilton Bulldogs and London Knights tough only to drop narrow decisions.

Ottawa’s play of late has 67’s coach-general manager Jeff Brown encouraged.

“Our effort has been very encouraging,” praised Brown. “I told our players that if they keep giving that kind of effort that things are going to turn around for us.”

The 67’s are home to Oshawa on Friday at 7 p.m. before Saturday and Sunday 2 p.m. matinee matches against Hamilton and Niagara at TD Place.


What you think about “Troops, 67’s in war zone”

  1. This weekend may well see the 67s gaining some separation from the Battalion. The Troops are facing a 3-in-3 vs the tougher West division and are in the midst of a brutal stretch of missing players due to injuries and suspensions. Unless they play above themselves, it looks like this is where they go from hunting for a playoff spot to strategizing about who they will try and sign in the draft. It would mark the first time they have missed the cut since they came to the Bay and how that would affect attendance (which is already the lowest it has been) for next season remains to be seen.

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