Jesse Winter, Centretown News
The Barrie Colts’ Roy Radke returns a loose puck during the Sept. 27 game against the Ottawa 67’s at TD Place. The Colts won 4-0.As the final buzzer sounded at TD Place on Sept. 27, the Ottawa 67’s lost 4-0 to the Barrie Colts in a disappointing home opener to the 2015-16 Ontario Hockey League season.
The defeat marked the team’s third straight loss in its first three games and second in a row being shut out.
As the players headed to the dressing room after their uninspired home-ice debut, the downcast faces recalled the look the 67’s wore last September during another rough start.
“First and foremost we need to play like a team more, we need to battle it out in front, we got to earn goals,” said 67’s head coach Jeff Brown after the game.
The start of this season has so far mirrored their previous one, as the 67’s kicked off the 2014-15 campaign with four losses. Despite the slow start last year, however, Ottawa fought its way into a playoff spot.
Brown said this team may be more skilled than they were the last season, but the club currently lacks leadership.
“I’m very disappointed that our leadership group that learned how to win last year together and understood what it takes to win, is right back to where they were in September last year,” Brown said.
Three-year veteran winger Dante Salituro said he agreed with his coach.
“We’re not playing as a team right now and it’s pretty clear, tension in the room is pretty high,” said Salituro.
Salituro did not register a point in his first game of the season against Barrie but finished last season with 78 points.
Salituro added that despite their poor play so far this year, he is optimistic that — just like last season — they can bounce back.
“We thought it was impossible last year. Everyone was down and we changed it up in one game. That’s all that really matters,” Salituro said. “We just need to play good one game, get a couple bounces and we’re back on track.”
Last season the 67’s broke a three-year playoff drought, losing in the first round to the Niagara Ice Dogs in six games. That was the first year playing at the renovated TD Place; during the 2013-14 season, Ottawa’s home games were held at the Canadian Tire Centre, a large arena for a junior team.
Former 67’s winger Ryan Van Stralen explained the difficulties of playing in an NHL-sized rink.
“There was definitely some challenges that came with it,” he said. “Obviously not having a home rink and home dressing room.”
Van Stralen is currently a winger for the Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team.
In their first season back at TD Place, the team took on a new identity, one that showed heart and character, something Brown said they currently lack.
“You win with heart, character and leadership,” Brown said. “We have no identity right now.”
Brown put the onus on the players to get their season on track and remember they’re playing for a team and not for themselves. The team is made up of primarily veterans from last season such as Captain Travis Konechny, defenceman Nevin Guy and Salituro.
“They decide collectively that they’re going to play for one another, they’re going to become brothers and they’re going to have each other’s back and they’re going to play for the number on the front. . . Right now more than half our team is playing for the number on the back and it’s disgusting,” Brown said.
Though team leadership is in question, veteran winger Nathan Todd said rookies such as centre Austen Keating and defenceman Hudson Wilson have been bright spots — not statistically as neither have registered a point, but their efforts are noticed.
“All the rookies are doing really well and they’re all good kids,” said Todd. “We all get along, all good personalities on and off the ice.”
The 67’s sit in last place of the East division with four goals for and 16 goals against.
Van Stralen said he believes in his former team and it will only be a matter of time before they figure out their game.
“They have a good coach and a good group of young players and they’ve just got to find their groove and it will come together,” Van Stralen said.
Todd said the team needs to return to their faster style of play that found them success last season.
Brown sounds less optimistic, stating that adjusting styles and strategies will have no significant effect and that better teamwork is the only answer.
“It has nothing to do with systems or game plans or anything like that,” he said. “It’s just strictly them deciding to play for one another, period.”