Kingston 4, Ottawa 3
After the Ottawa 67’s lost to North Bay on Saturday, head coach Dave Cameron stood in front of the media to talk about his team’s performance.
“There’s an opportunity for guys and they’re not grabbing it.”
Cameron said his team can’t seem, to grasp the need to combine three key factors: structure, execution and compete. He said Saturday’s game had good structure and compete, but lacked execution.
The past four weeks have been tough on Ottawa. They’ve lost six straight, a dismal turnaround from November when they won seven out of 12 games and five of 10 in October and half of December.
“Teams are going to have ups and downs. Right now, we’re a bit down. But attitude-wise, I think we have to get positive,” said team captain Luca Pinelli.
Ottawa’s earlier winning record had the team cruising in first place in their conference. After losing five straight, they’re tied for second in the East Division in the Eastern Conference with 39 points after 36 games.
But that total is well behind other teams. In the Western Conference, for example, the Kitchener Rangers have 54 points — with three more games played compared to Ottawa — to lead the Midwest Division. The Soo Greyhounds also have 53 points in 39 games atop the West Division.
Max Donoso stopped a couple breakaways against the Battalion on Saturday. Photo: Devon Tredinnick
Part of the reason Ottawa isn’t winning right now is they’re missing key players, including Cooper Foster, whom Cameron described as the team’s best centre. Foster, with 29 points in 31 games, has been missing from the lineup since Dec. 17, 2023.
That said, the coach is not making excuses.
“No poor me’s here. We have to find a way to win some games.”
On Saturday, the game against Kingston was a chance at retribution and progress. The previous time the two faced off, Kingston beat Ottawa seven to four.
Pinelli stressed how important it is not turning on other guys during tough times. And with key players like Foster missing, Pinelli said he has no problem taking on the responsibility for producing offensively.
It made his first period goal against the Frontenacs Saturday all the sweeter.
Ottawa put up a much better fight against Kingston than they had against North Bay on Friday, when the Battalion took away a 5-2 win.
Heading into overtime tied at three, this was exactly the kind of opportunity that Cameron was talking about.
The Kingston Frontenacs have played one more game than Ottawa and have 39 points, tied with Ottawa. Photo: Devon Tredinnick
It wasn’t to be with the Frontenacs’s Gabriel Frasca sniping the winner.
Despite the loss, Ottawa did earn the team’s first point in five games. A bit of progress and Cameron also found some other positives.
“I can live with the effort we put in today. Our structure was better.”
What’s missing, Cameron added, was their ability to execute.
Change is could be what is needed for the 67’s to break this slump. Their newest forward, Braeden Kressler could be part of that change.
A Toronto Maple Leafs prospect, Kressler and a pair of draft picks from the Flint Firebirds has arrived in Ottawa. Ottawa sent five draft picks in future Ontario Hockey League Priority Selections to Flint in return.
Cameron said he believes Kressler will add balance to the team.
“With the lineup we’ve had, we’ve overplayed guys, so it’ll allow me to have a better balance in my lines.”
