The 67’s needed a Thomas Nesbitt shootout goal to salvage a 4-3 win after blowing a 3-0 third-period lead against the division rival Oshawa Generals.
“It’s great to win and great to win in a shootout, but it’s tough giving up a three-goal lead,” said 67’s coach Chris Byrne.
“I thought we played well defensively at times, but we’ve got to figure out a way to generate more opportunities, more shots and more zone time.”
For the second straight game, the 67’s were held to fewer than 20 shots. They were outshot 38-19 in the game, and held to just six shots through the second and third periods.
“It’s almost like we’re trying to make the perfect play,” said Byrne. “Sometimes the play is just to rip the puck and get it on net.”
That tactic worked for Cody Ceci, who blasted home his first goal of the season after Sean Monahan won an offensive zone draw cleanly back to the point. That made it 2-0 after Tyler Toffoli opened the scoring on a nice individual effort.
Toffoli tagged up on an offside and chased Oshawa defenceman Scott Valentine as he retrieved an Ottawa dump in. Valentine caught a rut, and Toffoli stripped the puck, and in one swift motion spun and tucked in a backhander glove side on Michael Zador.
The 67’s were lucky to escape the second period up 3-0, as the Generals carried the play and forced 67’s goalie Petr Mrazek to come up with some game-saving stops, such as when he dove across the crease to thwart Christian Thomas, who got everything on a one-timer during a second-period power play.
Generals rally
The 67’s Travis Gibbons made his shot count, though, snapping the puck by Zador to jump out to a 3-0 lead late in the second.
But the 67’s ran out of luck in the third, as the ice stayed tilted in the Generals’ favour.
Alain Berger converted a crisp Thomas pass on a power play at 4:45 of the third, and Thomas set up rookie Scott Laughton less than four minutes later to draw the General’s within one.
Carp native Calvin de Haan, who had his own cheering section at the game, gave his family and friends something to cheer about when he snapped a low shot past Mrazek with 1:07 left on the clock to force overtime.
