The Ottawa 67’s got back to their winning ways over the weekend but it likely won’t be enough to catch the Brantford Bulldogs for first in the Eastern Conference.
On the penultimate weekend of the season, Ottawa went a perfect 3-0, starting with a massive 3-2 overtime win on Thursday over the second-place Barrie Colts, who sit a point ahead of them in the conference standings.
Ottawa followed that win with a 5-1 drubbing of the Brampton Steelheads on Friday and closed out the weekend by shutting out the Niagara IceDogs in a 6-0 romp on Sunday.
Sitting third in the conference, Ottawa is six points behind Brantford with only three games left in the regular season. Even if Ottawa were to track down Barrie, the 67’s still wouldn’t nab second in the conference because the first two seeds are reserved for the division winners.
Ottawa plays in the East division with Brantford. Barrie has already clinched the Central division.
The 67’s only chance to take first would involve winning all their remaining games and having Brantford lose their final three matchups all in regulation.
The Colts followed up their loss to Ottawa with a convincing 5-2 win Saturday over Sudbury, which will finish in the eight and final playoff spot in the East. Barrie then ended the weekend with a 6-5 overtime win Sunday over the league-worst Oshawa Generals.
Barrie’s final three games are all against playoff teams. They hit the road to take on Kingston on Wednesday, visit nearby Peterborough on Thursday and close out the regular season at home against Niagara on Saturday.
Ottawa’s final stretch isn’t nearly as daunting. They host the Generals on Wednesday before closing the home-and-home with a trip to Oshawa on Friday.
The 67’s close out the regular season hosting Kingston on Saturday afternoon.
