The 67 turn the Frontenacs and achieve a record victory in the first home game

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67’s 3, Frontenacs 2

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It was the best of times and the most eager of Jack Beck in Ottawa 67’s home opener on Sunday afternoon.

After scoring the lead goal in a nifty move with 4:40 remaining, Beck spent a couple more anxious minutes in the penalty area before the 67 stopped the Kingston Frontenacs.

Ultimately, it was a notable turnaround for the 67, who were crushed 8-1 by the Frontenacs in the season opener on Friday.

“The goal was just a collapse of their bad play and the puck hit me straight into the groove,” said Beck, who passed the puck in front of Frontenacs goalkeeper Leevi Merilainen. “I froze and just went under his arm. He is a really good goalkeeper ”.

Beck also credited his own goalie, Will Cranley, who stopped the Frontenacs after Beck received a late-game penalty for clearing the puck from the glass with 2:45 left.

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“I was pretty much down on that box,” Beck said. “I was on my feet the whole time, waiting to get out and our penalty shooters did an incredible job. (Cranley) made all the stops he had to make. It was a good team victory ”.

Vsevolold Gaidamak and Brenden Sirizzotti also scored for 67, while Cranley recorded 23 saves for the victory.

The Frontenacs received goals from Shane Wright and Lucas Edmonds. Merilainen, the Ottawa Senators prospect, made 27 stops on the Frontenacs network.

Above all, the performance in the first regular season game at TD Place in 19 months was a day and night difference from Friday.

“Disc handling and a physical commitment to 50/50 discs,” 67 coach Dave Cameron said when asked what had changed.

“(The players) bought. They get the job done, so they deserve the credit. As coaches, we can say all we want if they don’t buy and get the job done. It was a really solid effort, solid on everyone’s part ”.

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Cameron also said that the support of a home crowd played an important role.

“The fans are huge in youth hockey, especially with the family (who attends) and all that,” he said. “This organization has had a large fan base for decades. As a coach, one of the things you’re always looking for is different ways to build excitement and certainly when you have fans in the building supporting your team, they add to that. “

That crowd enjoyed a start that was in stark contrast to the first game of the season, when the Frontenacs broke in with three goals in the first four minutes.

This time, it was the 67 who got off to a fast start.

Just 1:20 into the game, Gaidamak fought a check from Chase Costantino of the Frontenacs en route to finding a loose puck in the slot, which Merilainen hit in the past.

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Wright made it up with 7:20 left in the first, a sensational effort befitting his status as the first likely overall pick in next June’s NHL entry draft. Wright, on his way down after being hit in the groove, hit the puck out of the air and into the net behind Cranley.

The 67 and Frontenacs then traded power play goals before the first period ended.

Brenden Sirizotti fired a shot, through a screen, over Merilainen’s blocker to put the Senators up 2-1, but with 57 seconds left in the period, Edmunds scored with the man advantage.

The teams skated through a scoreless second period before Beck’s third period winner.

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