After a strong start, the 67’s look to improve to stay in top form heading into the playoffs

walterpalladNovember 24, 2022

Dave Cameron Photo by Tony Caldwell /post media

It’s a whole different story for the city’s OHL teams, as they continue to find ways to lose.

Just 20 games into the season, the Ottawa 67 have already won two in a row.

Sometimes it was due to goaltending. Other times it’s due to a timely goal, a glorious special team or a tribute to the club’s depth.

Coach Dave Cameron has praised his players for their efforts in practice over the summer and their victory in practice earlier this year, but the celebrations are quiet.

It’s all about the end goal.

“People don’t remember how they started, but they remember how they finished,” Cameron said before boarding the bus again for Thursday’s match against the North Bay Battalion, 67. said.

“The nine-game winning streak is the result of the hard work of the players, but I’d like to end the year with nine straight wins until the playoffs. I’d be really excited about that.

As head coach of the Ottawa Senators in 766 OHL, 240 AHL and 137 NHL games, Cameron understands better than anyone the ups and downs that come with a long and demanding season.

After playing at North Bay on Thursday, the 67’s travel to Peterborough on Saturday night before returning home for Sunday’s matinee with Sudbury.

It follows a crazy trek last weekend that played in Hamilton on Friday, Mississauga on Sunday and Erie on Monday, with games postponed from Saturday due to heavy snow.

The club returned to the tour after a day of practice at TD Place on Wednesday, which, in Cameron’s view, is the most important part of the winning formula.

In honor of former Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson and his infamous anti-workout rant, it’s the midweek between game prep that makes all the difference.

“We really keep our standards high,” Cameron said. “We pay close attention to practice because when bad habits get ingrained, they seep into practice. We discuss and talk about it, leadership groups are great. We’re always talking about the fact that games are usually won here on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.”

The 67’s are a young team by OHL standards.

The challenge for Cameron and the team’s experienced players is to keep their skates on the ice and their heads out of the clouds with their early successes.

“We have to stay humble and stay on the same level,” said defenseman Jacques Mattier, a prospect for the Nashville Predators who has eight goals and 15 assists in his first 20 games. “It’s been a really long season.

Matier says he has benefited from being part of the 2019-20 powerhouse 67 squad, which was targeting the OHL title before the arrival of COVID-19.

“That’s the experience of some of our leaders,” he said. “Kam Torunay has been here for five years. I have been here for four years. So growing up under players like (Noel) Hofenmeyer and (Kevin) Barr, the season is really important.”

67’s also shows off its depth. Eight players have scored at least seven goals so far, including Senate candidate Tyler Boucher, who has seven goals and four assists in 12 games.

Cameron says the younger version of the 67s has shown poise and competitiveness in the second half of the 2021-22 season. He was impressed with how it carried over into summer training.

“All the freshmen[from last season]had just entered the league, so there was a lot of room for growth,” he said.

Most important of those players is Brad Gardiner, who headed into Thursday’s game with 11 goals and four assists.

“Everyone came back from the summer a little stronger, a little older and a little more confident. Now that Dave[Cameron]is back for a second season, we’re used to the system,” Gardiner said. Told.

From veterans, he’s learning how to keep his travels and schedules as fresh as possible.

“It all starts with practice and taking care of your body,” he said. “We continue to have a goal of treating every game like it’s a big game, and we’re not slacking off at the gym.”

67 is committed to continuing to strive to improve, but is unlikely to be able to maintain the same blistering winning pace.

Ultimately, though, it’s about peaking when it matters most.

“We recognize that there will be ups and downs at the beginning of the year,” Cameron said. I want my team to be playing their best hockey at that time.”

kwarren@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/Citizenkwarren