Ottawa 67's Coach Dave Cameron Approaches Historic 1,000th OHL Game
As Ottawa 67's head coach Dave Cameron prepares for the 1,000th game of his Ontario Hockey League coaching career, his 999th contest proved to be a memorable one. The 67's delivered a convincing 5-1 victory over the Brantford Bulldogs on Saturday at TD Place, moving within a single point of their rivals in both the OHL's Eastern Conference and overall standings.
A Statement Victory Ahead of the Milestone
"I thought it was probably our best game of the year," Cameron said following the decisive win. "But we knew that we were going to have to play that to beat that team. That's a good hockey club, and if you're going to win this side, you're probably going to have to go through that team."
The victory carried extra significance as the Bulldogs entered the week ranked third in the Canadian Hockey League rankings. With 19 games remaining in the regular season and one game in hand on Brantford, the 67's now hold the edge in a head-to-head tiebreaker after sweeping both home games against the Bulldogs by a combined score of 11-1.
Goaltending Excellence and Offensive Firepower
Ottawa rookie goaltender Ryder Fetterolf turned in another stellar performance, making 32 saves against the Bulldogs to improve his season record to 23-4-1. His impressive statistics now include a 1.88 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage.
Offensively, Nic Sima led the attack with two goals as the 67's responded to an early deficit with five consecutive scores. After falling behind just past the eight-minute mark of the first period when Minnesota Wild prospect Adam Benak scored on a power play, Ottawa scored twice during a 90-second span late in the opening period, added two more in the second, and completed the scoring with the lone goal of a third period where they were outshot 11-3.
Building Confidence for the Playoff Push
The victory in front of 4,677 fans over a team featuring 11 NHL draft picks (compared to Ottawa's three) served as a confidence booster for the 67's as they approach the postseason.
"I think it more so sends a message to us, showing what we could do when we play our best," said Sima. "Obviously, everyone thinks they're probably the most talented team on paper in the league, and we came in today and we played our game, and the score kind of shows for itself, right? So I'm just happy with how we played again. And obviously, it sends a message to our group, saying that we could do it and we've got something special going on in here."
Looking Ahead to the Milestone Game
The 67's will have an opportunity to further boost their No. 8 CHL ranking when they host the Owen Sound Attack on Sunday at 3 p.m. in what will be Cameron's historic 1,000th OHL game. The timing couldn't be better for Ottawa, as Brantford has now lost four of its past eight games.
Cameron's milestone achievement comes at a crucial point in the season, with his team demonstrating they can compete with and defeat the league's top contenders. As the regular season winds down, the 67's have positioned themselves as legitimate threats in the Eastern Conference, with Saturday's victory serving as both a celebration of their coach's career and a statement of their championship aspirations.
