How five goals over a long season could factor into Ottawa 67’s post-season chances

Nic Whitehead of the Ottawa 67’s battles for the puck with Kingston Frontenacs defenceman Will Bishop during Ontario Hockey League action at TD Place in Ottawa on March 16, 2025. Photo by Tim Austen /OTTAWA 67’SArticle content

The Ottawa 67’s won the game, but lost some ground, on the first night of their season-defining road trip.

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While they were busy defeating the Niagara IceDogs 2-1 on Thursday, the North Bay Battalion scored three unanswered third-period goals — one on a penalty shot and another into an empty net — for a 5-1 home ice upset of the Oshawa Generals.

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The 67’s trail the Battalion by two points in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference, but the teams now have only two games remaining instead of three.

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North Bay is in Niagara to face the IceDogs on Friday, then returns home to close out its season against the Sudbury Wolves on Sunday.

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The 67’s wrap up their road trip against the Erie Otters on Saturday and the Brantford Bulldogs on Sunday

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Should the 67’s and Battalion remain tied after the regular season, they will meet in a “play-in” game on Tuesday.

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As unlikely as it may be, the host of that game could be determined by a third tiebreaker, goal differential.

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The Battalion is currently at -63 with Ottawa at -68.

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The second tiebreaker is head-to-head meetings, and the teams split their season series, 3-3.

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The first tiebreaker is regulation and overtime wins (ROW), which North Bay currently owns by a 23-21 margin.

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Ottawa was 1-2 in North Bay this season.

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The only way the third tiebreaker would be needed is if the 67’s picked up four points by adding a pair to their ROW column while the Battalion lose twice in shootouts.

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On Thursday, the 67’s kept their hopes alive when defenceman Nolan Jackson — who was obtained by Ottawa along with eight draft picks for Henry Mews at the trade deadline — scored his first OHL goal and captain Luca Pinelli added his 36th of the season to overcome a 1-0 first period deficit.

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Collin MacKenzie made nine saves in the third period to secure the victory, as Ottawa outshot the IceDogs 35-27 on the night.

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The victory came after it was announced a few hours earlier that the 67s and the Frontenacs were being fined, $2,500 and $3,500 respectively, for a heated hallway confrontation between coaches Dave Cameron and Troy Mann following Kingston’s 3-2 overtime win at TD Place on Sunday.