RECAP | PERTH 5, OTTAWA WEST 3
The Ottawa West Golden Knights traveled to Perth to take on the Blue Wings on Friday January 26th. Ottawa West would generate a handful of scoring opportunities but were robbed of two goals that were waived off by the referee’s and ultimately could not stop Colin Baggio who scored three goals for Perth in the 5-3 Ottawa West loss.
Despite the loss, Golden Knights Head Coach, Steve Sundin felt that they matched up really well against the Blue Wings.
“I thought we played a good game, I thought we battled hard all night but they exposed our fourth line by putting Baggio and Laird against them all the time but if we got a couple lucky breaks, we would have either tied or won that game”.
After both teams were tied 1-1 after one period of play, Ottawa West got into some penalty trouble in the second period. Brad Odam was ejected from the game for a check to the head and Ottawa ended playing short-handed for the majority of the second frame, forcing Sundin to sit his top scorers and use his top penalty killers.
“Nine minutes in the box through the second period and being down 5-v-3 for half of that really put us behind the eight ball” explained Sundin. “I thought Cuglietta was our best penalty killer tonight but when you’re killing penalties for that long you wear out your PK guys and your best players end up sitting on the bench”.
Shortly after the Blue Wings took a 2-1 lead, Tyren Boots scored his first of two goals on the night – tying the game 2-2 with under three minutes remaining in the second period.
In the final 30 seconds of the second frame, Colin Baggio walked around the Ottawa West defense and potted his second goal of the game, firing a hard slap shot over the glove of Cuglietta to give Perth a 3-2 lead going into the third.
“Listen Colin Baggio is a heck of a hockey player” noted Sundin. “I wish I could have bought him at the trade deadline but that’s how Perth gets there players”.
With emotions high going into the third period, Tyren Boots scored his second of the night on a two-on-one just over one minute in, tying the game 3-3.
“Well he was our best forward tonight” said Sundin on Tyren Boots two goal performance. “We just didn’t get a bounces but he battled all night and almost had a hat-trick”.
After Ottawa West had another goal waived off by the referee, Leblanc scored the go ahead goal with under 12 minutes to play in the third. They would add an empty netter to win the hockey game.
Steve Sundin said he doesn’t like to use excuses but felt it wasn’t the right call to waive off the tying goal in the later part of the third period.
“I thought Rafael Lecours scored but the referee said the net was off and that would have tied the game 4-4” mentioned Sundin. “We will have a look at that tape and send that to the league”.
With the loss, Ottawa West were outshot 35-24. Boots scored two goals and Lecours netted one. Cuglietta had 30 saves and was their star of the night as per Steve Sundin.
The Golden Knights are now focused on their game against the Arnprior Packers on Sunday January 28th.
“We need to expose their defense and they’re not a bad hockey club and they play us pretty tough but we got to play our game” said Sundin.
Ottawa West takes on Char-Lan in Williamstown on Tuesday and are back at the Barbara Ann Scott arena on Thursday night against the Rebels.
Dante De Caria, OWGK
