The Ottawa 67’s waited a little too long to start their comeback attempt on Thursday.
As a result, the end of their season could be a bus ride away.
Looking to even their Ontario Hockey League best-of-seven second-round showdown with the Barrie Colts at TD Place on Thursday night, the 67’s were significantly outplayed for much of the 3-2 loss, and trailed 3-0 late in the game.
But they scored twice during a span of 72 seconds, drawing to within one goal with 1:58 remaining, to make things interesting.
In a wild scramble during the dying seconds, Spencer Bowes missed a wide-open side, which sealed Ottawa’s fate.
The 67’s now trail the series 3-1, with Game 5 in Barrie on Saturday night.
Game 6, if necessary, will be played Sunday (5 p.m.) at TD Place.
Goalie Ryder Fetterolf turned in another strong performance, stopping 40 shots. Barrie goalie Ben Hrebik made 33 saves.
A power-play goal by Barrie’s Joe Salandra with 12:23 remaining in the third period seemed to be too much for the 67’s to overcome.
But the 67’s showed sudden life with time running low.
First, Nic Sima’s power-play goal finally spoiled Hrebik’s shutout bid, and during the melee that followed Calvin Crombie was sent to the box, giving Ottawa another chance with the man advantage.
Frankie Marrelli’s wrist shot from a couple of steps inside the blue line pulled the 67’s to within one.
Dallas Stars first-rounder Emil Hemming put the Colts up by a pair heading into the third period when he scored his seventh of the playoffs with 7:37 left in the second. Setting him up for a tap-in at the side of the net was Cole Beaudoin, who emerged from a battle along the end boards to make the pass along the goalmouth.
The 67’s could have been in worse shape going into the final frame, but the 67’s survived their second too-many-men penalty in two games, and Fetterolf was again outstanding with Ottawa trailing 35-20 in shots.
The 67’s started better than they did in Game 3, but not as well as the broken shot clock at the east end of the building indicated when it had Ottawa holding a 9-2 advantage from early in the first until the intermission.
The actual count had Barrie up 20-12 and holding a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
The 67’s, who preached and practiced their way to success in a Game 3 victory on Tuesday, made the mistake of returning to the box in the opening period when Sima was called for holding the difficult-to-contain Beaudoin.
It took just 62 seconds of the man-advantage situation they were left with (following Ottawa’s own uneventful opportunity with Senators prospect Gabriel Eliasson in the box) for the Colts to build on the league-leading power play.
Carter Lowe was the marksman, with assists going to Hemming and fellow NHL first-rounder Kashawn Aitcheson.
Barrie had a chance to go up by a pair shortly after that, but Fetterolf, who had earlier made a great glove grab off Brad Gardiner, robbed Salandra with another from close range.
The best chance of the opening period for the 67’s belonged to Bowes, who skated in alone with a chance to tie the score but couldn’t find an opening on Hrebik.
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