Ottawa 67’s playoff hopes on the ropes after loss in North Bay

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The Ottawa 67’s playoff hopes took a catastrophic hit on Sunday.

With a chance to gain a share of the eighth and final post-season berth in the OHL’s Eastern Conference, the 67’s ran out of steam in a 5-2 road loss to the North Bay Battalion.

The 67’s now trail the Battalion by four points with both teams having six games left.

If the teams are tied at the end of the regular season, they will meet in a “play-in” game, which would be hosted by the team with more regulation and overtime wins (ROW).

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North Bay currently has a firm grasp of that distinction.

The 67’s have a 2-8-3 record this season against the teams they play in their final six games, starting with Wednesday’s visit to Kingston where they’ll face the Frontenacs.

Only two of Ottawa’s six games are at home and both are next weekend, against the Oshawa Generals on Friday and the Frontenacs on Sunday.

The Battalion are 9-12-1 versus the remaining six teams on their schedule.

Four of their final six are at home.

The 67’s, who were playing with just 15 skaters on Sunday because of injuries that have maxed out the eligibility of even their callups, blew an opportunity to put themselves in better shape by losing a pair of 4-3 decisions to the last-place Peterborough Petes on Thursday and Saturday.

They salvaged one point by taking Saturday’s game to a shootout.

On Sunday, they had a 2-1 lead after the first period when captain Luca Pinelli’s 33rd goal of the season and Jack Dever’s eighth overcame an early deficit created by North Bay’s Jacob Therrien.

Bronson Ride lifted the home team even with the only goal of the second period.

The Battalion pulled ahead in the final period on goals by Lirim Amidovski and Ihnat Pazil before Nick Wellenreiter sealed the victory with an empty-netter.

Jaeden Nelson made 28 saves in the Ottawa net while Mike McIvor blocked 26 shots between the Battalion’s pipes.

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