LAST GAME RECAP

Home ice was all the Generals needed to get back into this first-round series. A thrilling 5-4 OT win sent GensNation into a frenzy – and sent the Ottawa 67’s back to their hotel shaking their heads.

The Generals came out flying to start Game 3, feeding off the energy of a loud home crowd. Just 1:19 into the opening frame, a hungry Cameron Butler gave the Generals the 1-0 lead, their first lead of the series. Since signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Butler has seemingly found another level and has been using it to his advantage in this series, between his physicality and now his offense.

While the Generals did strike early, the Ottawa 67’s flexed their Hamilton Spectator Trophy skills once again and erased the early lead. With four minutes remaining in period one, Cooper Foster scored his first-ever OHL playoff goal while falling in front of Jacob Oster. In the dying seconds of the period, Jack Beck received a nice pass out in front from Luca Pinelli before roofing it over the glove of Oster.

A strong start from the Generals fizzled into a 2-1 deficit heading into the dressing room, outshot by the 67’s 14-6.

The second period is when things looked like they were getting out of hand for Oshawa. A Jordyn Ertel tripping penalty gave the deadly 67’s power play another opportunity to get on the board. Not even 30 seconds into the man advantage, Will Gerrior drove the net front and beat Oster through the five-hole for a 3-1 Ottawa lead.

Oshawa wasn’t able to capitalize on power play chances of their own and could only muster another seven shots on Collin MacKenzie in the whole period. Down 3-1, the Generals were now being outshot 29-14 heading into the third period, looking to avoid falling behind 3-0 in the series.

With 20 minutes to get back into the game, Oshawa came out of the room looking like a whole new team. The Generals were finally able to play their style of game in the final frame, forcing Ottawa to make some mistakes they’d likely take back if they could. Midway through the third period, a beautiful passing play from Ryan Gagnier to Calum Ritchie, and finally to Cameron Butler was finished off for his 2nd of the game. The one-time shot from Butler brought the Generals back within one goal with half a period left to play.

Just under five minutes remained when Matthew Buckley tied the game for the Generals, with his first of the playoffs. What looked like a dead play, was reviewed for an extended period of time. It was determined that an Ottawa 67’s player knocked the net off of its moorings during an imminent scoring opportunity for Oshawa, and therefore the play was ruled a goal on the ice, despite the whistle being blown.

Less than two minutes after the Gens tied it, the crowd was alive, and the Generals could taste victory. On the power play, Ryan Gagnier received a net-front pass from Stuart Rolofs, and while falling was still able to get the puck past Collin MacKenzie and into the net for a 4-3 lead.

Seconds away from victory, the league’s best 67’s found a way to extend this game to overtime. With the goalie pulled, a nifty passing play left Jack Beck with enough space to bury the tying goal past Oster – sending Game 3 into overtime.

Overtime lasted all of 23 seconds before Calum Ritchie picked up his own rebound to the left of MacKenzie, shooting a pass across to Gagnier who knocked home the one-timer shot through MacKenzie, giving the Generals a 5-4 win and life in the first round.

Down just 2-1 as opposed to 3-0, the Generals will look to tie the series on home ice, tonight at 7:05 p.m.