Peterborough looking for a bit of redemption in tiebreaker
A win would keep them in running for the Memorial Cup
As if a spot in the Memorial Cup semifinal isn’t enough motivation for the Peterborough Petes, they also have redemption on their minds.
After losing their opening two games, 6-3 to the Western Hockey League champion Seattle Thunderbirds and then being shellacked 10-2 by the host Kamloops Blazers, the Petes gained some traction with a 4-2 win over the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Quebec Remparts on Tuesday.
It clinched them a spot in the first tiebreaker game at a Memorial Cup since 2015 on Thursday night at 9 p.m. EDT.
Peterborough (1-2) faced the Blazers (1-2) again after Seattle (2-1) defeated Kamloops 6-1 in the final round-robin game on Wednesday.
Results were unavailable at press time.
The Petes maintained that wasn’t their real team in Sunday’s 10-2 loss and now they’ll get a chance to prove it. The winner faces Seattle on Friday at 10 p.m. EDT. Quebec (2-1) has clinched a spot in Sunday’s final at 7 p.m. EDT.
“It’s a redemption game,” said assistant captain Chase Stillman. “Nobody likes to get beat 10-2, that’s for sure. It’s better when you have an opportunity to play them again and make them pay for it.”
They’ll have to go through both teams they’ve lost to in order to get to the final.
“We’re hungry for the opportunity,” said centre Owen Beck.
“We don’t like the results of either game. We’re going to look to make adjustments and find ways to beat those teams. We know how (Kamloops) play now. They’re a fast team and they get on the forecheck really well and capitalize on their chances. We need to really tighten up defensively.”
“Now we know we’re facing both of them,” said a confident Petes head coach Rob Wilson. “It took us a while to get our legs here but I thought the game against Quebec was a lot more like the way we played. Everybody here is very good so we have to play like that or better.”
This time, it’s Kamloops playing back-to-back games and the Petes who will be rested. “I’ve been fortunate to play in a lot of short-term competitions in my career and it’s very hard to beat a team twice in the same tournament,” said forward Brennan Othmann. “That’s how we’re going to approach it.”
Othmann has become a villain in Kamloops after Blazers defenceman Kyle Masters suffered an injury that ended his tourney after a hit by Othmann. Masters was taken off on a stretcher and released from hospital after evaluation and is expected to make a full recovery. No penalty was assessed and no further discipline after the incident was reviewed.
Blazers coach Shaun Clouston told local media he thought it was an “attack” on his player by Othmann. Blazers defenceman Owen Zellweger, Othmann’s Canadian world junior teammate, said he didn’t believe Othmann’s apology was sincere.
Othmann said “it was a hockey play” as he was just trying to finish his check and it was unfortunate Masters was off balance and fell awkwardly into the boards. He said he texted Masters following the game expressing his concern for his well-being.
“If they don’t think my apology was sincere, that’s what they think, but I know everyone in our room and I know in my heart and mind that it was sincere,” Othmann said.
“You don’t want to see a guy go out especially with an injury like that. That was a very scary injury. I felt bad all day the next day and even that night You can ask any one of my teammates.”
Clouston expects a different Petes team this time.
“They were pretty tenacious (Tuesday),” he said.
“They had a little more jump and were a little harder on the forecheck,” Clouston added.
“Still really good structure, just they were in a do-or-die game and so you can see what they’re capable of when their backs are against the wall.”