Ottawa 67's eliminated from OHL playoffs
Loss dashes club's hopes for first Memorial Cup berth since 2005
They may have won a record-setting 14 straight playoff games, but it'll likely be the four straight losses that the Ottawa 67's will remember most.
The 67's fell 8-3 Sunday to the Guelph Storm in what was a must-win Game 6 of the Ontario Hockey League final.
The loss dashed the club's hopes for their first Memorial Cup berth since 2005.
It also brought an unexpected end to what was a dominant season for the 67's, one where they finished first in the OHL's eastern conference with 50 wins, tying a club record.
The 67's had won the first two games of the final series, but then were forced to deal with an injury to star goaltender Mike DiPietro in the first period of Game 2.
While DiPietro didn't play another minute of the series, 67's head coach André Tourigny said his absence wasn't to blame for the team's inability to close things out.
"It's two really good teams, and the margin between both teams was really tight. Three games [were settled] by one goal," Tourigny said.
"You have to create your chances, but it was tighter than the score showed."
'To just come short is tough'
Tye Felhaber, who topped all OHL players with 56 regular season goals, found it hard to hide his disappointment after Sunday's loss.
"It's tough. We're such a close group, and we had such a great season. For it to just come short is tough, but you've got to look back on this season and be proud of it," Felhaber said.
Guelph, which won the series four games to two, will now represent the OHL at this month's Memorial Cup in Halifax.