Defenseman Luc Brzustowski’s injury was on the Greyhounds’ minds after their weekend finale in Ottawa
Although they weren’t happy with their efforts, the focus was understandably shifted after the game.
The Soo Greyhounds lost a 6-1 OHL decision to the Ottawa 67’s on Sunday afternoon at TD Place in Ottawa.
After the game, it was more about an injured teammate.
Greyhounds defenseman Luc Brzustowski left the game early in the second period on a stretcher after taking a hit from Ottawa forward Tyler Boucher near the 67’s bench.
Brzustowski fell to the ice and the game was immediately called off. Paramedics were immediately called to the ice and the Greyhounds defenseman was taken to a local hospital after suffering a seizure.
Dean said that before speaking to the media he spoke to Brzustowski and the defender was in good spirits. Dean also said the initial tests had allayed some significant concerns about the injury.
“He’s fine now,” Dean said. “He has tests he will have to undergo because of the incident on the ice. He was in a good mood. He was laughing and giggling. »
The team had planned to visit Brzustowski in the hospital after he left the rink, whether or not he returned to Sault Ste. Marie with the team today remained in the air.
Dean said the injury had an emotional impact on the players.
“We had three or four kids on the bench in tears, very upset,” Dean said. “It’s hard to come back from something like that. When the prospect hits you like that and you realize how fragile life is, it’s hard to let it all out right away. It’s exhausting.
Greyhounds captain Bryce McConnell-Barker called it “hard to see”.
“We all love Luc and we were really worried,” added McConnell-Barker.
In an interview on the 67’s website, Ottawa coach Dave Cameron also spoke about Brzustowski’s injury.
“He gave us a boost coming off the ice,” Cameron said. “We all breathed a big sigh of relief.”
Boucher also spoke briefly to Brzustowski as the latter was taken off the ice.
For Greyhounds, the game itself is one they would like to forget.
“We were very passive in our own zone,” Dean said. “We were sloppy moving the puck, not aggressive on the forecheck. That’s what made us pay in Kingston. It’s a game (where) whatever question you ask me, it’s probably going to be answered with, “Yeah, we didn’t do that very well.”
Dean then called the match “probably our worst effort of the year”.
“That’s one we’re going to have to clear very quickly,” Dean also said.
McConnell-Barker called it a game where they were outplayed.
“We weren’t in competition today, and we were outplayed for sure,” McConnell-Barker said. “They had a lot of time in the O zone and we didn’t really control the puck or make a lot of plays today.”
After a scoreless opening period, Brad Gardiner put the 67 on the board 19 seconds into the middle frame. The puck ended up on Gardner’s stick after a failed Greyhounds clearance attempt near the net; Gardiner got the puck and beat Schenkel’s high glove.
Shortly after Brzustowski’s injury, Ottawa made it 2-0 when Sault product Cooper Foster deflected a point shot from Anthony Costantini past Schenkel at 1:58.
Luca Pinelli gave Ottawa a 3-0 lead 28 seconds later as he beat Schenkel after a Vinzenz Rohrer shot from a sharp angle on the right side was blocked by the Greyhounds goaltender. The rebound made its way to Pinelli, who beat Schenkel’s glove side.
Chris Barlas made it 4-0 in Ottawa at 13:31. The second-year forward skated down the right wing and cut towards goal before being initially stopped by Schenkel. Barlas then hit the rebound in Sault’s goal to extend the lead.
Ottawa took a 5-0 power play lead early in the third period. Parked in the left face-off circle, Boucher took a pass from Costantini past Samuel Ivanov in the Sault goal.
Approaching the midpoint of the third, Cameron Tolnai made it 6-0 as he accepted a pass from Brady Stonehouse on a round trip before beating Ivanov’s glove side.
Rookie forward Connor Clattenburg broke Ottawa goaltender Collin MacKenzie’s shutout offer by skating down the left wing and beating the 67 goaltender from the left circle.
In two periods on the job for the Greyhounds, Schenkel stopped 32 of 36 shots, while Ivanov stopped 10 of 12 in relief in the third period.
Pinelli finished the day with a goal and an assist for Ottawa, while Costantini had two assists in the victory.
MacKenzie stopped 22 shots.
Before heading home for a pair of games next weekend, the Greyhounds will be back on the road Wednesday night in Sudbury to take on the Wolves.
On the weekend, the team will host the Guelph Storm on Friday night and the Niagara Ice Dogs on Saturday.
The Greyhounds drop to 3-5-3-1 with Sunday’s loss while Ottawa improves to 10-1-0-0.
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