67’s score clutch overtime win over Colts in Barrie

BOX SCORE | PLAY-BY-PLAY | HIGHLIGHTS

The Ottawa 67’s stormed back late in the third period Thursday night in Barrie and claimed a clutch 5-4 overtime victory over the Colts in what could prove to be a preview of the opening round of the OHL playoffs. The Barber Poles tallied twice in the final 36 seconds to erase a 4-2 deficit and force overtime where Noel Hoefenmayer played hero sending the 67’s into seventh in the Eastern Conference standings – a position they could all but lock up with a win Friday night in Mississauga against the eighth-place Steelheads.

Trailing 1-0 after the opening period, captain Travis Barron pulled the game level inside the opening minute of the second tipping the shot from Sasha Chmelevski. The Colts would score twice in the span of four minutes to claim a 3-1 lead after 40 minutes.

Enter a wild third period.

Barron would again tally for the Barber Poles netting his 20th of the season at the 9:17 mark. Less than two minutes later, however, Barrie restored their two-goal advantage thanks to Dmitry Sokolov’s 49th of the season.

With the game looking all but lost for the 67’s they gained life through Tye Felhaber who slotted home his 29th goal of the season for his third point of the night. Twenty-six seconds later, and with just 10 seconds remaining in the game, Carter Robertson fired home his fourth of the season and first since January 20th, to send the game to overtime. Felhaber collected an assist on the goal for his fourth point (1G, 3A) on the night.

Thirty-four second into overtime Travis Barron drove out of his own zone under pressure with the puck find a streaking Hoefenmayer who blew past the Colts defence and deked past former 67’s netminder Leo Lazarev for the overtime winner and a clutch two-points for the 67’s to snap their five game losing streak.

Ottawa returns to action Friday night in Mississauga taking on the Steelheads with the two sides battling with one another for playoff position.

The 67’s will close out the regular season Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at The Arena at TD Place against the North Bay Battalion. It is the 67’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Game with the team sporting special green jerseys for the occasion.

GAME NOTES

• Captain Travis Barron scored two goals and added an assist in Thursday night’s win and now has 10 points in his last seven contests.
• Tye Felhaber had a goal and three assists factoring in on all four goals in regulation while Sasha Chmelevski collected three assists on the night and leads the 67’s in scoring with 73 points on the year.
• Ottawa’s top line of Barron, Felhaber and Chmelevski combined for 10 points on the night.
• Olivier Tremblay was solid in the Ottawa goal turning aside 34 of 38 shots including 15 of the 16 shots he faced in the third period allowing the 67’s to mount their comeback

67’s single-game tickets start at $12 and are available at Ottawa67s.com/Single-Game-Tickets, by calling 613.232.6767 or in person at The Box Office at TD Place. All minor hockey players part of the 67’s Prospect Program get in for FREE. For more information on the 67’s Prospect Program click here.