Petes Beat Colts in OT, Snap Losing Streak
The Peterborough Petes hosted the Barrie Colts in a rare Tuesday night game on November 19th. The Colts entered the evening on a seven-game winning streak, while the Petes were in the midst of a five game losing skid. Peterborough got back on track against the high-powered Colts, edging the Central Division leaders in overtime by a score of 3-2.
Most of the action on Tuesday night took place in the first period. After ten minutes of back-and-forth play, Colorado Avalanche prospect Michael Clarke scored with a bullet from the slot assisted by Nelson Armstrong and Connor Boland. Andreas Athanasiou answered quickly for the Colts, though, putting the puck past Petes’ starter Michael Giugovaz with Mitch Theoret and Zack Hall earning assists. The hometown Petes were hungry for a lead, though, and Greg Betzold drove hard to the front of the net and buried his third goal of the season with 4:45 left in the frame. The first period ended with the Petes leading 2-1, with Giugovaz and Colts’ super-rookie Mackenzie Blackwood each making seven saves.
Guigovaz and Blackwood were the stars of the second and third periods, with the Petes’ tender stopping 20 of 21 shots and Blackwood stoning the Petes on 17 occasions. The teams traded great chances – including several powerplay opportunities – throughout the latter half of the game and the Petes held their lead until Tyson Fawcett slipped one into the Petes’ net from Athanasiou and Hall at 5:30 of the third. The clock ticked to zero without any more goals, and the teams headed to overtime in front of 1,975 fans, the lowest recorded attendance of the season in Peterborough.
Barrie recorded the first chance in the overtime session, but Peterborough quickly regained possession and Michael Clarke buried a point shot from Nelson Armstrong for the game winner. Clarke was named the game’s first star as a result of his two goal performance, while Athanasiou (1g, 1a) was the second star, and Giugovaz (27 saves) was the third star. Stephen Nosad was named the Mark’s Work Wearhouse Hardest Working Player of the Game.
The Petes’ next game is against Mississauga this Friday, November 22nd, and they are back at the PMC on Saturday, November 23rd when the Niagara IceDogs come to town at 7:05pm. Tickets are still available here, and don’t forget to follow the Petes on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Photo credit: Jessica Nyznik/Peterborough Examiner
