Cordell James is the Overtime Hero in a 3-2 Victory
Just thirty-two seconds into overtime it was the Colts Captain Cordell James stuffing home the game winning goal in a 3-2 overtime victory for Barrie.
James was able to find a loose puck at the side of the net that he was able to stuff in giving the Colts their first win in extra time this season. It was his 13th goal of the season, assisted by Anthony Stefano and Tom Hedberg to capture the win.
It was quite the night at the Barrie Molson Centre on Thursday evening. The Barrie Colts were welcoming back former teammate and Barrie native Matt Brassard who was traded to Oshawa last week for draft picks.
Barrie also acknowledged Colin Behenna’s Fiance with a moment of silence before the game and wearing the #24 decals on their helmets.
Barrie wanted to put on a good show for the home crowd for their first home game of 2017, and they knew it wasn’t going to be easy against the #1 team in the Eastern Conference.
It was a great start for the boys in blue. Roy Radke kickstarted the offense with his 7th goal of the season at the 6:55 mark of the first period. He finished off a nice passing play that was setup by both James and Stefano to give the good guys the 1-0 lead.
Just minutes later it was Ben Hawerchuk burying the Colts second goal of the period. The goal was his 4th of the season. He finished off a great passing play that got started with Lucas Chiodo and Zach Magwood, who returned after missing a few games getting his wisdom teeth removed.
Nearing the end of the frame Jason Willms nearly put Barrie up by three, but he was robbed by Kyle Keyser who came across and kept his team in it.
The Generals would get on the board late in the period though as Eric Henderson got them on the board, assisted from Daniel Robinson and Renars Krastenbergs to cut into the Barrie lead.
In the second period it was most the Generals laying on the pressure, forcing Ruan Badenhorst who was making his second straight start to come up big. Generals had just six shots in the opening frame but peppered ten more in the first half of the second period.
Barrie would apply some pressure in the second half of the period. Chiodo took a great feed in front and outwaited the Gens netminder and nearly tucked it in around his pad, but an Oshawa defender was able to swipe it away, denying Barrie the two goal lead back.
Both teams played a tight third period and there was no scoring until late in the frame. Dominic Commisso tipped in his 12th of the season from Eric Henderson. Looked like a harmless play, but the outstretched stick of Commisso was able to get enough of the puck to poke it between the pads of Badenhorst to tie the game.
Season series is now tied up at a game a piece between the two teams.
Barrie is next in action tomorrow night in Mississauga against the Steelheads. Puck drop is 7pm.
Next Colts home game is this Saturday as we welcome the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to the Barrie Molson Centre. Puck drop is 7:30pm.
